To suspect a diagnosis of dyslexia, a cluster of symptoms must be evidenced - not just one symptom. Dyslexia is difficulty with language. For people with dyslexia, intelligence is not the problem. The problem is language.

An unexpected gap exists between their potential for learning and their school achievement.

Below are listed some of the common Symptoms found in Dyslectics (10-15% of the population)

The following difficulties may be associated with dyslexia. To verify that an individual is dyslexic, he/she should be tested by a qualified doctor.

Common Symptoms in Preschool Children

• May talk later than most children
• Fine motor skills may develop more slowly (like tying shoes)
• May have difficulty expressing self
• May have difficulty pronouncing words
• May be unable to recall the right word
• May have inability to follow directions
• May have left-right confusion
• May have difficulty learning alphabet, words of songs
• May have difficulty learning rhymes
• May have trouble interacting with peers
• May be unable to follow multi-step directions or routines
• Often has difficulty separating sounds in words and blending sounds to make words
• May have difficulty telling and/or retelling a story in the correct sequence

Caution: it is developmentally normal for children to have some of the above symptoms and to reverse letters and words when they first learn to write. This normally disappears by 2nd grade.

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Common Symptoms at Kindergarten level

• Has difficulty decoding single words (reading single words in isolation)
• May be slow to learn the connection between letters and sounds
• May confuse small words - at - to, said - and, does - goes
• Makes consistent reading and spelling errors including:
  • Inversions - m and w, u and n
  • Substitutions - house and home
  • Letter reversals - d for b as in, dog for bog
  • Word reversals - top for pot
  • Transpositions - felt and left
• May transpose number sequences and confuse arithmetic signs (+ - x / =)
• May have trouble remembering facts
• May be slow to learn new skills; relies heavily on memorizing without understanding
• May be impulsive and prone to accidents
• May have difficulty planning
• Often uses an awkward pencil grip (fist, thumb hooked over fingers, etc.)
• May have trouble learning to tell time
• May have poor fine motor coordination

Caution: To verify that an individual is dyslexic, he/she should be tested by a qualified doctor.

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Common Symptoms at Junior School level

• Is usually reading below class level
• May reverse letter sequences - soiled for solid, left for felt
• May be slow to discern and to learn prefixes, suffixes, root words, and other reading and spelling strategies
• May have difficulty spelling, spells same word differently on the same page
• May avoid reading aloud
• May have trouble with word problems in math
• May write with difficulty with illegible handwriting; pencil grip is awkward, fist-like or tight
• May avoid writing
• May have slow or poor recall of facts
• May have difficulty with comprehension
• May have difficulty making friends
• May not understand body language and facial expressions of others
• May have trouble with non-literal language (idioms, jokes, proverbs, slang)
• May forget to hand in homework or to bring in homework
• May have difficulty with planning and time management

Caution: To verify that an individual is dyslexic, he/she should be tested by a qualified doctor.

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Common Symptoms at Senior School level

• May read very slowly with many inaccuracies
• Continues to spell incorrectly, frequently spells the same word differently in a single piece of writing
• May procrastinate reading and writing tasks
• May avoid writing
• May have trouble summarizing and outlining
• May have trouble answering open-ended questions on tests
• May have poor memory skills
• May not adjust well to new settings or to change
• May work slowly
• May have poor grasp of abstract concepts
• May pay too little attention to details or focus too much on them
• May misread information
• Difficulty remembering names of people and places
• Hesitant speech
• Difficulty finding appropriate words
• Difficulty organizing ideas to write a letter or paper
• Inability to recall numbers in proper sequences (as in phone numbers)
• May not complete assignments; may complete them and not hand them in
• May have an inadequate vocabulary
• May have an inadequate store of knowledge from previous reading
• May have difficulty with planning and time management

Caution: To verify that an individual is dyslexic, he/she should be tested by a qualified doctor.

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Common Symptoms in Adults

• May hide their reading problems; many subterfuges
• May spell poorly; relies on others
• Avoids writing; may not be able to write
• Often very competent in oral language
• Relies on memory; may have excellent memories
• Often has good “people” skills
• Often is spatially talented; engineers, architects, designers, artists and craftspeople, mathematicians, physicists, physicians (esp. orthopads, surgeons), dentists
• May be very good at “reading” people (intuitive)
• In jobs is often working well below their intellectual capacity
• May have difficulty with planning and organization
• May have difficulty with time; often too early, late or forgets appointments. Relies on digital watches; cannot tell analog time
• Often entrepreneurs; may have lost one or more businesses they started
• Difficulty remembering names of people and places
• Hesitant speech
• Difficulty finding appropriate words
• Difficulty organizing ideas to write a letter or paper
• Inability to recall numbers in proper sequences (as in phone numbers)
• Lowered self-esteem due to past frustrations and failures
• Poor ability to find way around and trouble finding car in parking lot OR excellent ability to find way around

  Caution: To verify that an individual is dyslexic, he/she should be tested by a qualified doctor.

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Action Dyslexia Delhi - Beyond Education
(A non-government organisation working for promoting educational, vocational, etc. interests of dyslexic children in Delhi)