Parents can spot signs of dyslexia as early as preschool, expert says

Dyslexia is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects a person’s ability to process language.

This can impact reading, spelling, decoding words and writing in some cases.

Speech therapist Sairah Rich explains that a common misconception is that dyslexia only involves seeing letters backwards, which is not true.

She explains, “It's how you hear sounds in words and then how you learn to spell them and read them.”

Research suggests that this condition affects between 5% and 10% of learners.

However, many go undiagnosed because teachers are not trained to spot signs of dyslexia, and an official diagnosis can only be made by an educational psychologist or speech-language therapist.

Diagnosing is especially difficult in South Africa because of our linguistic diversity.

This means children are often taught in a language that differs from their home language, and their difficulties with language learningcan resemble those of dyslexia.

While the condition might present challenges in certain areas of their education, their problem-solving and verbal reasoning skills often stay strong.

Rich states that early intervention and targeted care have a significant impact on a child’s learning journey.

She says you can begin to recognise this at pre-school levels if a child struggles with syllabifying words, rhyming words, or speech issues.

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She notes that there is a genetic component to dyslexia, so it is essential to consider the family history of this condition.

In primary school, she says to look out for reading difficulties, spelling errors, and reluctance to read aloud.

“Even if you don't have an accurate diagnosis, you can see this child is struggling with letter sounds or writing, so make the effort right away.”

To listen to Sairah Rich, a speech and language therapist at Bellavista School, in conversation with Clement Manyathela on 702, click on the audio below: