A learning disorder may be suspected in a preschool child based upon comparisons with other children of the same age. Some things to look for include
    1. delayed speech.
    2. mixed up sounds and syllables in long words.
    3. chronic ear infections.
    4. difficulty recognizing left and right.
    5. difficulty learning to tie shoes.
    6. delay in establishing left-right dominance.
    7. difficulty memorizing the alphabet.
    7. family history.

There are more clues once a child reaches elementary school including
    1. handwriting difficulties.
    2. transposing letters and numbers after first grade.
    3. difficulty with cursive writing.
    4. slow, choppy, and inaccurate reading.
    5. trouble with math – especially the basics.
    6. difficulty learning to tell time – especially analog.
    7. trouble finding the correct word and/or substituting words for the correct ones.

A learning disorder or dyslexia screening can be done anytime after age 5. If problems arise during kindergarten, it’s a really good idea to get a screening before beginning first grade.

Depending upon the student’s age and stage of reading development, the following areas related to reading should be assessed (Source: Texas Education Agency):
    1. Reading single words in isolation
    2. Word decoding
    3. Phonological awareness
    4. Letter naming
    5. Rapid naming
    6. Fluency rate and accuracy
    7. Reading comprehension and/or    
    8. Spelling