A common indication of a dyslexic child is that their achievements are disproportionate with their ability, meaning that a child appears to be average or intelligent when they talk but they have difficulty in spelling, and struggle to read and understand.

Dyslexia symptoms might vary depending on the age group the child belongs to. Children in pre-school often have problems telling stories in proper sequence, and also have difficulty learning numbers, alphabets, colors and shapes. They may have problems communicating with peers. Children in grades 1 through 4 tend to make mistakes and spell in reverse ("but" for "tub"). They even get confused with mathematic signs (+, -, =, etc.), hold pencils awkwardly, learn new skills slowly, and memorize without really understanding. Children in grades 5 through 8 usually read below their grade level, have poor handwriting, and avoid reading and writing. Some dyslexic children have difficulty recalling facts and making friends.

One of the most common symptoms of dyslexia is the reversal of letters and numbers

Dyslexic people tend to confuse letters and numbers -- for example b and d or 15 and 51 -- while reading or writing. They even sometimes read or write in reverse fashion like "pat" for "tap" or "bat" for "tab", or 21 for 12. They read very slowly and hesitantly and may repeat lines twice or skip reading a few lines. In general a dyslexic child may attend school regularly, may be average or even bright, and accomplished in creative activities, while also having difficulty in reading, writing or coping with mathematics. Dyslexic people often spell words as they are pronounced. For example please is spelled "pleeze" and knew is spelled "new."

Some of the other common symptoms of dyslexia are problems tying shoelaces, stuttering, and difficulty remembering months and week days in sequence. Ohter signs include getting confused with directions, mispronouncing words, being unable to follow 2-3 instructions at a time, and having difficulty with organization.

The symptoms may not be identical in various cases and signs described above may not be a complete list of symptoms. If one believes that a particular person may be dyslexic, he or she may seek professional advice and conduct tests for the condition.