7 Signs that your Pre-School Child may have Dyslexia

Mothers are Great!
Mothers are very perceptive when it comes to their children and they instinctively know when there is something wrong. Doctors, paediatricians and teachers should ignore this at their peril.

The close bond between a mother and her child is one of the understated wonders of the natural world and one that we need to pay more atention to.

Learning issues
If you, as a mother, suspect that your child is having difficulties with vocalising, or speaking, especially about letters and words, then go with those feelings and seek good qualified expert advise.

What's the worst that can happen? 1) If your fears are unfounded then that's good news and you will be more content. 2) If your child does have an issue, then you have done well to find it early and that is also good. The sooner you start helping, the better it gets.

Sharing and Empathy
Yes, you can share your concerns with your friends and their friends but unless they have the right level of expertise, then it is only helping you on a 'sharing and empathising' level.

I am not saying you should stop sharing concerns with your friends and family. Oh no, not at all. What I am saying, is it is not necessarily going to help you make progress with defining the issue or go in the right direction to help with it.

It is normally better to seek out a more qualified and objective opinion or diagnosis, before you attempt remedial action. They will be in a better position to define the issues and to help you address them.

Possible Signs of Dyslexia
Let me give you a list of the types of symptoms or behaviours that would make you believe your child had a difficulty with understanding letters and words. Your child has difficulties with the following;

• Identifying the sounds at the beginning and end of words
• Detecting or recognising when you are using rhyming sounds and words
• Identifying or rembering some letters from the alphabet
• Recognising or detecting words on signs e.g. Parking, Stop, Exit, etc.
  
• Vocalising or describing a story that you know they know e.g. something they have done or a journey they have been on.
  
• Recognising their name when you write it down
• Writing their own name

Let me know if this has helped you in any way and above all trust your own instincts as a mother but don't panic. Enjoy the support of your family and friends but seek out good advice wherever and whenever you can. Ask the school to help you and your child prepare for the future.