Dyslexia symptoms

Thirty-Seven Characteristics of Dyslexia

Most dyslexics will exhibit about 10 of the following traits and behaviours. These characteristics can vary from day-to-day or minute-to- minute. The most consistent thing about dyslexics is their inconsistency.

General

• 􏰀 Appears bright, highly intelligent, and articulate but 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.

Vision, Reading, and Spelling

• 􏰀 Complains of dizziness, headaches or stomach aches while reading.

• 􏰀 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 rereads with little comprehension.

• 􏰀 Spells phonetically and inconsistently.

Hearing and Speech

• 􏰀 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.

Writing and Motor Skills

• 􏰀 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.

Math 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 math.

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 feeling, not sounds or words (little internal dialogue).

Behaviour, Health, Development and Personality

• 􏰀 Extremely disorderly or compulsively orderly.

• 􏰀 Can be class clown, trouble-maker, or too quiet.

• 􏰀 Had unusually early or late developmental stages (talking, crawling, walking, tying shoes).

• 􏰀 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.