Ask Dr. Silver
The following are past questions and answers from Dr. Larry Silver on this topic.
Is it dyslexia when our three-year old can't identify letters and numbers?
Greetings Dr. Silver,
While our three-year-old seems age appropriately advanced in all other areas, she cannot identify letters/numbers. For example, we have been reviewing the five letters for days now and she cannot accurately identify more than two consistently. We have used flash cards, hand writing them, utilized her favorite books, etc. to no avail. Should we be doing anything at this stage? We are concerned about dyslexia or some other LD we are not familiar with. Many thanks!
It is not uncommon for three year olds to not recognize letters and numbers. I suggest that you hold off on these exercises for now and just have fun with her. If you have other reasons for being worried about her having dyslexia, speak with your family physician about having her assessed.
(September 2008)
When is the earliest that a child should be assessed for a learning disability?
I have a 4-and-a-half-year-old son. I have recently been through two assessments with a pediatrician. One says says he has learning difficulties and the other says he comes somewhere under the Austism Spectrum Disorder. I think there is a possibility of dyslexia. Could you advise me what the minimum age of a child is to assess for dyslexia?
Marisa
The earliest clues of a possible learning disability might be noticed in preschool. Formal testing often is not done until first grade.
(May 2008)
How can I help my preschool son with a complicated diagnosis?
My four-year-old son is considered twice exceptional. Academically, he is above age appropriate (reading at a third grade level) and shows a great interest in math (addition and subtraction). Socially, he has no trouble making friends but not great at keeping them. He is impulsive in his actions, which makes most children shy away from him.
He has a medical history of open heart surgery and was hospitalized for ten weeks at birth. He was recently diagnosed with ADHD, but his pediatrician and cardiologist disagree with this diagnosis. We struggle to find the right academic setting for him (his two previous schools say they are not for him and that he needs more structure and academic). It has also been suggested that we check him for Sensory Integration Dysfunction, which we are in the process of researching. Resources are available for LD and for gifted, but we struggle to find someone that can help us with both issues. Any suggestions?
Andrea
Your description of your four-year-old son is complex. I recommend that you meet with the preschool evaluation service of your neighborhood public school. Every public school system must have an age three to five assessment team. These professionals should help to clarify what is happening.
(April 2008)
Is it dyslexia when a four-year-old reverses letters?
I have a 4-year-old that I'm afraid might have dyslexia. The other day we came to a stop sign and spelled out the letters backwards, and it's happened a few times since then. Is this normal or should I do something about it?
Most children reverse letters and numbers until about five or six, some longer. I would not be worried. Watch and see if this pattern disappears by the time she finishes kindergarten.
(November 2007)
Where can low-income people get help for three-year of children who might have learning disabilities?
I need assistance with my 20-month-old son who may be showing early signs of learning disabilities. I need some assistance with counseling for him and just learning in general how to direct his energy. We are a low income family and don't know where to start to look for free assistance. Can you please direct me to the appropriate place. Thank you for your time, our family greatly appreciates it. We live in Monterey CA.
Sandy
Every public school in the country is required to run a "Zero-to-Three" diagnostic program. Go to the principal of your neighborhood elementary school and ask how to be referred to this program. Your son will be seen by many professionals. Should help be needed, it will be provided. And, there is no charge.
(April 2007)
How do you decide the most important therapy for a six-year old child?
My son just turned 6 years old and is about to repeat kindergarten. We just moved from Michigan to Florida where the school systems are quite different.
We had some concerns last year when my son had difficulty learning his numbers and letters. Our son was tested by an occupational therapist and she suggested that he had visual motor processing problems and recommended occupational therapy. We were also told by a behavioral optometrist we should start vision therapy because there are eye tracking issues beyond the processing problems.
He is currently reviving tutoring and is scheduled for a speech evaluation next week. Are we overwhelming our son with therapy? Which therapy should be the priority? Is it too early to get comprehensive I.Q. and L.D. testing?
We met with a psychologist who feels we should wait until he is seven for best results because the delays could be resolved through maturation. Should we wait for comprehensive testing if he is getting therapy anyway or should we get the whole picture? We are confused, concerned, and spending a whole lot of money.
Please let us know what we should do.
Thank you,
Tiffany
The best time to intervene is when you find that your child has a problem. You have done just that. If the reason for the problems is a developmental delay, the interventions can only facilitate catching up. Should the problems no longer be there by first or second grade, you can stop.
However, if what you have found is the earliest phases of a learning disability, the early interventions will help him keep up and learn. In this case, he might need help for several more years.
So, yes, you are doing the right thing. The only suggestion is to focus the intervention on the problems found. He is old enough to have psycho-educational testing. These results will help to pinpoint the problems and will direct you to the necessary interventions.
(July 2006)
For more information on this topic, please visit the Early Identification section in LD InDepth.
