A Unique Child: Dyslexia - Read alert

An estimated one in ten people in the UK are affected by dyslexia to some extent, but it is a condition that is still not fully understood, and it is extremely hard to diagnose in the very young. What is important is that early years practitioners are alert to the symptoms.

Dyslexia is an organisational problem linked to the way that some individuals perceive and process the sounds of language and their written symbols. There are various, though not necessarily competing, theories about its causes, and it may be linked to a number of neurological factors, including short-term memory and visual and auditory processing.

The condition can differ greatly from its appearance in one child to another, although there are some common and persisting factors that, when seen together, can indicate dyslexia.

SYMPTOMS

Sue Flohr, helpline manager at the British Dyslexia Association (BDA), says, 'Although dyslexia is often first picked up in school-age children, there are signs to look out for earlier, such as delayed speech development and difficulty with co-ordination, and early detection often means more effective treatment.'

Valerie Muter, psychologist and co-author of Prepare Your Child For School, says, 'Slowness in learning to read, difficulty in learning the alphabet, problems in breaking spoken words into the sounds that make them up, and difficulties in learning how to decode (sound out words phonically) are early indicators of dyslexia and can be used in the assessment process.'

Other common factors are:

• - obvious 'good' and 'bad' days, for no apparent reason
• - confusion between directional words, such as up/down, in/out
• - difficulty with sequencing.
• So, early years practitioners with any suspicion that a child might be dyslexic need to ask themselves whether the child is:
• - developing clear speech much more slowly than their peers
• - being slower to learn the alphabet, numbers, days of the week, colours, shapes, left from right
• - mixing up sounds in multi-syllabic words, like 'bisghetti' for spaghetti, 'hekalopter' for helicopter
• - demonstrating difficulty following multi-step routines or directions, such as those in action songs and games or during activities such as dressing
• - finding it hard to use the right words when talking and substitute words instead.

Practitioners should also be alert to the pre-school non-language indicators of dyslexia listed on the BDA website. For example, the child:

• - may have walked early but did not crawl - was a 'bottom shuffler' or a 'tummy wriggler'
• - may have persistent difficulties in getting dressed efficiently and putting shoes on the correct feet
• - may enjoy being read to but shows no interest in letters or words
• - may often be accused of not listening or paying attention
• - may trip, fall over or bump into things excessively
• - may have difficulty catching, kicking or throwing a ball, or with hopping and/or skipping
• - may have difficulty clapping a simple rhythm.

There appears, too, to be a hereditary aspect to dyslexia, so establishing whether a family member has the condition can also serve as a sign.

DIAGNOSIS

The problem in diagnosing dyslexia, of course, is that most of us can think of several children who meet many of the above criteria. My own children adore 'bisghetti', for a start! It also explains why under-fives are rarely officially diagnosed with dyslexia.

What is important is that early years practitioners consider the persistent and severe nature of the symptoms when trying to establish whether a child may be dyslexic.

Ms Flohr at the BDA says, 'A child who shows these signs isn't necessarily dyslexic, as many young children make similar mistakes to dyslexic children. It is the severity of the trait, the clarity with which it may be observed, and the length of time during which it persists which give the vital clues to the identification of the dyslexic learner.'

A child's ability to understand rhyme may cast light on the nature of the problem, as dyslexic children find rhyming enormously challenging. 'Being slow to learn nursery rhymes and play sound-based games, such as I Spy, can certainly be an indicator,' says Ms Muter. She recommends playing rhyming, alliteration and sound discrimination games to help establish a child's abilities.

Parents, too, may be alert to the symptoms and be able to provide valuable information about the real nature of the child's problems. Ros Hynes runs the CENTRA Dyslexia Centre in Leyland, Lancashire, owned by the education and training charity CENTRA. She says, 'Parents of our children speak about how they recognised something different about their child from an early age, especially so when there are other family members who also have dyslexia and the parents recognise a similar behaviour.'

She says she has found some schools and educational psychologists 'resistant' to diagnosing the condition. Part of this resistance can stem from concerns about 'labelling'. The diagnostic label can be helpful, as it should lead to additional support and understanding. However, in some instances the tag of 'dyslexia' may alter future teachers' expectations of a child and induce anxiety in parents, which together may have a negative impact on the child.

It is right to remain cautious about giving a diagnosis, however, even after the child has started school. Generally, it is in reception that children will begin to 'learn to read', that phonics tends to be taught more systematically, and so symptoms of dyslexia are likely to become increasingly apparent. Learning to read is an enormous task, and once again, there is a huge disparity in abilities, which can all be within the normal range.

But particular, consistent issues that may signify difficulties include:

• - instead of making random errors with reading, the child makes consistent specific errors.
• - they can know and read a word on one page but not on another
• - they don't use strategies such as using a rhyme to help predict a word
• - they become incredibly tired after trying to read for just a short amount of time.

Whatever the age of the child, Ms Hynes urges practitioners to follow their instincts if they have concerns; discuss issues with the setting's SENCo. 'It's important to remember that early intervention is very important for these children,' she says. 'Effective support for dyslexia is quite simply good practice and will benefit any learner.'

An official diagnosis is not usually given until around the age of seven, but practitioners need to be observant and aware from the outset, in order to monitor progress efficiently and, ultimately, to help the child reach their full potential.

CASE STUDY

Michael, now in Key Stage 2, has dyslexia. His mother, Sarah, detected symptoms in her son from an early age. 'There's dyslexia in our family - his cousin has it - so we were aware of some of the signs to look out for,' she says. 'He's always found getting dressed a huge ordeal - everything's inside out and back to front.

'He's always been an intellectual; he can retain information amazingly well, but simply cannot get down on paper what he wants to. His letters are back to front, which is normal in the beginning but persisted for far longer than expected, and writing anything is hugely tiring for him.'

During a parents' evening she discussed her concerns with Michael's teacher and by early Year 2 he had been tested and diagnosed. She is grateful to Michael's school for recognising his problems and not simply branding him lazy, which has been the case for some other family members with dyslexia. Michael's diagnosis has led to more support, understanding and sensitivity from his school.

Sarah feels there shouldn't be a rush for a diagnosis, but her advice to practitioners and parents is simple: 'Be observant, be aware of the symptoms and don't be afraid to raise concerns when you have them.'

MORE INFORMATION

• - British Dyslexia Association has a confidential and impartial National Helpline on 0845 251 9002, www.bdadyslexia.org.uk
• - www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/about-dyslexia/parents.html
• - Education and Training charity CENTRA (www.centra.org.uk)
• - Hornsby, B (1996) Before Alpha: Learning Games for the Under Fives. Souvenir Press
• - Hornsby, B (1996) Overcoming Dyslexia: A Straightforward Guide for Families and Teachers. Vermilion

NURSERY WORLD SHOW 2011

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