Learning Disability In Children: Common Symptoms To Watch Out For

Every child learns at their own pace. But sometimes, you may notice your child consistently failing to cope with reading and writing. And as a parent, the thought of your child struggling with dyslexia is not one that is at all pleasant. In fact, it is one that you may not even think about. But it is important to look out for symptoms and catch dyslexia as early as possible, as the chances of improvement become higher the quicker it is brought to attention. Think your child may be struggling with dyslexia? Here are the most common symptoms:

1. If your child is in preschool: They may be experiencing speech problems, such as not being able to pronounce long words properly and "jumbling" up certain phrases - for example, saying "hecilopter" instead of "helicopter", or "beddy tear" instead of "teddy bear". They may also have problems expressing themselves using spoken language, such as being unable to remember the right word to use, or putting together sentences incorrectly. Delayed speech development is also an important sign, although there could be many causes for that.

2. If your child is between the ages of five and twelve: When it comes to reading and writing, they often have problems learning the names and sounds of letters. Their spellings may be unpredictable and inconsistent, and they may confuse the order of letters in words. One very important red flag is if they put letters and figures the wrong way round - for example, they may write "6" instead "9", or "b" instead of "d". They also may complain of certain visual disturbances when reading, like letters and words moving around or appearing blurred. They may also have difficulty telling time, and tend to primarily think with images and feelings, over sounds or words. On the contrary, they tend to have excellent long-term memory for experiences, locations, and faces.

3. If your child is a teenager: They don't understand non-literal language like puns or sarcasm, and have trouble expressing ideas, even if they have a valid, appropriate point. Thus, they tend to have poorly organized written work that often lacks expression. Moreover, they would most likely have very poor spelling, and would struggle to meet deadlines or study for examinations. When it comes to mathematics, they may be able to do arithmetic, but fail word problems, or aren't grasp algebra or higher math.

Also read: Game-based Learning For Dyslexic Children

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