Dyslexia does not always look the same throughout childhood. A preschooler may show small signs that are easy to dismiss, while the same underlying difficulty can become much more obvious once school starts demanding more reading, spelling, and written work.
Preschool (3–5 years)
● Trouble learning nursery rhymes
● Difficulty recognising letters, despite repetition
● Mixing up similar-sounding words
Early Primary School (5–8 years)
● Slow, effortful sounding-out of words
● Difficulty connecting letters to sounds consistently
● Reading well below classmates despite normal effort
Later Primary School (8–11 years)
● Reading accurately but very slowly
● Avoiding reading for pleasure
● Spelling that doesn't match verbal vocabulary. A child who "talks smart" but "writes young"
Secondary School and Beyond
● Strong verbal reasoning but weak written output
● Time pressure on tests disproportionately affecting performance
● Well-developed coping strategies that can mask the underlying difficulty
The signs shift with age, which is exactly why dyslexia is sometimes missed in bright children. A smart child compensates well enough that it isn't obvious until academic demands increase.
If your child's reading continues to seem noticeably behind their verbal abilities, regardless of age, an assessment can help clarify whether dyslexia is part of the picture and what kind of support would actually help.