Understanding Dyslexia in Children: Signs & Treatment

Dyslexia in children is often misunderstood and can cause shame and frustration. Teachers or parents who are unaware can make the child feel worse, particularly if they believe the child is disinterested, not trying or just being lazy. Once they become aware of and understand the disorder, they can help the child with treatment or coping mechanisms to help them learn better. It begins with understanding and diagnosis.

What is Dyslexia?

The first sign of dyslexia is typically observing the child struggle with reading. That’s why it is often not diagnosed until children reach school age. Even then, it can be masked if the child recognizes and memorizes words. For example, if a parent reads aloud while the child follows along, they may recognize the “shape” of the word when they encounter it again. They will not be able to figure out new words. They can’t use common tools such as sounding out words or breaking a larger word into smaller components. They may have trouble connecting letters with their sound, misspell words – often spelling them phonetically or have difficulty with reading comprehension. Learning with dyslexia may be more difficult, but there is no correlation between intelligence level and dyslexia. It’s just an obstacle to learning. With the right workaround, they can achieve their true potential.

What Causes Dyslexia?

The true cause of dyslexia remains a mystery, although researchers have noted similarities among those with dyslexia. An article in the U.S. National Institutes of Health's National Library of Medicine notes observed brain differences, but studies have remained inconclusive on their relationship to dyslexia. There does appear to be a genetic component observed both through research and dyslexia’s tendency to run in families. However, it’s not known whether that tendency is biological or environmental. For example, parents who struggle with reading may not read to their children as frequently as the average parent.

Signs and Symptoms of Dyslexia in Children

What should parents, teachers or other adults look for when they suspect a child may have dyslexia? In early childhood, dyslexia signs in children can become evident before children are expected to begin reading. You may notice speech delays or trouble telling left from right. As they begin school and attempt to learn to read and write, it will soon be evident that they have difficulty sounding out new words, may write some letters backward and may not be able to rhyme or connect the sounds they hear with the letters they see. It will become apparent that the child is falling behind their peers. They will notice it as well, and it can impede learning and damage their self-esteem. They will participate less in class and are clearly exhausted by trying to read. They may have trouble learning the rules to new games, have trouble telling time and be unable to remember complex directions. This can all lead to frustration which can manifest in acting out or other behavior problems. Different dyslexia symptoms may be evident depending on the child’s grade level – elementary, middle and high school each have their own challenges.

Elementary School

The youngest school children can struggle with the basics of learning which can lead to difficulties for years to come because they are missing some of the building blocks that are the foundation of education, such as learning the alphabet, pronouncing words correctly or being able detect rhyming patterns. They are often unable to sound out words and are likely to lag behind their classmates in reading level.

Middle School

By the time a student reaches middle school, if they haven’t developed a success strategy, they may be falling behind their classmates in multiple subjects. Reading requirements are increasingly demanding. If they read slower than their classmates, they can fall behind in multiple subjects. They may also write slowly, misspell frequently and have trouble following directions.

High School

High School students struggle with many of the same symptoms as their middle school counterparts. Everything takes longer – reading, writing, taking tests – and is prone to error. But now, the stakes are higher because students are closer to college or full-time employment, either of which is challenging without the ability to read well. These students may not be able to get into the college of their choice, and few careers don’t require the ability to follow directions and read and write at some level.

How is Dyslexia Diagnosed?

The best time to request a diagnosis is typically first grade or around the age of six. Any earlier and they may not have received any reading instruction, but any later and the child will lose valuable time. Some experts recommend waiting until third grade, but that’s two years of frustration and falling behind.

The school may be able to perform an evaluation, but if they are resistant or unable or if their report is unsatisfactory, it may be wise to obtain a private evaluation. Assessments for dyslexia are typically conducted by psychologists, neuropsychologists, reading specialists, or speech-language pathologists. This can be especially valuable if your child is not getting the support they need from the school, and you need to advocate for them.

Dyslexia Treatment for Children

There are a number of interventions, support and treatments for dyslexia to assist a child in learning to read and reach their potential. Frequent individual or small group instruction tends to be the best. Children will learn how to recognize sight words and decode unfamiliar words through repetition and review and by learning reading comprehension strategies.

Academic Accommodations

Once a child has been diagnosed with dyslexia, educational accommodations should be part of their treatment plan. These accommodations are often designed to optimize the learning experience and environment, such as extra time to complete tests or assignments, a distraction-free place to work or oral rather than written exams. Some students may do better if they can record class lessons or use audiobooks for reading when available. Exempting students from reading aloud in class or foreign language requirements can reduce stress levels.

Multisensory Structured Language Approach

(Orton-Gillingham reading program)

This approach to learning for students with dyslexia involves one-on-one student-teacher engagement. It is a “direct, explicit, multisensory, structured, sequential, diagnostic, and prescriptive way to teach literacy.” Instruction is individualized to each student, and it is among the most effective dyslexia strategies for reading.

