The Kids First Blog

Understanding Dyslexia in Children: Key Signs and Symptoms 

As a parent, seeing your child struggle with reading and writing can be concerning, especially if you suspect they might have dyslexia. Perhaps you have a family history of literacy difficulties or your child’s teacher is concerned about your son or daughter’s learning. At Kids First, our child psychologists and speech pathologists support many children who have this specific learning disorder. Here are some things you need to know about dyslexia and how you can help your child thrive. 

Early Signs of Dyslexia

If your child is in preschool or early primary school, watch for these early signs of dyslexia: 

• Delayed Speech Development: If your child started talking later than their peers, this might be an early indicator. 
   

• Difficulty with Rhyming: Struggling to learn nursery rhymes or play rhyming games can be a sign of later literacy issues. 
   

• Problems with Phonemic Awareness: Difficulty recognising and manipulating individual sounds in words. 
   

• Challenges with Letter and Number Recognition: Difficulty learning the names and sounds of letters and recognising numbers. 
   

• Difficulty Writing Their Name: If writing their name is particularly challenging, this can be a red flag. 

Signs in Primary School

As your child progresses through primary school, look for these signs: 

• Reading Below Age Level: Consistent difficulty reading at the level expected for their age group. 
   

• Problems Processing Spoken Information: Difficulty following instructions or understanding spoken language. 
   

• Word Retrieval Issues: Struggling to find the right words to express their thoughts. 
   

• Inconsistent Spelling: Spelling words differently even within the same piece of writing. 
   

• Avoidance of Reading and Writing Tasks: Reluctance to engage in reading or writing activities. 
   

• Organisational Challenges: Difficulty following sequences of instructions or organising thoughts clearly. 

What Causes Dyslexia?

While the exact causes of dyslexia are still unknown, we do know that it’s not related to intelligence or motivation. Studies show that dyslexia often runs in families, indicating a genetic link. It’s also clear that people with dyslexia have unique brain structures and functions 

Dyslexia and Intelligence 

It’s crucial to understand that a specific learning disorder like dyslexia is not an indicator of intelligence – far from it, in fact! People with dyslexia are often very clever and may excel in areas that don’t rely heavily on language skills. Many children with dyslexia are highly gifted in fields such as art, computer science, dance, drama, design, maths, and science. Their unique perspectives and problem-solving abilities can be incredible assets. 

Why Early Assessment is Important

One of the most important steps you can take if you suspect your child has dyslexia is to arrange for a comprehensive assessment. It’s a common misconception that children will simply “grow out of” their literacy difficulties. In reality, early identification and support are crucial for helping your child overcome their challenges and succeed academically. 

How to Find Out if Your Child Has Dyslexia 

To determine if your child meets the criteria for a diagnosis of dyslexia, a thorough assessment by a suitably qualified psychologist is needed. This typically involves: 

• Developmental History: Gathering information about your child’s development, including speech and language milestones. 
   

• Functional Feedback: The observations of parents, teachers, and your child is important to understand the difficulties they are experiencing. 
   

• Cognitive Assessment: Standardised testing that evaluates your child’s cognitive processing and the skills that underlie learning, such as memory, phonological processing, and auditory processing is used to identify if there are any other factors that may be affecting their learning. 
   

• Academic Testing: Standardised tests that assess various aspects of reading, writing, spelling, and language skills help to identify any ‘gaps’ in your child’s reading and writing skills. 

Before a psychologist can accurately assess your child for dyslexia, it’s important that your son or daughter has had at least six months of formal literacy instruction. This time allows your child to experience structured teaching, so we can be sure that any difficulties they have aren’t just due to a lack of instruction. Without this foundation, it can be hard to tell the difference between a learning disorder and normal variations in early literacy development. 

The Role of Speech Pathologists in Helping Children with Dyslexia 

If your child is identified as having dyslexia, it’s likely that their teachers at school will be part of your child’s team, but did you know that speech pathologists also play a crucial role in supporting children with dyslexia? They focus on improving the underlying language skills that are essential for reading and writing. Here’s how they can help: 

• Phonological Awareness: Speech pathologists help children recognise and work with the sounds of spoken language. This includes activities that develop skills such as segmenting words into sounds and blending sounds to form words. 
   

• Decoding and Spelling: They assist children in understanding the relationship between sounds and letters (phonics), which is fundamental for reading and spelling. 
   

• Vocabulary Development: Building a robust vocabulary helps children comprehend what they read and express themselves more effectively. 
   

• Listening Comprehension: Speech pathologists work on improving a child’s ability to understand spoken language, which is vital for following instructions and engaging in conversations. 
   

• Expressive Language Skills: They help children organise their thoughts and express themselves clearly, both verbally and in writing. 

• Fluency: For children who struggle with reading fluently, speech pathologists can provide strategies to improve the flow and pace of reading. 

Through targeted interventions and personalised strategies, speech pathologists at Kids First Children’s Services help children with dyslexia develop the essential skills they need for successful reading and writing. 

Helping Your Child with Dyslexia 

Dyslexia is a lifelong condition, but with the right support, your child can learn to read and write effectively. Early identification and intervention are key. If you think your child might have dyslexia, we’re here to help.  
 
Kids First’s team of Child Psychologists and Speech Pathologists can provide the support your child needs, so if you have concerns about your child’s reading and writing, please contact us to arrange a dyslexia assessment. Together, we can help your child overcome their challenges and reach their full potential. 
 
Call Kids First today to on 9938 5419 to discover how we can support your child or follow the link below for more information about Dyslexia Assessment services at Kids First.