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Original poster

To thinkk that if my pre-schooler does her letters and numbers backwards it's a sign of dyslexia?

55 replies

mrsbertiewooster · 27/03/2012 17:48

I work in education myself so I know there is a process before you can diagnose a child with dyslexia.

However, my DD (4.5) often copies out some numbers and letters backwards. Or else writes them backwards off the top of her head when she recalls them. In particular, the number 5, 2 and the letters F and S.

Am not really worried, as I think it's a bonus anyway to recognise and make letters before school anyway, but just wanted to know if the above is common?

Thanks!

OP posts:
ChazsBrilliantAttitude · 27/03/2012 18:23

I've noticed with my children that sometimes the problem is simply they start writing the letter or number in the wrong place. DS1 used to start writing a number 7 at the bottom but he knew that the top part of the 7 was written by drawing a line from left to right so he would draw a line going up then a line going left to right from that vertical line. The result was a backwards 7.

I think that these formation problems often get ironed out as they get older.

Blu · 27/03/2012 18:28

Why is this even crossing your mind?
Children do this well into Yr 2, and probably beyond.

skybluepearl · 27/03/2012 18:33

it is really normal in non dyslexic kids to do that. I'm told they don't worry till they reach the age of 7. My DS did this up to the age of 6 and then stopped.

MardyArsedMidlander · 27/03/2012 18:36

I did this as a child. And I couldn't tie my shoe laces properly until I was 13. And- rather embarassingly- I still struggle to tell the time on old fashioned clock faces. And definitely not dyslexic- I read all the time with no problems.

BelleJolie · 27/03/2012 18:43

It's a totally normal stage of development. It's when it persists longer than it should (I think it's up to about 7 or 8 years of age) and there are other signs as well that it becomes a concern.

foreverondiet · 27/03/2012 18:49

DD did this until about 6, she is now 8, not dyslexic.
DS1 still does this, he is 5, nearly 6, but reading really well (chapter books) so am guessing he is not dyslexic either. Am not worried.

donedreaming · 27/03/2012 18:49

Sorry to break this to you but you can be dyslexic and read well as we're discovering with ds. Not being able to tie your laces and tell the time are also associated with dyslexia. It's often called specific learning difficulty now as there are so many elements that are not reading related.

DeepThought · 27/03/2012 18:56

mirror writing too is v common

stealth boast methinks (my PRESCHOOLER knows numbers and letters yadda yadda)

so to counterbalance neither of mine did and #1 was reading by Feb after starting in the Sept and #2 was reading by XMAS after starting in the Sept so put THAT in yer pipe and smoke it Grin

exoticfruits · 27/03/2012 19:07

Quite normal. I did it and I am not dyslexic. I am however left handed.

FullBeam · 27/03/2012 19:16

I read an article about this a little while ago. It said that humans are hard wired to recognise mirror images of objects as the same thing. So a young child will see a b and a d as the same letter. They have to unlearn their instinctive reaction in order to see reversed letters as different from each other. Most children will learn that by the age of about 7/8.

Pendulum · 27/03/2012 19:22

DD1 got 'b' and 'd' mixed up until age 6. She used to write 'deb' instead of 'bed'. My clever MIL did her a drawing of a bed with the letters at each end (with the letter stems as bedsteads IYSWIM) and the penny dropped eventually. She's not dyslexic (or left handed).

PoultryInMotion · 27/03/2012 19:34

I did it a lot at that age. I'm left handed. I didn't realise their might be a link? I'm not dyslexic BTW (although I am an awful speller!)

BelleDameSansMerci · 27/03/2012 19:36

I did this. I'm not dyslexic or left handed. My spelling is very good too. Always has been.

Think it's totally normal.

Lizcat · 27/03/2012 20:02

Can I also dispel the myth that dyslexics are poor readers. Dyslexics have a variety of traits of which slow reading can be one there are many many others. I am a dyslexic as I said earlier I can read well just slow the biggest problem was when non didactic teaching was first introduced during my second degree and I could not com

Lizcat · 27/03/2012 20:03

Ah ah could not comPlete the reading in 45minutes to take part in the discussion.

aquashiv · 27/03/2012 20:05

course its normal

cory · 27/03/2012 20:27

Db did this and he reads about 20 languages at great speed, including several different scripts, and has no other signs of dyslexia either (shoelaces fine). But he is ambi-dextrous.

Nevertooearlyforcake · 27/03/2012 21:00

No, my DD did this, still does but a lot less (nearly 6). She reads some short words backwards too ("saw" for "was", etc). Am sure it's all normal

Original poster
mrsbertiewooster · 27/03/2012 21:04

Thanks all! I thought as much - just wanted to get general views on it.

DD does not use the conventional (note I didn't use the word 'proper') letter direction when writing (e.g. Writes P as a circle first and then a line) but of course this will be covered in school.

I must point out that I NEVER correct her letters as I want her to have a positive experience with writing and just say 'Wow, thats' great!'

I work in adult literacy BTW....

Completed agree lizcat that dyslexia encompasses a variety of traits, not one size fits all

OP posts:
rhibutterfly · 27/03/2012 21:05

my DD does this and she left handed and so did i and im left handed too

accountantsrule · 27/03/2012 21:06

My DS age 3 wrote his 8 letter name in a mirror image at pre-school, the staff spoke to me about it and wondered if I had ever considered that he was actually left handed not right handed (they knew I am left handed) but when I asked him about it he just said its boring writing it forwards! They can be funny things!!

He doesn't do it now though, I think its really common until they are about 7, after that I may be more concerned but then again I don't necessarily think it would mean a major problem.

ArielThePiraticalMermaid · 27/03/2012 21:07

I was a teacher. My niece used to do mirror writing and all her numbers back to front.

She's six now and isn't dyslexic. Don't worry yourself! :)

accountantsrule · 27/03/2012 21:10

that wasn't a 'stealth boast' by the way as someone suggested earlier about the OP, lol! Just a message of support that all these things are normal!!!

lurkerspeaks · 27/03/2012 21:26

Totally normal.

My brother did it a lot right into the middle years of primary school - he has dyspraxia. My sister and I who are 'normal' (i.e. we got picked for team sports!) both did it too but not for as long.

lurkerspeaks · 27/03/2012 21:29

Oh and I thought learning poor letter formation was why you weren't encouraged to teach writing at home pre-school.

When I've attended 'support your child at school things' (I do some after school child care) the merits of gently correcting incorrect letter formation is always reinforced.

Personally I struggle with phonics despite my (slightly inadequate in Mumsnet terms) university education.