A: One of the myths about dyslexia, a reading learning disability, is that these children have letter reversals. While some of them may, it is not automatically a sign of a learning disability and many people with dyslexia do not experience reversals at all. Besides, letter and number reversals are developmentally appropriate until about age 7 and then we expect them to begin to grow out of it. If reversals continue, look for these additional possible signs of a reading difficulty (not an exhaustive list):
Difficulty with pronunciation
Difficulty with rhyming
Talking around a word
Using vague words
Difficulty learning names of words and sounds in alphabet
Confuses the order of letters in words
Poor decoding and spelling ability
Guesses at words
Poor reading fluency and comprehension
Doesn’t recognize words previously learned
Makes consistent reading and spelling errors including letter reversals (b/d), inversions (m/w), transpositions (felt/left), and substitutions (house/home)
Difficulty remembering what he just read
Difficulty concentrating when reading/writing
The average grade for a diagnosis of dyslexia is 3rd grade, but as with most learning difficulties, the earlier the detection and intervention, the better the outcome. Your child does not have to have dyslexia for him to benefit from reading tutoring to improve their abilities. If you have concerns about your child’s reading skills, please call for a consultation (843) 810-9202.