Dyslexia: When should one seek medical advice?

Dyslexia Prevention - There are some signs in pre school, in elementary school and in high school about which people should
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Dyslexia: When should one seek medical advice?

Dyslexia is a common cause learning disability in children. According to a study, children diagnosed with dyslexia by the second grade are more likely (8 times more likely) than those diagnosed after the fifth grade to have improved reading skills in higher grades. A parent should be watchful for signs of struggle with language, reading, and sounding out words. If your young child has any learning problem, consult a health professional (a learning disabilities specialist or child psychologist) to have your child evaluated for learning disabilities. Some signs and symptoms which indicate that you should seek medical advice are:

 

In Preschool

  • Delayed speech as compared to other children of the same age.
  • Mixing up the sounds and syllables in long words and difficulty in pronouncing words properly and ‘jumbling’ up phrases such as saying ‘beddy tear’ instead of ‘teddy bear”.
  • Chronic or repeated ear infections.
  • Persistent confusion in left and right.
  • Late development of dominant hand.
  • Trouble memorizing home address, phone number.
  • Difficulty rhyming or appreciating rhyming words, such as ‘the cat sat on the mat’.
  • Family history of dyslexia.

 

In elementary school

  • Dysgraphia which is slow, illegible handwriting and extreme difficulty in learning cursive formations.
  • Letter or number reversals continuing beyond first grade.
  • Poor reading ability when compared to children of the same age (slow, choppy, inaccurate reading).
  • Poor spelling.
  • Difficulty in understanding time using a clock with hands.
  • Difficulty with math (memorising multiplication tables and doing addition).
  • Extremely untidy bedroom, backpack, and desk.
  • Doesn’t like going to school and may complain of stomach aches or headaches or have nightmares about school.
  • Difficulty in understanding what he or she hears.
  • Difficulty in understanding rapid instructions.
  • Difficulty in understanding and following more than one command at a time.
  • Difficulty in remembering the sequence of things.

 

In High School

 

May have all of the above mentioned symptoms including:

  • Limited vocabulary and poor use of language.
  • Difficulty in reading. Hence, they may try to avoid reading and writing if possible.
  • Trouble learning a new language.
  • Extremely poor handwriting.
  • Significant discrepancy between verbal skills and written compositions.
  • Poor grades in school and may drop out of high school.
  • Trouble managing time and work.

If your child has 3 or more of the above warning signs, consult a health professional to have your child evaluated for learning disabilities and learn more about dyslexia.

 

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