How Do I Know If My Child Has Dyslexia? Signs, Evaluations, Next Steps.

Dyslexia is a common word used in discussions about children who may be struggling to read. While the term is often part of the conversation, dyslexia is more complex than simply a child being “behind” in reading. When working with families, I’ve found that few people have a true understanding of what dyslexia is and what is means for a child. 

What is dyslexia and what are the symptoms? 

Dyslexia is a specific disorder that affects language processing. It is not a vision issue. The signs and symptoms can look different person to person and may change with age. Generally, dyslexia presents as difficulty sounding out words, recognizing letter-sound relationships, or blending letter sounds. 

According to Understood.org, some signs of dyslexia in children as young as preschool age may include:

• Mispronouncing words

• Struggling to learn nursery rhymes or songs that rhyme

• Mixing up letters that look similar

• Not being interested in learning about letters and sounds 

What Dyslexia is Not

Dyslexia can be frustrating and overwhelming to the child, the parents, and the teachers. Because reading is so important in a student’s academic success, reading challenges are sometimes incorrectly attributed to other causes. Dyslexia is not:

• Laziness

• A vision problem

• Lack of effort

• Low intelligence 

Many children with dyslexia work extremely hard to learn and keep up with their peers. They may simply need specialized instruction and support that addresses the way their brains process language and written words. 

How is dyslexia diagnosed? 

Parents often want to know how dyslexia is diagnosed. This is one area where I see a lot of misconceptions. Determining whether a child has dyslexia is a complex process that often requires multiple steps and professionals working together. Because there is no simple test for dyslexia, many professionals prefer the term evaluated rather than diagnosed. 

According to the International Dyslexia Association (IDA), “A diagnosis of dyslexia begins with the gathering of information gained from interviews, observations and testing. This information is collected by various members of a team that includes the classroom teacher(s), speech/language pathologist, educational assessment specialist(s), and medical personnel (if co-occurring difficulties related to development, health or attention are suspected).” 

The IDA goes on to explain that the information must be evaluated by a professional that is well-versed in dyslexia, its development over time, and its relationship to learning literacy. Depending on the situation, this professional may be a speech-language pathologist, educational psychologist, or another qualified specialist. 

Can my child’s school evaluate for dyslexia? 

While many schools do have speech language pathologists or educational psychologists on staff, it does not mean that your child’s school will provide a comprehensive dyslexia evaluation. 

Schools are often cautious about applying the label of dyslexia because the evaluation process is complex and may fall outside the scope of what the school is able to determine. 

However, schools can still play an important role in identifying reading difficulties and determining whether a student qualifies for additional educational support. 

My child is struggling with reading. What steps can I take? 

If you suspect that your child might have dyslexia or any other reading struggle, there are two steps that we often recommend. 

The first is to have a conversation with your child’s school. While a school might not use the term dyslexia, it can conduct an evaluation to determine whether your child qualifies for special education services or other support related to reading difficulties. 

Parents can request evaluations at any time. We highly recommend doing so in writing, schools must follow specific timelines when responding to written requests. For more information on those timelines in Kansas please refer to the Disability Rights Center of Kansas. The process from an evaluation request to the implementation of an Individualized Education Program (IEP) can take approximately 90 days - which is half of a typical 180-day school year. The sooner a request is made, the sooner a child can begin receiving the support they may need. 

The second step is to complete an evaluation outside of your child’s school, often through a medical or educational specialist. This can be especially helpful for parents who want to determine whether  their child specifically has dyslexia rather than the broader category of a reading disability that a school might use. 

Having a formal evaluation completed outside of the school setting also provides documentation that may be useful throughout a student’s educational journey. For example, a child may eventually “graduate” from special education services after meeting their IEP goals and catching up academically. However, they may still benefit from accommodations such as extended time on reading-heavy assignments or standardized tests. 

This documentation can be particularly valuable when applying for accommodations on exams such as the ACT, where additional time may be appropriate for some students. For families in the Kansas City area, Children’s Mercy offers services that can help identify the cause of a child’s reading challenges and determine next steps. 

Final thoughts

Any educational struggle can bring a wide range of emotions for both children and parents, and dyslexia is no exception. Many parents worry about their child receiving a “label”. The reality is, that dyslexia does not go away. If a child has dyslexia at age seven, they will continue to have dyslexia throughout their life. 

However, that does not mean they cannot become successful readers. 

With the right support, instruction, and accommodations, children with dyslexia can learn effective strategies to navigate their challenges and thrive academically. Early identification and intervention are often key to helping students build confidence and develop strong literacy skills.  

This overview is intended to provide parents a general guide and starting point. While we are not dyslexia specialists, there are many excellent resources available from experts in the field. If you’re looking for more information, we highly recommend exploring the organizations below. 

• The International Dyslexia Association 

• Children’s Mercy Hospital 

• The Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity 

• Understood.org 

• The Orton Gillingham Academy