Dyslexia is a learning disorder that involves difficulty reading and spelling due to problems identifying and manipulating speech sounds and learning how they relate to letters and words (decoding).
Understanding Dyslexia and Support Strategies for Parents
Understanding Dyslexia and Support Strategies for Parents
Whole Child Neuro
What is Dyslexia?
The word “dyslexia” usually brings to mind people mixing up letters or numbers when reading or writing, but the reality of dyslexia is much more complex. Dyslexia is a learning disorder that involves difficulty reading and spelling due to problems identifying and manipulating speech sounds and learning how they relate to letters and words (decoding). At its core, dyslexia, also called a reading disability, is due to individual differences in areas of the brain that process language.
A child with dyslexia may feel frustrated with their school work, or might even be labeled as lazy, unmotivated, or uninterested in academics, but rather than being due to a lack of interest, motivation, or skill, it’s due to difficulty with the processing of speech sounds. Dyslexia is not due to a lack of intelligence or vision problems. Many kids with dyslexia are creative, engaged thinkers.
How do you know if your child has dyslexia?
Dyslexia is not one size fits all, so it may manifest slightly differently in your child than in another. The list below includes some common signs, but is not comprehensive–and your child does not need to experience each thing on the list to be diagnosed with dyslexia:
Difficulty sounding out new words
Trouble recognizing familiar words
Avoiding reading, getting easily frustrated while reading, often giving up on reading
Difficulty spelling even familiar words
Mixing up the sequence of letters (“pot” rather than “top” etc)
Taking great effort (or a long time) to read
Slow or difficulty writing
Trouble with reading comprehension, while they show good verbal comprehension
Trouble learning a foreign language
Early intervention can offer your child the best opportunity for support and effective treatment, so if you’re recognizing your child in these warning signs, exploring testing can help your child to thrive.
What Does Testing for Dyslexia Look Like?
If one or more of the warning signs on the list above sound like your child, an evaluation can provide clarity, and offer you a starting point for effective interventions and support for your child.
Testing for dyslexia isn’t a simple, single test, and instead consists of a series of tests meant to evaluate your child’s overall cognitive abilities. Cognitive abilities tested include:
Your child’s ability to hear and manipulate sounds in words
How easily your child can read words and how quickly they process them
How your child is able to retain information and focus on tasks
Your child’s ability to organize and express thoughts in writing
How Parents Can Support Their Dyslexic Child
Supporting your child with dyslexia is a long road, and will require you to check in with yourself and your child often to be sure they’re not falling behind, feeling overwhelmed or getting lost in the cracks. A few ways you can start your journey of support include:
Practicing advocacy:
If your child is younger, they may not have the tools they need to advocate for themselves in school or other public environments. Learn to advocate for your child’s needs in school by working with teachers to ensure accommodations, such as extended time on tests or access to audiobooks, are in place.
Celebrate the way your child’s brain works:
Instead of only focusing on how to make accommodations that work for your child, remember to make time to celebrate the strengths of your child’s brain. How are they creative or imaginative or adaptable, because of their experience with dyslexia? Take time to point those moments out, and celebrate how unique your child is with them.
Create a Supportive Learning Environment:
Set aside time for reading in a non-judgmental, stress-free space. What are intervention methods that help support and affirm them? Make time to work on those with your child so they aren’t isolated by their dyslexia. Be sure to celebrate their progress rather than focusing on mistakes. Learning to incorporate visual aids, tactile methods (like tracing letters in sand), and audio tools can help your child better process language-based information.
Collaborate on the Care Plan:
Including your child in conversations about their diagnosis and care plan helps them feel a sense of ownership and agency. Ask them what support they find helpful and what feels challenging to them!
Connect with Support Groups:
Dyslexia can feel isolating, but it doesn’t have to be. Parent support groups can provide encouragement, resources, and shared experiences to navigate challenges.
Resources for Parents of Children with Dyslexia
To support you in your journey, here are some valuable resources for parents:
The International Dyslexia Association (IDA): Offers resources and information for parents, including research-based interventions and educational strategies.
Decoding Dyslexia: A grassroots movement advocating for dyslexia awareness, providing resources on policy, advocacy, and support networks.
Understood.org: Provides tools, advice, and community support for parents of children with learning and attention challenges.
Dyslexia may present unique challenges, but with the right support, children with dyslexia can thrive, just as much as other children. Remember that your family is not alone in this journey, and there are many resources and communities that can provide guidance every step of the way.
Here at Whole Child Neuro, we strive to help children unlock their full potential.
We provide neuropsychological evaluations, counseling, parenting support, social skills groups, educational therapy, and school placement services. We have a diverse team of experts, who have experience helping children and young adults with ADHD as they navigate through their education. We work with people throughout the Greater Los Angeles area, including our neighbors in Sherman Oaks, Calabasas, and Beverly Hills. Please, don’t hesitate to reach out to us for a free consultation, and feel free to read more about our neuropsychological evaluations, counseling, educational therapy, and school placement services.