This is particularly the case for symbols built from the same set of shapes, including b/d, p/q, f/t, i/j, m/w and n/u. Nonetheless, most children grow out of letter reversal by age 7 and it only becomes a cause for concern when errors occur beyond first and second grade.
Part of the issue with common letter reversals like the b/d issue is that the motor plan for each letter isn't established fully. This occurs in young children as they begin writing and learning correct letter formation.
During the years of learning to read and write, it is common for kids to mix-up new words and letters. Young minds routinely twist a “b” into a “d” or a “g” into a “q”—it's a natural part of the learning process.
Difficulty seeing (and occasionally hearing) similarities and differences in letters and words. Inability to sound out the pronunciation of an unfamiliar word. Difficulty spelling.
Letter reversals can be common in many children up until age 7, or 3rd grade. Occasional reversals past age 8 are common too. The reason for this has been suggested to be poor working memory and also a lack of visual processing skills. This does not mean your child has a learning difficulty.
While many people identify reversals as a dyslexic trait, this is not a characteristic associated with dyslexia. There is no evidence that dyslexic minds see or read letters or words backward. In addition, dyslexia is not caused by a problem with vision but is linked to a phonological processing deficit.
The 4 types of dyslexia include phonological dyslexia, surface dyslexia, rapid naming deficit, and double deficit dyslexia. Dyslexia is a learning disorder where the person often has difficulty reading and interpreting what they read.
When the dyslexia is mild, individuals can often “get by” at school and may go on to have ordinary careers. Nonetheless, children and adults with mild dyslexia tend to have a harder time manipulating the sounds in words, including rhyming words.
There are many myths about dyslexia; one is that reversing letters and numbers is a sure sign of dyslexia. Reversing letters and numbers often occurs in young children and is not a sure sign of dyslexia.
Frequent letter reversals: b/d,p/q,w/m, g/q. Transposition of letters within words: who/how, left/felt. The student's recall ability for names and words are poor.
It is very likely that, at some point, your child will write their letters backwards as they learn to write. This is usually nothing to be concerned about: number reversals are also very common. Most children will reverse some of their numbers or letters up to around the age of seven.
The most common reversals are the letters “b” and “d.” Some parents are confused about what that means. Parents sometimes think that letter reversals are a sign that their child has dyslexia. However, we know now that that is actually a misunderstanding.
If you still see letter reversals by the end of second grade or the beginning of third grade, talk to your child's teacher. Extra practice on letter formation in school may help your child improve. Download multisensory reading and writing tools for your child to try.
If your child presents with significant challenges with letter and number orientation, or is 7 years old or older with occasional reversals, a consultation with an occupational therapist is recommended.
Often the concept of reversing letters is immediately associated with a dyslexia diagnosis, but that's a bit of a misnomer. In fact, dyslexia is a condition that affects how people read letters and words, while dysgraphia is the condition in which kids reverse their letters while writing — they're quite different.
For beginners, letter reversals are actually fairly common. Through lots of repetition, exposure, and corrective feedback, the majority of children's letter reversals disappear over time. However, it's not uncommon to have a second-grader who still reverses letters on occasion.