| Introduction | | | | added or missed out. When writing, letters might |
| Dyslexia is a learning disability that has a broad | | | | be reversed. |
| range of symptoms. In this article I will discuss | | | | 4. Words & Letters Move Around the Page. |
| seven symptoms that might be displayed by a | | | | A person who might be in need of a dyslexic |
| person when they are reading or writing and | | | | diagnosis may complain that letters and words |
| might need further investigation and could result in | | | | move on the page that they are reading or |
| a dyslexia diagnosis. Like most lists of symptoms | | | | writing on. This movement will make any reading |
| for any learning disability, any body in the world | | | | or writing task almost impossible to complete |
| could display them at one time or another. The | | | | confidently. |
| emphasis here is on the frequency that these | | | | 5. Reads With Little or No Understanding |
| symptoms are displayed. You will possibly also | | | | Do you know somebody who can read words |
| have an uneasy feeling with regard to this person. | | | | very confidently but find it very hard to explain in |
| There will be a gap and some behaviours that are | | | | their own words what they have just read? This |
| unexplained. How can an individual who is clearly | | | | ability to decode (read) words but not |
| intelligent, find seemingly mundane reading and | | | | comprehend them can be a sign of dyslexia. |
| writing tasks so difficult? The following list of | | | | 6. Spells Words Phonetically Not From Memory |
| symptoms might just prompt you to go in search | | | | Some bright and intelligent people sound words |
| of a dyslexia diagnosis. | | | | out as they are spelling them, when they should |
| 1. Dizziness, Headaches and Stomach Aches | | | | be spelling but words from memory. Most |
| These symptoms are quite worrying because | | | | competent readers and writers spell words from |
| they manifest themselves as pain. We are not | | | | memory. it happens naturally and fluently because |
| worried about someone who complains of | | | | we have written word so many times before |
| dizziness, headaches or stomach aches | | | | that we can spell it with ease. However, if for |
| infrequently but for the person who complains of | | | | some reason an individual difficulty remembering |
| the symptoms often there is a cause for concern | | | | words they must use their phonological skills to |
| and need possibly for further investigation. | | | | spell words. frequently this means that spellings |
| 2. Confused by letters, numbers, words, | | | | are wrong most of the time! |
| sequences | | | | 7. Vision Problems, Eyesight Perfect |
| I think it is more well known that someone | | | | This symptom is closely related to symptom |
| possible dyslexia should be confused by letters | | | | number 4. However the complaint in this situation |
| and words. Commonly confusing letters will be the | | | | is not so much about words moving floating or |
| most obvious and worrying characteristic because | | | | swimming across a page but a continued difficulty |
| being able to recognize and use all the letters of | | | | with even seeing words and letters. They are just |
| the alphabet is a skill that most children should | | | | a blur. |
| achieve a very young age. What is less well | | | | Closing Thoughts |
| known is that people who struggle with numbers | | | | I do not think that any of the seven |
| and sequences could well be in need of a dyslexia | | | | characteristics of dyslexia outlined above are |
| diagnosis. | | | | more or less important than any of the others. |
| 3. Simple Reading or Writing Tasks Are Full of | | | | What is important is that if after reading this |
| Errors | | | | article you feel sufficiently worried, then you |
| For both reading and writing, these errors can | | | | should do some further research looking into |
| occur at the letter and word level. For instance | | | | getting a dyslexia diagnosis. |
| letters and words may be needlessly repeated, | | | | |