Dyslexia is a learning difference that can manifest in various ways across different stages of life. While its symptoms are usually noticed in childhood, if left undiagnosed, they can persist into adolescence and adulthood.
In the preschool years, children with dyslexia often experience delays in language development. They may start speaking later than their peers or struggle to recall simple words. Difficulties in phonological awareness, such as recognizing rhyming words or learning tongue twisters, are common. Struggles with matching letters to their corresponding sounds are key warning signs in the pre-reading stage.
By elementary school, dyslexia symptoms become more evident. Children have significant difficulty learning to read. They often confuse letters (especially visually similar ones like b and d, p and q) and may read words in reverse. Frequent pauses during reading, spelling out even simple words, and difficulties distinguishing similar sounds are common. They may overlook punctuation marks and struggle with reading comprehension. Writing issues such as frequent spelling errors and messy handwriting also emerge. Additionally, they may have trouble memorizing sequences like the alphabet, months, or days of the week.
In adolescence and adulthood, individuals with dyslexia often read and write at a slower pace. Learning a foreign language can be particularly challenging, and they may avoid reading aloud. They might perform poorly on written exams, struggle with note-taking, and find summarizing texts difficult. Managing time effectively and following multi-step instructions can also be problematic.
Dyslexia also has emotional and behavioral impacts. Affected individuals may avoid schoolwork, experience low self-esteem, and develop academic anxiety. Frequent frustration and outbursts of anger are common. They may feel stupid or inadequate, though this is far from the truth. Sometimes, their behavior may resemble attention deficit issues, but these are often secondary effects of reading difficulties.
It is important to note that dyslexia symptoms vary greatly from person to person, and not everyone exhibits all signs. Moreover, individuals with dyslexia often excel in areas such as creative thinking, problem-solving, and visual-spatial skills. Supporting these strengths can help them reach their full potential.