My 8 year old, 9 at Xmas, still gets here letters and numbers back to front when shes writing. is this normal

Question

she constantly has her head in reading books and her speech is perfect

she has issues with her hearing and after consultaion with the school nurse, we are getting a full hearing check done. This may help with the spellin!! she will be able to hear properly!!

Answer 1

Have her tested for Dyslexia.... and don't worry if she is, it won't mean that she's stupid... Einstein was dyslexic!

Answer 2

Firstly, don't worry too much, it's unlikely to be a major problem.
Secondly, don't be tempted to jump to conclusions. Dyslexia can not be diagnosed by Realdolboy or Wildrice just from what you've said here. It would be like someone diagnosing you as having a brain tumour purely because you've gpt a headache.
Thirdly, please check out some proper facts about dyslexi, contrary to what you've been told here, you can not grow out of dyslexia. See the British Dyslexia Association http://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/ for accurate advice.

The best thing to do is to chat with her teacher to see if the teacher is aware of the problem (or point it out if she's not!) The teacher may already have spotted this and will be able to advise you further. To diagnose dyslexia she would need to be assesed by an educational psychiatrist. In the mean time, I would suggest spending time with her when she is writing and playing games with words and letters.

Please don't take any advice off these boards without talking to proffessionals.

Answer 3

I hardly knew English at 8 years old, and still got letters mixed up at 15, but then I had reasons. I would agree with others, get her tested for dyslexia - she may not have this problem, however the older she gets the harder it is to get her tested and get her help.

Testing is free through the schools if I remember rightly, not when you are out of schools making it hard in adult life, and help can be given, it is also not like it was when I was at school where special classes really were 'special' kids with dyslexia are now treated as normal and help can be given without singling them out.

As a side note there is strong evidence linking dyslexia to problems with balance, try getting her out playing games more – for example balancing games or games with balls getting her to use both of her hands to say bounce a ball and catch a ball, this helps her brain recognise both sides and will improve things a lot for her.
How is her balance? A lot of people who suffer from dyslexia can be recognised by the way they walk, such as if they keep their head down to avoid loosing balance when looking around, it might be worth mentioning to your doctor about her possibly being dyslexic and if she has balance problems mention this so to get her ears checked. It is a possibility that you may want to look into.

If she is into books then great, but do you read with her or have someone else read with her – how do her teachers rate her reading? It may present itself through her reading as well, perhaps without anyone really noticing, perhaps ask her teachers to see if they have noticed anything else and get them to keep a close eye on her reading.

I'd also say get her more books – obviously reading more improves these things as well as other benefits – books not just that she'll be interested in but maybe something involving numbers, or perhaps get her some board games, my mother tried scrabble with me, something like that may help her spelling, and it would be a good family activity as well.

Answer 4

Could be dyslexic but not necessarily, it's not unusual - to help, choose one (and only one!) letter/number at a time to focus on for about a week or so, or until she feels comfortable with it, spend about 10-15 minutes a day doing an activity on the letter:

- make a mini book for the letter
- draw pictures beginning with the letter
- cut out pictures beginning with the letter and glue them in
- write the letter in different colours/pens/different sizes
- make a collage of the letter
- make the letter out of 3D materials like plasticine/pipe cleaners/sand
- make up a little song/poem about the letter
- use magnetic letters
- make big letters and put them up around the house
- use a page of text or "search-a-words" and circle every incidence of the letter
- draw letters in the air, on each others' hands/backs and guess what they are

The idea is just fun and repetition, to try and get the visual representation of the letter stuck in her head, the right way round. I hope this helps!

Answer 5

I guess, no disrespect intended, that a personal look at your English would help, I guess you mean Her letters. However, she may have dyslexia apparently so did I but it was not recognized as such then.
See a therepist, tell her her mummy has problems also, and be aware that many dyslexics (?) are very intelligent and that that may be the reason for the malady.

Answer 6

I don't know if she has dyslexia... If she can read without difficulty, then it may be something else... though I don't know what. Bring her to a doctor.

Oh, and one question... Does she do it all of the time or sometimes?

Answer 7

I have three children and they all had this problem until they learned and now they have it. However I was concerned when it happened to my first too and there teacher reassured me that it was typical for a child to still do it threw second grade. You should talk to your childs teacher.

Answer 8

I too read alot, speech perfect and am diagnosed dyslexic

Answer 9

no, it's not normal, but it's also not a serious problem.
1. don't ignore it, make her correct the error
2. make sure her teacher is aware and correcting it
3. my daughter did this briefly but got it right as soon as i consistenly corrected it
4. don't worry, it won't mess up her self esteem
ron

Answer 10

Yes ,she is dyslexic (spelling) she will grow out of it but it will be a while.You know its much better that she is than suffering from an incurable disease.Please dont worry and give her support.

Answer 11

yes. just play some reinforcing games with her. count aloud, count anything and everything, and reinforce its always 123456789...she'll get it..and when the penny drops, her face wil light up...

i remember teaching jess the hungry catterpillar..

persevere, adn itll happen. good luck to you both.