Could It Be Dyslexia?

If your child is finding reading, spelling or writing difficult, you may have found yourself wondering, “Could it be dyslexia?”

Perhaps their latest school report has raised a few questions. Maybe their teacher has mentioned that they're not making the progress expected. Or perhaps you've had a niggling feeling for some time that learning seems to take much more effort for your child than it should.

It can be difficult to know when a child simply needs a little more time and support and when persistent difficulties might be a sign of something more.

The important thing to remember is that there isn't one single sign that tells us a child has dyslexia. Instead, we are looking for a pattern of strengths and difficulties and considering how persistent those difficulties have been over time.

What might you notice?

Dyslexia primarily affects the development of reading and spelling skills, but it doesn't look exactly the same in every child.

You might notice that your child finds it difficult to remember letter sounds, sound out unfamiliar words or read fluently. They might avoid reading aloud or seem to find reading much more tiring than you would expect.

Spelling can also be particularly tricky. Perhaps they learn spellings for a test but struggle to remember them later, spell the same word in several different ways or continue to misspell words that you feel they should know.

Writing can sometimes tell us more too. Your child might have lots of ideas when they're talking but find it much harder to get those ideas down on paper. Written tasks may take them a long time and the finished piece might not seem to reflect what you know they're capable of.

These are some of the areas included in my Primary School Dyslexia Checklist, which looks at a range of possible strengths and difficulties rather than focusing on reading alone.

But my child can read – could they still be dyslexic?

Yes.

This is something I hear quite often from parents.

Some children with dyslexia learn to read reasonably accurately, particularly as they get older. But reading may still be slow, effortful or tiring.

They may recognise lots of familiar words but have much more difficulty when they meet a word they haven't seen before. Other children can read a passage accurately but need so much effort to work out the words that it becomes harder to concentrate on what the text actually means.

So rather than asking only “Can my child read?”, it can be helpful to think about how they read and how much effort it takes.

Look at their strengths too

When a child is struggling at school, conversations can understandably become focused on what they're finding difficult.

But strengths are an important part of the picture too.

Your child might be imaginative, curious, a good problem solver or have excellent general knowledge. They might understand complex stories and ideas when somebody reads to them, despite finding it difficult to read the same material independently.

In fact, the first section of the checklist I've created asks about a child's strengths before looking at their difficulties.

Understanding what a child can do well is just as important as identifying the areas where they need support.

What about letter reversals?

Parents often associate reversing letters such as b and d with dyslexia.

Letter reversals can occur in children with dyslexia, but reversing letters on its own doesn't mean that a child is dyslexic. It can also be quite common while younger children are learning to read and write.

My checklist, for example, notes that these types of reversals can be common up to around the age of six or seven.

Again, it's the overall pattern, rather than one particular difficulty, that is important.

Sometimes the difference is in what you don't see

Some children become very good at finding ways around the things they find difficult.

They may avoid unfamiliar words when reading, choose simpler words when writing or rely on memory and context. Others may appear to be keeping up at school but need significantly more time, repetition or support to do so.

You might also notice a difference between what your child can tell you and what they can write.

A child might give you a fantastic verbal explanation of something they've learned, for example, but produce only a few sentences when asked to write about it. Your checklist specifically includes this possible difference between verbal and written ability.

Those differences can be useful pieces of the puzzle.

Could it be something other than dyslexia?

Absolutely.

Difficulties with reading, spelling or writing don't automatically mean that a child has dyslexia.

There may be other factors affecting a child's learning, and sometimes difficulties overlap.

That's one reason I think it's important not to start with the question:

“Does my child have dyslexia?”

Instead, we can start by asking:

“What is my child finding difficult, what are their strengths, and what might help?”

Not sure what you're seeing? Try the checklist

If some of this sounds familiar, I have attached a Primary School Dyslexia Checklist that you can use to help you think about your child's individual pattern of strengths and difficulties.

It includes things you might notice around reading, spelling and writing, as well as memory, organisation, verbal skills and numeracy.

The checklist isn't a dyslexia test and completing it won't tell you whether your child is dyslexic. Think of it instead as a way of gathering your thoughts and noticing patterns.

You could also take it with you when you speak to your child's teacher or SENDCO. It may help you explain what you've noticed at home and compare this with what school is seeing.

So, what should you do next?

If you are concerned, speak to your child's school.

Ask what they're seeing, how your child is progressing and what support has already been put in place. It can be useful to ask whether school has recent information about their reading and spelling and whether the progress they're making is what would normally be expected.

And don't feel that noticing some of the signs I've described means you need to rush straight into a diagnostic assessment.

Sometimes a conversation with school and a period of targeted support will help to clarify what's going on.

However, if difficulties persist despite appropriate teaching and support, or you feel that you still don't understand why your child is finding learning so difficult, a specialist assessment may help to provide a clearer picture.

Most importantly, an assessment shouldn't just be about getting a label. It should help you, your child and their school better understand how they learn, where their strengths lie and what support may help them move forward.

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