6 early signs your child could have dyslexia, according to experts

Children in nursery singing nursery rhymes.

Education experts have identified six early indicators of dyslexia, and strategies to support your child if they receive a diagnosis.

Differences in children are becoming widely accepted and understood, as awareness about them continues to grow. It's so positive to look at the upsides of ADHD instead of the downsides, and find that there's support available for parents with ADHD raising children with the condition. Similarly, parents and educators are now more aware of patterns of conversation in children that could indicate autism, meaning young people can get the diagnosis and help they need.

Now, with eight in ten dyslexic students leaving school undiagnosed and Dyslexia Awareness Week taking place between October 7-13th, education experts are highlighting the importance of recognising dyslexia early. With 43 per cent of schools in the UK believed to struggle to understand dyslexic challenges, it's vital to identify early signs of this difference and provide appropriate support to young people.

Tutoring provider Explore Learning has found six early and subtle signs a child could be dyslexic, offering expert advice on how to support them if dyslexia is suspected or a diagnosis given. Charlotte Gater, Head of Education from Explore Learning, says: "It's crucial to remember that dyslexia is not a reflection of intelligence. With the right support, children with dyslexia can achieve remarkable success. The key is to recognise each child’s unique learning needs, and ensure their educational strategies are adapted accordingly."

6 early signs of dyslexia

• Difficulty learning nursery rhymes. Children may struggle to remember or recite simple rhymes like Humpty Dumpty. This is because children with dyslexia may find it challenging to recognise rhyming words or break words into individual sounds.
• Slow speech development. Some dyslexic children might start speaking later than their peers or have trouble expressing themselves clearly. Children with dyslexia often struggle with phonological processing, which can affect their ability to produce speech sounds accurately.
• Difficulty learning to recite the alphabet. Remembering the order of letters or associating letters with their sounds may be challenging for dyslexic children. This is related to difficulties in sequential memory and phoneme-grapheme correspondence, which are common in dyslexia.
• Struggles to carry out more than one instruction. Forgetting parts of instructions or mixing up the order of steps can be a sign of dyslexia in children. This can be due to challenges with working memory and sequencing, which are often associated with dyslexia.
• Confusion with directional words. Words like 'left' and 'right' or 'up' and 'down' may be consistently mixed up in those with dyslexia. This spatial and directional confusion is a common feature of dyslexia, often persisting into adulthood.
• Difficulty with short-term memory. Children may struggle to remember information they've just been told, such as a friend's name or simple instructions. This is because dyslexia can affect working memory, which is responsible for temporarily holding and processing information.

How to support children with dyslexia

Charlotte Gater suggests the following strategies:

1. Use multiple senses for learning. Combine visual, hearing, and hands-on activities. For younger children, use playdough to form letters or sing alphabet songs. Older students can benefit from colour-coding different parts of speech or creating mind maps for story structures. 
2. Break tasks into smaller steps. Large assignments can be overwhelming for dyslexic learners. Visual checklists are helpful for younger children, while digital task management apps can be useful for older children and teenagers. Celebrate when steps are completed for all age groups, to maintain motivation.
3. Allow extra time for reading and writing. Reduce time pressure to help children process information more effectively. For younger pupils, extend storytime or use sand timers for writing tasks to make time visual. For older children, allow more time for homework and reading assignments. Create a quiet, distraction-free space at home for study and encourage regular breaks to maintain focus.
4. Use helpful technology. Leverage age-appropriate assistive tools to support learning. For younger pupils, interactive phonics apps like Nessy and digital storybooks can make reading more engaging. Older children can benefit from text-to-speech software for reading assignments and spell-checkers for writing tasks. Secondary school students might find voice recognition tools helpful for note-taking, while grammar-checking software is useful for refining written work.
5. Focus on strengths. Identify and nurture areas where your child excels to build confidence and motivation. For primary school pupils, this might involve praising their creativity in storytelling or their skills in hands-on activities. Older children could be encouraged to join clubs or take on projects related to their strengths, whether in science, art, or sports. For secondary school students, guide them towards optional subjects and extracurricular activities that align with their talents and interests.

For more on differences in young people, we look at PDA in children and exactly what it looks like. We also share the three different types of ADHD, and the top five ADHD personality traits in kids.