Written by Darcie, Certified Practising Speech Pathologist · Hello Kids Therapy Hub
If your child is writing their letters backwards, take a breath. For most children, this is a completely normal part of learning to read and write — and it usually sorts itself out.
Children who reverse letters — writing b as d, p as q, or reading was as saw — are doing something completely understandable. Before children start learning to read, their brains treat mirror-image objects as the same thing. A cup is a cup whether it faces left or right. A chair is a chair from any angle. This makes perfect sense in the physical world.
But with letters, orientation is everything. The letter b and the letter d look identical except for which way they face. Learning that distinction takes time and practice — and most children get there naturally as reading instruction progresses.
Letter reversals are considered developmentally typical up to around age 7–8 (end of Year 2). Most children grow out of them on their own as their reading and phonics knowledge solidifies.
These are all very common in early primary — and usually nothing to be concerned about on their own.
The most common reversal. Both letters use the same circle-and-stick shape — the only difference is direction. Very typical in Prep and Year 1.
Similar to b/d. Children sometimes flip these letters vertically or horizontally. Also common and typically developmental.
Reversing the order of letters in short words is also common — the child is reading or writing the letters correctly, just in the wrong sequence.
Reversals on their own are rarely the problem. What matters is the context around them.
The real red flag is when reversals occur alongside other persistent signs of reading difficulty — particularly after around age 8. If your child is also struggling to sound out words, not making progress despite teaching, or finding reading genuinely distressing, that combination is worth getting a professional opinion about.
That pattern — especially when paired with avoidance or anxiety around reading — is worth a conversation with a speech pathologist.
Rather than focusing on reversals, there are two underlying skill areas that give a much better picture of how reading is developing:
The ability to hear, identify, and manipulate the individual sounds in spoken words. This underpins all of reading. A child who can easily rhyme, segment words into sounds, and blend sounds together has a solid foundation — regardless of whether they're still occasionally reversing b and d.
Learn more about phonological awareness →The ability to connect letters (and groups of letters) to their sounds, and blend those sounds into words. A child who can decode new, unfamiliar words by sounding them out is on track — even if they occasionally get b and d mixed up.
Learn more about phonics and decoding →Keep practising phonics. As letter-sound knowledge deepens, reversals naturally reduce because the child knows b says "buh" and d says "duh" — orientation becomes anchored to sound.
Simple anchor reminders can help older children — for example, thinking of the word "bed" as a visual (b-e-d looks like a bed with a headboard and footboard).
Avoid making reversals a big deal for young children — it can add anxiety to reading without helping. A gentle, matter-of-fact correction is fine.
If reversals are persisting into Year 3 and your child is also struggling with decoding, seek a professional assessment rather than waiting further.
If you would like to discuss whether Hello Learners is a suitable program for your child, please book a fifteen-minute conversation by phone with one of our speech pathologists. There is no fee for this conversation, and no obligation to enrol.
Term 3 spots are limited.
Or write to us at admin@hellokidstherapyhub.com.au.