Dyslexia Warning Signs

As a certified dyslexia testing specialist, I test a lot of children suspected of having dyslexia.  A mom recently brought her second grade son for testing because his iReady/MAPP scores were low, he was saying he was the worst reader in his class, there was family history of reading difficulty, and her motherly instinct told her something was interfering with his ability to learn to read.

Classic Dyslexia Warning Signs

These were classic dyslexia warning signs.  The iReady/MAPP testing that children take give scores that show their reading level.  However, the scores the school considers ‘low’ don’t always align with real life because schools focus on helping the ‘extremely low’ kids.  Kids with dyslexia are smart and can fake reading because they memorize words but may still struggle with fluency and decoding.

It’s a dyslexia warning sign when an elementary age child is saying,  “I’m not smart.”  Simply put, young children don’t want to go to school and fail.  In a class of 20 kids, all the kids know the top and bottom readers. They know which kids’ papers are returned with a teacher’s red marks on it.

Your child is at risk for dyslexia if you have a diagnosed or a suspected family history of reading struggles.  Dyslexia is genetic and more than 50% of children identified have a family member who was not a good reader and might not like to read as an adult.

Parent Instincts Are Often Correct

If you are the parent, trust your instinct as you know something is underlying your child’s reading struggles.  In my years of experience, moms’ instincts are highly accurate.  Testing provides answers, future direction, and can put your mind at ease.

If you suspect dyslexia, we can help you!  Call our office as we test children ages 5.5 through college for dyslexia, ADHD/ADD, gifted, and other processing disorders.  Call (561) 625 4125