Indicators of Dyslexia in Children

Pre-school

  • late to talk
  • difficulty learning nursery rhymes
  • enjoys stories but little interest in words or letters
  • co-ordination difficulties e.g. getting dressed

Primary school age

  • seems bright but does less well than expected
  • difficulties with reading, writing and spelling
  • reverses written letters and/or numbers
  • difficulty recalling sequences such as instructions, days of week, times tables
  • appears inattentive/careless
  • poor self-image

Secondary school age

  • still reads slowly and/or inaccurately
  • problems with spelling, hand writing, copying from the board
  • patchy performance – ‘good’ and ‘bad’ days
  • confuses dates/places/times
  • may have areas of strength e.g. maths, art, sport, music

Problems with several of the above may possibly be an indicator of dyslexia.

If, after reading these indicators, you think your child may be dyslexic, you may want to talk through your possible options.

  • Talk to the SENCO at your child’s school
  • Get your child screened to assess the likelihood of them being dyslexic – CDA offers this service – see our ‘What Does CDA Do?‘ page
  • Get your child fully assessed – see our ‘Helpful Sites and Contacts’ page
  • Talk to the Croydon Dyslexia Association

Croydon Dyslexia Association offers free and impartial advice, information and help to dyslexic people, their families and the professionals who support them.

Joining the CDA and coming along to the informal open meetings is often one of the first places parents and carers get a chance to talk to others experiencing the same challenges as they are. This sort of informal support network can be vital to some families in the early stages of diagnosis and support. Members of the CDA will always try to make new families welcome and ensure that you leave the meeting with new hope and new contacts to share ideas and experiences with in the weeks and months ahead.

If you are unsure about coming along to one of our meetings, why not contact the Helpline instead. Our helpful and friendly volunteers will help you to plan your first steps towards supporting your child.