4 year old who might be dyslexic

[allyfe]

I know that 4 is too young to diagnose dyslexia, but there is a family history (me), and my daughter has lots of the risk factors (other than me), and in watching her, I am worried that she is going to be dyslexic. At some level, I know that the reason they can't diagnose at this age is because so much of 'dyslexic' characteristics are common in younger children so it is hard to get conclusive evidence. But, I was wondering both - for those of you who do have dyslexic DC, what where they like (in terms of learning, memory, behaviour etc) at 4-5, and also do you know of any specific processes or ways of helping which I could use now which might make things easier if she is dyslexic?

I'm figuring that if she isn't, it won't hurt, and if she is, it might help.

Thanks!

Bumping for you, as I have the same concerns for my DS, even though he is still a toddler.

Above all, if he turns out to be dyslexic, I would want to protect him from the hellish experiences I had in primary school as a result of being severely dyslexic.

What things make you think that she might be?

Ds did mirror writing for a bit, regularly got letters the wrong way round - even more so with numbers (for ages) but is definitely not dyslexic now (8)

Dyslexicdespot, I so understand what you are saying. Now, as an adult, I feel that being dyslexic (whilst sometimes a pain), has been useful for my job because of the creative way of thinking. But it is exactly the pain of school, and the 25 years of feeling stupid and out of place in education, that I want to try to save my child from. Fingers crossed we get some helpful advice :)

I am also benefiting from being dyslexic now, as an adult in a highly creative field, but those early years damaged me in fundamental ways!

For me at least, mistlethrush, it is not so much that I think DS is dyslexic, but knowing that it is a possibility, makes me want to prepare for a possible diagnosis.

Mistlethrush, it is a combination of things - lots of things that I'm sure are common but I guess it is perhaps having them all together - she sometimes writes backwards, and confuses similar looking letter sounds (e.g. b & d), she is dreadful at remembering names and I think she may be poor at faces (either that or she just blanks people because she can't remember names), she is a bit all elbows and knees - she doesn't see where she is standing and what she is standing on (people, thing etc). She is desperate to learn, she loves learning, she will 'learn' something but then forgets it reasonably quickly. Things just don't seem to stick. She is left handed (so already has a different brain structure - but I'm right handed), and she adores junk modelling, drawing and all things creative. Her singing is totally flat (although she loves doing it). She is a quick thinker, was a really early talker and has always had a reasonably advanced understanding of things. She isn't great at phonics (but I have been hoping it is just not her forte).

But, the good news is at this stage she LOVES school, she loves learning, and she loves reading (even if she finds it hard sometimes). But at the first parents evening I realised that the teachers haven't got a handle on what she can do at all. In fairness, it is also because, despite being a confident chatty girl outside school, she is desperately shy with the teachers and won't talk to them. But it has only been 7 weeks. Sorry - this has turned into an essay. I know there are other bits, and it is very true that I am probably prone to read too much into stuff (considering my own baggage). There is just so much that I recognise.

I'm not that sure that there were any signs at such a young age. Both my DSs are dyslexic, which came as a bit of a shock as we have no previous family history of dyslexia.

I can really only remember things becoming obvious as the DSs got older. E.G. DS1 is 16 and still has very poor handwriting & spelling. DS2 is 13 & the same. But at age 4/5, their handwriting & spelling is expected to be poor.

Both of mine were great readers but very reluctant writers, as a remember. Not sure if that is typical.

I was coming at it from the same stand point with DS - I almost expected him to be dyslexic (I am slightly) so was looking out for it. So I saw all of the swapping round, the bad handwriting etc. He's also fairly clumsy - tripping over things (and treading on people with his big feet). However, he's somehow managed to move through that - his handwriting is certainly legible now - its not the tidiest and he has to be reminded to try to be a bit neater, but its OK. His spelling is amazingly good (and I have no idea where he got that from as it certainly wasn't me). He does struggle a bit with writing things down - but he's still young and will get there. And his reading age is more than 2 years ahead. However, he got there from a starting point that sounds remarkably similar to your child. He isn't left handed - but he was very ambidexterous as a baby, and often crayoned with his left hand - and still does a lot with his left hand but writes with his right.

I come from a family with a huge dyslexic and autistic history. My Grandfather, Father, myself, my sister, three cousins in my generation and then my niece are all dyslexic. So I was really concerned about this. I saw all the letter reversals, number reversals, terrible hand eye co-ordination and a multitude of other things that concerned me in DD. However, by the end of year 2 only the terrible had eye co-ordination remained and even that has gone now she's in year 5.

