Dyslexia: possibility of early detection

Key words: Dyslexia, Rapid automatized naming, Phonological awareness, Early detection

This paper explores the possibility of early detection of some risk factors for the development of dyslexia. It specifically focuses on phonological awareness and rapid automatized naming, which are two of the main cognitive abilities considered able to predict the rise of this disorder in preschool age (5 years). Early acknowledgment of these risk factors enables the activation of a training that can reduce the educational and emotional impact of the disorder, as well as reduce the number of false positives reported to the Local Health Authority. In light of these assumptions, the role of paediatricians in identifying and monitoring these abilities, providing for operational insights to integrate that practice into children’s health balance, is considered.