Utilizing Assistive Technology for Dyslexics

There are many technological resources to help students with dyslexia learn. If they have access to a smartphone, tablet or computer, they can use spell-check or online dictionaries to improve their performance as well as games and activities to practice their skills. They may also wish to try listening to recorded lessons or using screen-readers or voice to text applications.

Considering Private Schools for Children with Dyslexia

While parents may believe children with learning disabilities like dyslexia will be better off in public schools, which are required to provide education, not all public schools have the resources that dyslexic students need to thrive. Class sizes may be too large to allow for much for individual attention. Teachers may not have adequate training. While they are likely to be assigned a well-qualified instructor, they may just be pulled out of class from time to time. For children with dyslexia, private schools may be a better fit. Private schools for kids with dyslexia or ones that specialize in learning disabilities often provide a more immersive experience, one in which all teachers know how to interact with children in ways that can optimize their learning experience.

Specialized Dyslexia Programs

The most successful programs for reading with dyslexia are typically multisensory, sequential/logical, systematic, synthetic/analytic, and diagnostic in nature. These programs can help students significantly to improve their skills in phonics, spelling, vocabulary, and oral reading for fluency and comprehension.

Commonly used programs include:

Teachers Highly Trained in Reconstructive Language Curriculums

Reconstructive Language teachers must be highly trained to be successful. The Gow School uses an RL program that was designed by school founder Peter Gow, Jr., with guidance from Dr. Samuel T. Orton.

All Gow Teachers receive instruction in the Reconstructive Language program so they can support dyslexic students in all classes. Gow is considered to be an expert in language remediation, and their Reconstructive Language program meets the IDA’s Knowledge and Practice Standards for Teachers of Reading. Our teacher preparation program, accredited by The International Multisensory Structured Language Education Council (IMSLEC), requires a supervised teaching practicum.

Small Class Sizes

One of the advantages of private schools for children with dyslexia is they typically have smaller class sizes and lower student-to-teacher ratios. This provides more opportunities for small group and individualized learning opportunities and support.

How to Help a Child with Dyslexia at Home

One of the most important ways to help a child with dyslexia is through unconditional support. Give them time to decompress after school and breaks when they have been doing homework for a while. Praise effort, not just results. Try to make your home a haven, not a battlefield. Their school day is stressful and exhausting. Allow them to spend time on their interests and consider enrolling them in activities where they can succeed and enjoy themselves even if are not the strongest reader.

Read Together

Most children need encouragement to read. Reading with dyslexia can be difficult and frustrating. Find ways to make it fun. Let them pick some of their own books. Read to them and with them. Reading as a family shows them reading as a fun activity, not a chore to get through. Try audiobooks – they can even read along. Read both new books and old favorites. To nurture a love of reading in older students, let them read widely. If they like graphic novels, nature books, or joke books, allow them to choose. It may seem silly to you, but it’s all reading.

Provide Emotional Support

Children with dyslexia often feel frustration, and shame, or suffer from low self-esteem. They can lack confidence and avoid activities that could expose their difficulties. One of the most important things parents can do is to hear them out. Give them a safe environment to express their feelings. Praise their efforts and help them to feel a sense of pride in their accomplishment. Be sure they know dyslexia doesn’t define them.

Foster Organizational Skills

Organization may also not come easy for children with dyslexia. Sorting, categorization, and planning does not come naturally to them. Work with them to organize their schoolwork as well as the items they need for activities. Help them practice with everyday activities around the house. They can sort laundry or categories items like groceries or school supplies. Point out natural sequences in activities like making dinner or getting ready for bed. It helps them see that everything has an order.

If You Have a Child with Dyslexia Contact The Gow School Today.

Gow is a private special education school in NY, that has been working with students with learning disabilities since 1926. The school specializes in dyslexia and related language-based learning disabilities as well as dyspraxia, CAPD (central auditory processing disorder), dyscalculia, dysgraphia, and disorder of written expression. Students also come to Gow with ADHD), and/or executive function difficulties. Our special needs boarding school accommodates students from Grades 5 through Post Graduate. We have been trusted by parents and students from 50 states and 22 countries for nearly 100 years. Gow alumni include architects, artists, chefs, doctors, engineers, entrepreneurs, lawyers and even an Olympic athlete.

As experts in language remediation, faculty and administrators regularly present at conferences, including the International Dyslexia Association (IDA), Learning Disabilities Association of America (LDA), and The Association of Boarding Schools (TABS).

Learn about our approach to learning disabilities or request information.

Additional Resources:

International Dyslexia Association

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association

U.S. Department of Education

Learning Disabilities Association of America

National Center for Learning Disabilities