Now with the benefit of hindsight the teachers were right really normal for infant stage of school.

Both of mine are dyslexic 6 and 10 (both EP assessed). With both of them it was the inability to remember words they had just sounded out, slow reading and lack of ability with spelling tests that stood out. The other thing was the missmatch between their reading/written ability and their verbal and mathmatical skills e.g. DS2 has reading and spelling at least 1 year behind his chronological age but mathematics and comprehension 1.5 years ahead.

You could work through the Bear Necessities books with her
www.soundfoundationsbooks.co.uk/

they will give her a good grounding in phonics whether or not she is dyslexic.

Two thoughts

• AFAIK Dyslexia doesn't make you clumsy but can overlap with other conditions such as dyspraxia

• Have you had her eyes tested? DS2 stopped bumping into things so much once he got his glasses.

www.prometheantrust.org/dyslexiamyths.htm

www.prometheantrust.org/dyslexiamyths.htm

I would encourage reading for pleasure as much as possible. Lots of being read to and lots of reading for herself. Encouraging a love of 'words' is a great plan too - books containing plays on words and silly words are great.

I also think that simple repetition of difficult spellings, spelling rules etc is a good plan. Learning by rote can be useful.

My DS1 would write some of his numbers and letters back to front until he was 8’ish. It seemed odd as his spelling and grammer was faultless.

I imagine there must be some suitable apps or computer programs.

Thanks so much everyone. Lonecat and Mistlethrush I am particularly heartened to read what you say about your DC's. I have a colleague who has many of the advantages but who isn't actually dyslexic. Her son is, and I think it is possible to have some of the different wiring but not all.

Mrz it was an interesting link although personally, the research I have read and my own experience contradicts many of the 'facts' in that sheet. There is strong evidence that dyslexic brains are differently wired than non-dyslexic brains and as a result the differences go far beyond simple reading. However, it is certainly true that there is no 'one' dyslexia. As far as I understand, dyslexia is generally caused by auditory or visual issues, and consequently there certainly is not one diagnosis fits all. But that is another (and very passionately argued in the research literature) debate for another time.

The Promethean Trust who produced the information sheet are a "dyslexia support" charity that helps parents to teach their child to read.

dyslexics.org.uk/is_my_child.htm

Oh yes our brains are differently wired, but it makes us incredible problem solvers, pattern recognition etc. Look at the profile of many people who worked at Bletchley.
My particular problem solving ability is with numbers I can see number patterns incredibly easily. However, other people struggle to understand how my spelling can be so appalling, but I have this incredible skill. Within my family there are definitely several different types of dyslexic, but we do have one thing in common we have all learnt to work with our dyslexia and we have all gone on to be successful in a wide variety of fields. Probably the most successful is my Dad he left school with a single CSE, he then attended as he put it the University of life built two huge successful businesses playing to his strengths. He still struggles to spell in fact he writes appalling to cover it up and I have never ever know to read a single word of fiction.
The other thing I was going to say is be open to other possibilities as a family we focused to strongly on the dyslexia until we fell over the elephant in the room - my nephew's high functioning autism.

Lonecat - I'm very good on patterns - and spatial awareness - I did things like doing puzzles upside down when I was little (ie looking at the shapes of the pieces not the picture as the picture made it too easy) - perhaps I have my (admittedly not severe) dyslexia to thank?

Mrz your second link is interesting as my DD had only 50% hearing from 4 months to 3.5 years of age due to glue ear, but she still had early speech. I did have glue ear and was similar hearing levels 5 to 11 years, because of this I ensured we always spoke clearly and slowly enuciating well and make sure she looked at us. DD still only as partial hearing, but lip reads.
DD also never bothered to crawl.
It is just so complicated.

DS waited to walk - until he was sure about it and started running around the kitchen table (on slippery tiles) on day 2 of walking!!!

They all have their quirks.

Work through Bare Necessities
Have eyes tested - ask whether convergence or tracking difficulties (good optician will be able to tell)
Get referral to Occupational Therapist who works with children who have dyspraxia. My hunch.

Bear Necessities. Lol
Also, buy lowercase magnetic / wooden letters. Have your DC make a rainbow by putting them in order (a-z). You could do this in quarters if a-z is overwhelming.

Bear Necessities is an excellent product produced by the Promethean Trust (my first link)