How to identify dyslexia in your child? 6 signs that should alert you

It’s been a few weeks since the start of the school year and you have the impression that your child suffers from dyslexia. To guide you, there are signs that are unmistakable. If they do not allow a diagnosis to be made, they should encourage you to consult your child’s pediatrician to determine what course of action to follow.

What is dyslexia?

Belonging to the family of dys disorders, such as dysorthography, dyscalculia or dysphasia, dyslexia is a disorder linked to reading. The child reverses sounds and letters but also makes spelling mistakes in writing and sometimes presents illegible handwriting.

Dyslexia is considered a disability, of genetic origin, it cannot be cured. Indeed, dyslexia is a neurological disorder, linked to the brain functioning of the child concerned.

There are different types of dyslexia

There are three main forms of dyslexia: phonological dyslexia, superficial dyslexia and mixed dyslexia, which is a mixture of the first two.

• Phonological dyslexia: this is the most common. It causes slowness in reading and difficulty recognizing new words;
• Superficial dyslexia is a selective disability in the ability to read words with irregular pronunciation.

For people affected by dyslexia, whatever the type, communicating information, retaining it, understanding it or modifying it is difficult.

What are the early signs of dyslexia?

As a parent, you may notice difficulties in your child’s learning. Here are the signs that should alert you:

• Difficulty learning nursery rhymes : children may have difficulty remembering or reciting simple rhymes, or even breaking words into individual sounds;
• Slow speech development : Some children with dyslexia may start speaking later than their peers or have difficulty expressing themselves clearly. Children with dyslexia often have difficulty with phonological processing, which can affect their ability to produce speech sounds accurately;
• Difficulty reciting the alphabet : remembering the order of letters or associating letters with their sounds can be difficult for children with dyslexia;
• A confusion to execute more than one instruction : forgetting parts of the instructions or mixing up the order of steps can be a sign of dyslexia in children;
• Confusion with directional words : Words like “left” and “right” or “up” and “down” can be systematically mixed up in people with dyslexia. This spatial and directional confusion is a common feature of this disability, often persisting into adulthood;
• Difficulty with short-term memory : These children may have difficulty remembering information that has just been told to them, such as the name of a friend or simple instructions.

If your child is truly dyslexic, there are different approaches you can take to help them. For example, you can:

• Use multiple senses to learn : combine visual, auditory and practical activities. For younger children, use playdough to shape letters or sing songs about the alphabet. For older children, it is possible to establish a color code for the different sounds in a text;
• Break down tasks : homework that is too extensive can be difficult for dyslexic children to do. Try to break down each of the rules, so that the child can progress at his own pace;
• Allow extra time to read and write: reading a text is not a race. By not putting pressure on him, the dyslexic child manages to process information more effectively.
• Also make sure he has a quiet space and without distractions at home to study, taking regular breaks to keep him focused. Finally, congratulate him for each of his successes, without forgetting to also highlight his other qualities, in subjects other than reading or French.