Basic symptoms of dyslexia in school-age children

Dyslexia is a learning disorder that affects the acquisition of reading, writing and spelling skills. In school-age children, early identification of the symptoms of dyslexia is crucial to provide effective interventions and support academic and emotional development.

This session will examine the basic symptoms of dyslexia in school-age children, highlighting the importance of early identification and offering strategies to address these challenges.

Difficulties in Phonological Awareness and Spelling Problems

Phonological awareness, the ability to recognize and manipulate sounds in language, is fundamental to learning to read and write. In children with dyslexia, difficulties in this skill are observed. They may have problems identifying rhymes, segmenting words into individual sounds, and manipulating phonemes. These difficulties negatively affect decoding and reading fluency. One of the most obvious symptoms of dyslexia in school-age children is difficulty recognizing words. They may experience difficulties associating letters with their corresponding sounds and decoding words efficiently. Reading common words and retaining vocabulary can be challenging, which directly affects reading comprehension.

Spelling is another area where children with dyslexia may face persistent challenges. They often make frequent spelling mistakes and have difficulty remembering the correct sequence of letters in words. These problems can affect both writing and reading, as spelling is essential for accurate decoding.

Slow Reading and Writing: Impact on Fluency

Dyslexia can manifest itself in slow reading and writing. Children may require more time to process written information, which affects the speed and fluency of these skills. This slowness can lead to fatigue and frustration, negatively affecting the attitude towards learning.

Children with dyslexia often develop avoidance strategies for activities related to reading and writing. They may show resistance or anxiety when faced with tasks involving these skills. Avoidance can be an early sign of the difficulties they experience and highlights the importance of addressing the emotional dimensions associated with dyslexia.

Problems with Organization and Sequencing: Cognitive Challenges

Dyslexia can also manifest itself in cognitive difficulties related to the organization and sequencing of information. Children may have problems organizing their ideas when writing or following logical sequences in written texts. These challenges affect both written expression and text comprehension.

Working memory, which involves retaining and manipulating information for a short period of time, can be affected in children with dyslexia. This can result in difficulties remembering instructions, retaining relevant information while reading and organizing ideas when writing. Working memory difficulties have a direct impact on the learning process.

Confusion of Letters and Symbols: Common Errors

Children with dyslexia may experience confusion between letters and visual symbols. They may invert, omit or add letters in words. Confusion between similar letters, such as “b” and “d”, or between words with similar visual structures, is common. These errors affect accuracy in reading and writing.

Auditory discrimination, the ability to distinguish between sounds in speech, can be compromised in children with dyslexia. This directly influences phonetic comprehension and decoding. Children may have difficulty recognizing subtle differences between sounds, which affects their ability to associate sounds with letters and words.

Difficulties in Reading Comprehension: Beyond Decoding

Dyslexia not only affects decoding, but also reading comprehension. Children may have difficulty understanding the meaning of texts, even after accurately decoding words. These comprehension difficulties affect academic performance and can lead to frustration and demotivation. Dyslexia is sometimes associated with difficulties in motor coordination, which can affect writing. Children may have problems maintaining legible handwriting and following lines on the page. These difficulties in motor coordination can influence written expression and the presentation of written work.

Emotional and Social Factors: Impact on Well-being

The symptoms of dyslexia are not limited to academic difficulties; they also have an impact on emotional and social well-being. Children may experience frustration, low self-esteem and anxiety related to academic performance. Early identification and addressing of these emotional aspects is essential to promote a positive learning environment.

Identifying and addressing the symptoms of dyslexia requires effective collaboration between educators and parents. Open communication about observations at home and school is essential for early and personalized intervention. Collaboration also facilitates the implementation of consistent support strategies in different environments. Early intervention is key to long-term success in addressing the symptoms of dyslexia. The earlier these difficulties are identified and addressed, the greater the chances of developing effective strategies and mitigating the impact on learning and emotional well-being.