Detecting Dyslexia: Could My Kid Have It?
Reading is a complex operation for our brains, and most kids take a while to get the hang of it. If your kid struggles with reading, you may wonder if it’s a temporary phase that will improve over time, or if there’s an underlying learning disability at play. Difficulties with reading can be a sign of several different processing disorders, with dyslexia being the most common. Fortunately, kids with dyslexia often have many intellectual gifts and can achieve success with the right support.
Could your kid’s reading troubles be a sign of dyslexia? If they’ve ever asked any of the following questions, it may be time to get tested:
1. Why are “silent letters” a thing?!
Let’s face it – the English language can be unpredictable at times. Like, who’s idea was it to throw a “k” on knife, a “p” on pterodactyl, or a random “l” in the middle of “would”? Not to mention all of the crazy exceptions to letters sounds, like how “p” magically turns into an “f” sound when “h” is next to it. But the caveats and quirks of words like, “rough,” “phoenix,” or “numb,” are especially confusing to students with dyslexia.
2. Why is “sounding out” so hard?!
We all come across new words when we read, and most of us “sound out” unfamiliar words by saying and combining the sounds of each letter. Because students with dyslexia have a hard time connecting sounds to their corresponding symbols, “sounding out” is incredibly challenging for them.
3. Why don’t these words make sense?
Dyslexia impacts individuals in different ways. Some students see letters out of order or see words jumping around on a page. Some might see letters squished together, while others see excessive spacing between them. They may see words backwards like, “pat,” instead of “tap,” they might see words upside down, or they might mix up similar letters like “b” and “d” or “e” and “c.” Diagnostic testing can pinpoint your student’s exact areas of struggle to determine the most effective interventions tailored to their needs.
4. Is my vision impaired?
Because students with dyslexia have trouble “seeing” words in their true form, it’s common to think that they have problems with eyesight. However, a person can have 20/20 vision and still have dyslexia. Dyslexia doesn’t impair a person’s ability to see, but it does impair their ability to decode letters and interpret words correctly. Because there are multiple processing disorders with similar symptoms, an accurate diagnosis is an important first step.
5. What was the story about?
It’s sometimes said that students with dyslexia learn to read rather than read to learn. Because processing words is so straining, their efforts often distract them from comprehending the meaning of what they’ve read. However, students with dyslexia are often gifted at comprehending content that is read to them by someone else. When students receive a dyslexia diagnosis, they often qualify for helpful accommodations such as electronic readers or audiobooks to increase their comprehension.
6. What’s my phone number again?
Students with dyslexia tend to struggle with memorization. In preschool this can present as a child having extreme difficulty memorizing letters of the alphabet. Throughout teen and adult years, students with dyslexia often have trouble memorizing important dates, names, phone numbers, or lists like state capitals or periodic elements.
7. Time’s up already?!
Students with dyslexia have difficulty recognizing letters and matching them to their correct sounds. Because it takes them a while to read each word, they need additional time to complete assignments and often find themselves running out of time. Unfortunately, many students with dyslexia are undiagnosed and not receiving extra time to finish important projects and high-stakes tests. As a result, they’re unable to complete their work and show their true knowledge.
Click here to learn how a 504 or IEP education plan can level the playing field for students with dyslexia.
8. It’s reading time - can I go to the nurse?
We all want reading to be an exciting experience for our kids, opening a world of new ideas and limitless adventure. However, dyslexia can make reading feel daunting and intimidating. As a result, students with dyslexia will often try to get out of reading assignments and avoid reading aloud at all costs. They may even have physical symptoms, such as severe headaches or nausea, when asked to read.
Click here to learn some practical tips to make reading easier for your student with dyslexia
9. I’m great at other things – why is reading so hard?
What do Albert Einstein, Pablo Picasso, Octavia Spencer, and Salma Hayek, have in common? They are just a few of the countless people with dyslexia who have achieved tremendous success through the ages. Students with dyslexia are often imaginative, innovative, highly intelligent thinkers with great “big picture” reasoning and abstract thinking. They often excel in subjects that aren’t dependent on reading such as math or graphic design, or conceptual subjects such as philosophy, neuroscience, or social studies.
Need support helping your student unlock their potential? Schedule your consultation to learn how we can help
10. Why doesn’t the school think I have a problem?
Kids with dyslexia often fly under the radar, even after being tested by their schools. This is because school districts often administer tests that evaluate for broad reading issues but fail to evaluate for specific symptoms of dyslexia, such as phonological processing, orthographic coding, or auditory short-term memory to name a few.
Our Diagnosticians utilize tools that comprehensively assess for the specific symptoms of dysphonetic dyslexia, surface dyslexia, mixed dyslexia, and reading comprehension deficits. By identifying each student’s specific areas of struggle, our Diagnosticians can guide families on the best path for their child’s success.
So you know you need help, but aren’t sure how to find the right help?
If a loved one has a learning difference or other condition that impacts their mental health and education, you may feel lost in determining the best ways to support them.
Our Diagnosticians can provide psychological testing to remove the guess-work and guide your family on the best path toward mental health, emotional wellness, and academic success.
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More about Variations Psychology
Variations Psychology is a group practice specializing in diagnostic testing to identify psychological conditions.
Our comprehensive evaluations test for conditions that impact mental health and development such as ADHD, autism spectrum disorders, depression, anxiety, learning disorders, and developmental delays.
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References:
Horne, J. (2014). Famous Stars with Dyslexia. IMDb. Retrieved from https://www.imdb.com/list/ls071872465/
John Lennon (n.d.) University of Michigan. Retrieved from http://dyslexiahelp.umich.edu/success-stories/john-lennon#:~:text=John%20Lennon.%20John%20Lennon%27s%20beautiful%20music%20with%20the,He%20failed%20his%20general%20exams%20in%20high%20school%2C
Marshall, A. (n.d.) What Dyslexics See. Dyslexia.com. Retrieved from https://www.dyslexia.com/question/what-dyslexics-see/
Morin, A. (n.d.) Classroom Accommodations for Dyslexia. Understood.org. Retrieved from https://www.understood.org/en/school-learning/partnering-with-childs-school/instructional-strategies/at-a-glance-classroom-accommodations-for-dyslexia
Shaywitz, S. (n.d.) Signs of Dyslexia. Yale University. Retrieved from http://dyslexia.yale.edu/dyslexia/signs-of-dyslexia/
Shinn. M.M. (2019). Diagnostic Testing: 6 Reasons It’s The Best First Step Before Therapy or Educational Services. Psychologically Speaking. [Variations Psychology blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.variationspsychology.com/blogs/diagnostic-testing-6-reasons-its-the-best-first-step-before-therapy-or-educational-services
Shinn. M.M. (2020). Could My Kid Have a Processing Disorder? Psychologically Speaking. [Variations Psychology blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.variationspsychology.com/blogs/could-my-kid-have-a-processing-disorder
Shinn. M.M. (2018). I Can’t Spell Dyslexia – Do I Have It? Psychologically Speaking. [Variations Psychology blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.variationspsychology.com/blogs/i-cant-spell-dyslexia-do-i-have-it
Shinn. M.M. (2020). Understanding Education Plans: A Parent’s Guide to 504s and IEPs. Psychologically Speaking. [Variations Psychology blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.variationspsychology.com/blogs/understanding-education-plans-a-parents-guide-to-504s-and-ieps
How to Cite This Blog Article:
Shinn. M.M. (2020). Detecting Dyslexia: Could My Kid Have It? Psychologically Speaking. [Variations Psychology blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.variationspsychology.com/blogs/detecting-dyslexia-could-my-kid-have-it