Symptoms of Dyslexia

Symptoms of Dyslexia

37 Common Characteristics

• Appears bright, highly intelligent and articulate. However, they are unable to read, write or spell at grade level.
• Labelled lazy, dumb, careless, immature, “not trying hard enough”, or “behaviour problem”.
• Isn’t “behind enough” or “bad enough” to be helped in the school setting.
• High in IQ, yet may not test well academically; tests well orally, but not written.
• Feels dumb; has poor self-esteem; hides or covers up weaknesses with ingenious compensatory strategies; easily frustrated and emotional about school reading or testing.
• Talented in art, drama, music, sports, mechanics, story-telling, sales, business, designing, building or engineering.
• Seems to “zone out” or daydream often, gets lost easily or loses track of time.
• Difficulty sustaining attention; seems “hyper” or “daydreamer”.
• Learns best through hands-on experience, demonstrations, experimentation, observation, and visual aids.

• Complains of dizziness, headaches, or stomach aches while reading.
• Is confused by letters, numbers, words, sequences, or verbal explanations.
• Reading or writing shows repetitions, additions, transpositions, omissions, substitutions and reversals in letters, numbers and/or words.
• Complains of feeling or seeing non-existent movement while reading, writing or copying.
• Seems to have difficulty with vision, yet eye exams don’t reveal a problem.
• Extremely keen sighted and observant, or lacks depth perception and peripheral vision.
• Reads and re-reads with little comprehension.
• Spells phonetically and inconsistently.

• Has extended hearing; hears things not said or apparent to others; easily distracted by sounds.
• Difficulty putting thoughts into words; speaks in halting phrases; leaves sentences incomplete; stutters under stress; mispronounces long words, or transposes phrases, words and syllables when speaking.

• Trouble with writing or copying; pencil grip is unusual; handwriting varies or is illegible.
• Clumsy, uncoordinated, poor at ball or team sports; difficulties with fine and⁄or gross motor skills and tasks; prone to motion-sickness.
• Can be ambidextrous, and often confuses left⁄right, over⁄under.

Maths and Time Management

• Has difficulty telling time, managing time, learning sequenced information or tasks, or being on time.
• Computing math shows dependence on finger counting and other tricks; knows answers, but can’t do it on paper.
• Can count, but has difficulty counting objects and dealing with money.
• Can do arithmetic, but fails word problems, cannot grasp algebra or higher maths.

Memory and Cognition

• Excellent long-term memory for experiences, locations and faces.
• Poor memory for sequences, facts, and information that has not been experienced.
• Thinks primarily with images and feelings, not sounds or words (little internal dialogue).

• Extremely disorderly or compulsively orderly.
• Can be a class clown, trouble-maker, or too quiet.
• Had unusually early or late developmental stages (talking, crawling, walking, tying shoelaces).
• Prone to ear infections, sensitive to foods, additives and chemical products.
• Can be an extra deep or light sleeper; bedwetting beyond appropriate age.
• Unusually high or low tolerance for pain.
• Strong sense of justice; emotionally sensitive; strives for perfection.
• Mistakes and symptoms increase dramatically with confusion, time pressure, emotional stress or poor health.