Dyslexia signs in preschool: what to watch for and how Primary 1 support works

If you've noticed possible dyslexia signs in your preschool child, you can start helping now. You don't need a label first. MOE doesn't diagnose dyslexia at preschool, and NUHS says a formal assessment can be done once a child is 6 to 7 years old. In Primary 1, MOE screens every child and gives extra reading help to those who need it.

What to do if you notice these signs, step by step

1. Read together every day. NUHS suggests pointing to the words as you read, and to words on signs and labels when you're out. Borrow a fresh stack from an NLB library.
2. Play with sounds. Sing rhyming songs and clap the beats in family names on the walk to the playground. NUHS lists rhyming games and sound play as ways to build reading skills.
3. Make letters something to touch. Trace them in sand or shape them in playdough while you say the sound. NUHS says children with dyslexia learn better when sight and touch are both involved.
4. Keep a short note of what you see, with dates and examples. NUHS says a child with dyslexia usually has several signs that last over time and get in the way of learning.
5. Ask the preschool teacher what they see in class, and ask grandparents or your helper too. HealthHub says hearing from other caregivers and teachers shows how your child learns in different settings.
6. Book a developmental check with your family doctor, a polyclinic doctor or your paediatrician. HealthHub says the doctor may refer a preschooler to NUH's Child Development Unit or KKH's Department of Child Development.
7. Ask the preschool what learning support it can offer in class. Our early intervention guide explains the preschool support programmes and how referral works.
8. Tell the Primary 1 school what you've seen. MOE screens all P1 students and puts those with weak literacy into the Learning Support Programme, half an hour a day in groups of 8 to 10.
9. Keep your praise on the effort your child puts in, and set reading goals they can reach, as NUHS suggests.

Early signs of dyslexia in preschoolers

Mayo Clinic says dyslexia is hard to spot before school, though some early clues can show a child may be at risk. Many of those clues come back to sounds, because Mayo Clinic links dyslexia to trouble picking out the sounds in speech and matching them to letters. The table pulls together the signs that Mayo Clinic, NUHS and Raising Children Network, an Australian parenting site, name.

One sign on its own tells you little. NUHS says not every child with these difficulties has dyslexia. If talking seems late, our guide to toddler speech milestones and delay shows what's typical at each age.

Why preschool signs are only early flags

Children learn to read when someone teaches them, so a slow start can have many causes. HealthXchange, SingHealth's health site, says some children read slowly because they've had fewer chances to learn or have a language delay, and that dyslexia is hard to recognise before school starts.

That's why testing waits. HealthXchange puts diagnostic tests at age six and above, while NUHS and HealthHub say formal assessment can be done after 6 to 7 years. MOE, following international practice, doesn't diagnose dyslexia at preschool and supports each child's emerging learning needs instead.

Many parents worry when letters come out backwards. Speaking to HealthXchange, A/Prof Lourdes Mary Daniel of KKH's Department of Child Development said letter reversals in preschool alone are not a sign of dyslexia if there's no other reading difficulty.

Acting on a flag still helps. HealthHub says younger children at risk can get the right help without a formal diagnosis, and NUHS says they can join reading programmes before any assessment. NUHS adds that many children with dyslexia have average to above average intelligence.

What MOE does in Primary 1 and after

Your child doesn't need a diagnosis to get reading help in Primary 1. Support comes in stages, and each stage depends on how your child is doing. This is what MOE's learning support and special educational needs pages, and its 2021 reply in Parliament, describe.

MOE says about 3.5% of Primary 3 students were reported as having dyslexia, based on 2016 to 2019 data. Dyslexia ranges from mild to severe, so the help depends on each child's level of need. For questions about these programmes, MOE suggests contacting your child's school or its SEN officer.

Share what you've noticed with the school early. The Primary 1 preparation checklist has the rest of the P1 to-do list.

If your child is learning two languages

Many children here grow up with English plus Mandarin, Malay or Tamil. MOE describes dyslexia as reading difficulty that shows up despite enough language exposure and good reading teaching. That's why schools give reading support first and screen further only if difficulties persist. A/Prof Daniel says a second language such as Malay, Mandarin or Tamil is often very difficult for children with dyslexia. MOE's Mother Tongue Support Programme gives extra help in Primary 3 and 4 to children identified in Primary 2. Our guide to raising a bilingual child has more on growing up with two languages.

When to see a doctor

HealthHub says to discuss possible dyslexia signs with your child's doctor. Book a routine visit with your family doctor, a polyclinic doctor or your paediatrician if you notice any of these:

• Late talking, or new words that come slowly (Mayo Clinic).
• Trouble learning nursery rhymes or joining in rhyming games (Mayo Clinic).
• Letter names or sounds that won't stick (NUHS).
• Several signs at once that last and make learning harder (NUHS).
• A family history of dyslexia or reading difficulties (Raising Children Network).
• You also have questions about attention or play. HealthHub lists autism and ADHD alongside dyslexia as common developmental disabilities, and our guide to ADHD in children covers attention.

HealthHub says the doctor may refer a child not yet in primary school to NUH's Child Development Unit, KKH's Department of Child Development, or a private paediatrician, child psychiatrist or psychologist. For a child in primary school, the options include the Child Guidance Clinic and NUH's Department of Psychological Medicine. None of these signs needs the emergency department. If an assessment leads to therapy or classes, our guide to enrichment and early support for special needs children covers the options.

Frequently asked questions

What are the early signs of dyslexia in preschoolers?

Mayo Clinic and Raising Children Network both name trouble with rhymes and slow learning of letter names and sounds. Late or unclear speech is on both lists too, and Mayo Clinic says a family history of dyslexia raises the risk. NUHS looks for several signs that last over time, so one on its own tells you little.

Who checks dyslexia signs in preschool in Singapore?

Start with your family doctor, a polyclinic doctor or your paediatrician, who can do a developmental check, HealthHub says. They may refer your child to NUH's Child Development Unit or KKH's Department of Child Development. Talk to the preschool teacher too, since they watch your child learn every day.

Can a preschooler be diagnosed with dyslexia?

Usually not yet. MOE doesn't diagnose dyslexia at preschool, and NUHS says formal assessment can be done after age 6 to 7. HealthHub says younger children at risk can still get help without a formal diagnosis.

Is it dyslexia if my child writes letters backwards?

Not on its own. KKH's A/Prof Lourdes Mary Daniel says letter reversals in preschool alone are not a sign of dyslexia when there's no other reading difficulty. Look at the wider picture, such as how your child handles rhymes and letter sounds. Our guide on how to teach your child to write has more on early writing.

What does learning support in Primary 1 do?

It gives children who start P1 with weak language and literacy skills extra English support. MOE says trained teachers run it in P1 and P2 for half an hour a day, in groups of 8 to 10. If difficulties persist after the programme, the school screens further for dyslexia.

Should I sign my child up for a phonics class?

It can help, and you don't need to wait for a diagnosis. NUHS says younger children at risk can join reading programmes before a formal assessment. Our phonics guide compares classes and gives a home starter, and how to get your child to love reading keeps it fun.