Reading is a skill that we all must acquire at an early age to be successful in life. However, people with Dyslexia face trouble in matching letters to sounds, then sounds to words, and finally words to meaning. When this happens, they are unable to read fluently. Or, They will struggle at retaining the meaning of what they have read. If left untreated, it may plague them all through school and into their adult life. We get asked how to diagnose Dyslexia successfully? Although there isn’t a single test for the diagnosis of Dyslexia, there is a series of assessments that will help determine Dyslexia.

Could it Be Dyslexia

Dyslexia is not just reversals of letters and words. It is a number of reading problems severe enough to cause a child to fall behind and struggle reading, writing and spelling. See our list of common Dyslexia Symptoms Checklist. Or check out our Dyslexia Video Training.

Professionals are different in how they diagnose Dyslexia. There is no standard for number of symptoms or severity that constitutes Dyslexia. It is up to the individual tester to choose whether to give the diagnosis of Dyslexia or not. Some professionals are very conservative when it comes to giving a Dyslexia diagnosis. Children with enough symptoms may go un-diagnosed. In addition, others might hand the diagnosis out too easily without ruling out other contributing factors first. This is why it is so important as a parent to learn the symptoms and other disabilities that mimic Dyslexia.

In this generation, a lot or reliance is put on the school and teacher to make sure a child succeeds in school. This is important, but as a parent, you should take the initiative to assess the child’s struggles in school and at home. Speak with teaches and find out what they are specifically struggling in. Make notes of it.

Reading struggles at any severity should be dealt with early on. Without intervention, the gap between what they should be able to read and what they can read broadens as they get into grades with more difficult sentences and paragraphs.

Dyslexia Testing

While a small percentage of parents take their child for an official Dyslexia Test, it is a good idea to have your child assessed so you know the severity of their disability. A psychologist that specializes in early childhood development should be able to conduct a Dyslexia Test. It is important to familiarize yourself and your child with the type of things your child will be asked to do. Children are often afraid of the unknown and tired of feeling ‘incompetent’ at reading. For this reason, we have a Sample of a Dyslexia Test you can download and do with your child prior to taking them in. This will help them feel more comfortable at their testing.

Educate Yourself

We created a Free 3 part video series on Dyslexia. It applies to all reading disabilities and is very educational. Also, it goes into some of the other learning disabilities that mimic Dyslexia. You will also discover how they learn differently. And, how to use that difference to their benefit. Furthermore, it gives quick hacks and accommodations to help your little reader improve right away.