Identifying the Early Signs of Dyslexia
Welcome to my new series about dyslexia, where I am going to answer reader questions about our parenting journey since we discovered that Harlow has a language based learning difference back in 2nd grade. Today, I’m going to answer all your questions about identifying the early signs of dyslexia. Or more specifically, what early signs we noticed with Harlow and which ones we missed. Keep in mind, I am not an expert. This is just our personal experience.
Before we start, I just wanted to address the debate about whether to call learning challenges like dyslexia a “learning difference” versus a “learning disability.” I personally do not care either way and don’t think Harlow does either, but I know other people do, so I want to use the preferred terminology. But I do think it’s important to understand that the preference for “difference” is not just to make our children feel better. It’s because many believe “difference” more accurately reflects the way a dyslexic learners’ brain works. A dyslexia diagnosis does not mean your child has a lessened intellect, it just means they need certain things to be taught differently. And while they might struggle in reading, writing and spelling, they often excel in other areas, like spatial reasoning, understanding of abstract information and connections between concepts. Children with dyslexia are also often connected to higher levels of creativity and the ability to think outside the box. Hence the reason there are so many famous inventors, artists and entrepreneurs who have dyslexia. All good things to tell your child when you are sharing their diagnosis with them. The reason some people prefer “disability” is because it can be hard to justify additional services without acknowledging the struggle, and I think in most places, you have to get your child legally classified with a “disability” in order to be eligible for support and accommodations.
Ok, now I’m ready to begin…
What were the early signs of Harlow’s learning differences? And looking back, is there anything you missed?