How Early Can Children Be Diagnosed With Dyslexia

Dyslexia is a disorder that affects both adults and children. The severity of this disorder varies as does the age at which children are diagnosed with this. It is important to note that there is no standard testing that is done to diagnose this disorder. Doctors will look for symptoms of dyslexia and then complete a series of reading tests before any determination is made.

Symptoms In Preschool Years

Signs of dyslexia can appear when children are around 1 to 2 years old. This is when most children start to make to say their first words and put together their first phrases. If a child has not said their first word by 15 months or their first phrase within 2 years, the risks of dyslexia are higher.

While this speech delay is a potential sign of dyslexia, not all children who have delayed speech will be diagnosed with dyslexia. Additionally, not all people who have been diagnosed with dyslexia had delay speech in their preschool years. There are other symptoms that can point to dyslexia in addition to delay speech.

These symptoms will manifest before the age of 5. Problems remembering letters and learning the letters of the alphabet. Another sign is an inability to recognize their own name with another being unable to pronounce familiar words.

Symptoms In First Grade

When children enter kindergarten and first grade, the symptoms of dyslexia will become more apparent. This is around the time that the earliest diagnosis for dyslexia can be made. Of course, the child will need to be tested by a doctor before any recommendations are made.

During this time, children start to learn how to read. One of the signs to look for is an inability to understand that words can be broken into sounds. While reading errors are common when children first start learning, continued errors can be a sign of dyslexia. Another sign to consider is any problem with sounding out basic words such as cat.

If a child is exhibiting these symptoms, they should be taken to their pediatrician for testing. The doctor will be able to determine if the child has dyslexia or not. They will also be able to refer the child to an early intervention program that can help them overcome this disorder.

Symptoms In Older Children

There are times when the symptoms of dyslexia are not identified in kindergarten or first grade. Many children with this disorder fully participate in class and have no problems with other aspects of school. These children can slip through the cracks, but they will start to fall behind as they get older.

Children who are very slow at learning to read and who read slowly or awkwardly could have dyslexia. Difficulty sounding out new words and being hesitant in expanding their vocabulary can also be signs of dyslexia. Children with dyslexia will also confuse words that sound similar and mispronouncing other words.

Most children are diagnosed with dyslexia before they enter high school. To ensure this, the symptoms will need to be taken seriously. Before a diagnosis is provided, the child will need to go through testing with a doctor who specializes in dyslexia and other similar disorders.

Dyslexia can be diagnosed when children are very young with the earlies being kindergarten and first grade age. This is when children start to read and the signs of this disorder become more apparent. While many dyslexic children will have delay speech, this is not a clear sign and cannot be used to provide a diagnosis. Many children are not diagnosed by the end of first grade, but the symptoms will become clearer and a diagnosis can be provided.