Signs of dyslexia and reading troubles can be spotted in kindergarten - or even preschool

"This year, for the first time, California schools will be screening kindergarteners, first- and second-graders for reading difficulties, including dyslexia, under a state mandate signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2023. Such early identification of reading struggles is key to getting young children the needed interventions before they fall too far behind. California - with reading scores below the national average - is the 40th state to mandate such a screening."

"While reading itself is a learned skill, research has found that the brain structures connected to literacy begin developing right after birth and continue across the first few years of life. The earliest signs of reading differences and dyslexia can be spotted in preschool - and perhaps even earlier. The new California screening is intended to identify children with reading difficulties who could benefit from additional help."

"Instead, the screeners are carefully crafted to test the pre-reading skills that form the building blocks for literacy, including a child's ability to manipulate sounds, name objects, and remember a list of words. "The earlier, the more plastic the brain is, and the better the response will be, so you can avoid problems down the line," said Dr. Marilu Gorno-Tempini, a behavioral neurologist at UC San Francisco who helped develop one of the four state-approved screeners. "It's preventative medicine.""

California will implement statewide screening for kindergarteners, first- and second-graders to detect reading difficulties, including early signs of dyslexia, under a 2023 mandate. Early identification aims to connect young children with interventions before they fall behind academically. Research indicates brain structures related to literacy begin developing shortly after birth and continue through early childhood, allowing measurable indicators to appear in preschool. The screeners assess foundational pre-reading skills such as phonological manipulation, object naming, and word memory. Screeners can flag potential dyslexia but are not intended to provide formal diagnoses, and early intervention leverages brain plasticity.

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