Let‘s talk about dyslexia

What every parent needs to know

While the causes of dyslexia are complex, the signs are easy to spot if you know what to look for. Early intervention is best as the older the child is, the longer the remediation process can be.

No matter your child’s age or where they are at in the learning, let Radical Reading support them reach their full potential.

Preschool signs of dyslexia

Mispronouncing words, like saying beddy tear instead of teddy bear
Struggling to name familiar objects and using general words like thing and stuff instead
Having a hard time learning nursery rhymes or song lyrics that rhyme
Having trouble remembering sequences, like singing the letters of the alphabet
Telling stories that are hard to follow or having trouble talking about an event in a logical order
Having difficulty remembering and following directions with multiple steps

Grades K–2 signs of dyslexia

Having trouble learning letter names and remembering the sounds they make
Often confusing letters that look similar (like b, d, p, and q) or sound similar (like f and v, b and p, or d and t)
Struggling to read familiar words (like cat), especially if there aren’t pictures
Substituting words when reading aloud, like saying house when the story says home
Having trouble separating the individual sounds in words and blending sounds to make a word
Having trouble remembering how words are spelled and applying spelling rules in writing

Grades 3–5 signs of dyslexia

Confusing or skipping small words like for and of when reading aloud
Having trouble sounding out new words
Having trouble quickly recognizing common words (also called sight words)
Struggling to explain what happened in a story or answer questions about key details
Frequently making the same kinds of mistakes, like reversing letters
Having poor spelling, like spelling the same word correctly and incorrectly in the same exercise
Avoiding reading whenever possible or getting frustrated or upset when reading

from understood.org | PDF version

“Waiting until a child fails to read in third grade is like waiting for a fever to become a life-threatening illness before seeking a doctor.”

Dr. Maryanne Wolf, Reading Neuroscientist, UCLA

Leading science-of-reading researcher Dr. Nadine Gaab of Harvard

Curated dyslexia resources

Dyslexia is a specific learning disability characterized by difficulties in word reading and/or spelling that involve accuracy, speed, or both and vary depending on the orthography.

These difficulties occur along a continuum of severity and persist even with instruction that is effective for the individual’s peers.

The causes of dyslexia are complex and involve combinations of genetic, neurobiological, and environmental influences that interact throughout development.

Underlying difficulties with phonological and morphological processing are common but not universal, and early oral language weaknesses often foreshadow literacy challenges.

Secondary consequences include reading comprehension problems and reduced reading and writing experience that can impede growth in language, knowledge, written expression, and overall academic achievement. Psychological well-being and employment opportunities also may be affected.

Although identification and targeted instruction are important at any age, language and literacy support before and during the early years of education is particularly effective.

Led by renowned dyslexia researcher Dr. Sally Shaywitz, this site focuses on illuminating the strengths of those with dyslexia and disseminating practical advice and the latest scientific information.

A few great pages to start with are:

Dyslexia FAQ answers common questions
Signs of Dyslexia in various age groups
What Parents Can Do provides excellent resources for parents
Suspect Dyslexia? Act Early explains the critical importance of early action for parents

This website offers resources and support for parents of children with learning and attention issues, including dyslexia. It's known for its clear explanations, practical strategies, and tools for advocating in the school system. Top pages include:

The IDA is a leading non-profit organization focused on dyslexia, and their website is a comprehensive starting point for understanding dyslexia, its diagnosis, and effective instruction. Some exceelent starting pages are:

This is a North American parent-led movement advocating for universal screening for dyslexia, teacher training on dyslexia, access to evidence-based interventions in public schools.

Look for a chapter specific to your state or province for local support and advocacy tools (e.g., Decoding Dyslexia Ontario).

The Ontario chapter website has excellent parent resources their Parent tool kit (a comprehensive PDF doc) and Six tips to help your child right now.

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Let’s talk about dyslexia