As a parent, it’s hard to know when your child should be hitting reading, writing and spelling milestones, let alone if your child may have dyslexia. We’ve put together some common dyslexia FAQ’s so you can learn the common signs of dyslexia in children, how dyslexia is diagnosed and what to do if you think your child may have dyslexia.
What is Dyslexia ?
Dyslexia is a brain-based (neurological) disorder that can affect both children and adults. It is a specific learning disorder that primarily impacts a person’s ability to read fluently and accurately. It can also contribute to spelling difficulties. Up to 10% of the Australian population have dyslexia.
Although the exact cause of dyslexia is unknown, it is now accepted that there is a genetic component, meaning it may run in families.
How Do I Know If My Child Has Dyslexia?
Identifying dyslexia in children can be challenging as signs may vary depending on a child’s age and development.
Common signs of dyslexia in children include:
- Difficulty learning that letters or groups of letters make sounds (often called ‘phonics’ at school). For example sh says “shhh”
- Struggling to sound out words when reading
- Making lots of mistakes when reading, even for familiar sentences
- Reading is really slow and lots of effort is needed to read simple things
- Trouble with spelling, such as spelling “cat” as “kat”
- Frequently avoiding reading or homework and getting upset when the topic is raised
- Having a noticeable lack of interest in reading or feeling increasingly frustrated with reading tasks
How is Dyslexia Diagnosed?
In Australia, dyslexia is typically diagnosed through a comprehensive assessment conducted by a psychologist. Speech pathologists may contribute to the assessment process but cannot diagnose dyslexia alone.
The assessment process generally involves the following steps:
- Comprehensive History: Gathering detailed information about the individual’s developmental, educational, medical and family history. It may also include information about any previous therapy or assessments that the individual may have received.
- Cognitive Assessment: Standardised assessments to assess the individual’s cognitive abilities, memory, and processing skills. You may be familiar with the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC) or similar cognitive assessments.
- Literacy Assessment: Standardised assessments to assess the individual’s strengths and areas of growth in reading, spelling, and phonological processing.
Based on the information gathered and assessment findings, the psychologist will determine if an individual meets the diagnostic criteria for dyslexia. In order to be formally diagnosed with dyslexia, the child or adult being assessed must have received at least six months of quality therapy targeted to improve their reading skills.
It is important to note that diagnostic procedures may vary slightly depending on the specific needs of the individual.
How is Dyslexia Treated ?
It is very common to have a team of professionals who work together in the assessment, diagnosis, and ongoing management of dyslexia. This may involve a psychologist, teacher, learning support teachers, tutors, and speech therapists.
As speech therapists (also known as speech pathologists – yes they are the same thing!), we use evidence-based treatment approaches to support individuals develop their reading and spelling abilities. Speech therapy sessions for a child with dyslexia can be held online via a video call (known as telehealth or teletherapy) or in person.
What Happens in a Speech Therapy Session for Dyslexia?
In your first session, the speech pathologist will speak with you (the parent or carer) to gather background information.
During the next few sessions, the speech pathologist will learn more about your child’s personality, interests and strengths and difficulties in literacy. They will complete evidence-based assessments that are chosen based on the information provided in your first session. The assessments are often disguised as game-like quizzes or activities to make it fun for your child, especially if they are younger.
Now the speech pathologist has started to build a rapport with your child and has the information they need to design an evidence-based intervention plan. You will have a discussion with the speech pathologist about the goals of intervention and a plan will be shared about what activities & interventions are recommended to assist your child to achieve their goals.
Three key areas a speech pathologist can support a child with dyslexia are:
- Phonemic Awareness: working on the ability to blend, segment, and manipulate sound
- Phonics: learning to recognise letter-sound relationships
- Reading: building skills in oral language, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension
It doesn’t matter if the session is through telehealth or in-person, the activities look very similar!
Speech pathologists use visual and interactive tools to support learning. These may include:
- Online phonics games and activities to practise sound-letter relationships
- Decodable texts shared on the screen to work on reading fluency and decoding
- Multisensory learning activities where a child is asked to trace letters on a screen
- Traditional pen and paper methods where you support your child at your side of the screen
By having engaging educational games (designed around the child’s favourite hobbies, toys and topics), we keep children motivated during sessions.
What Should You Do If You Think Your Child May Have Dyslexia?
Seeking help for dyslexia can feel like a scary first step. For many families, it is a journey where you realise over time that your child may not learn to read/spell as easily as their peers. Your child’s teacher may flag difficulties with you and your child may be invited to attend reading programs or groups at school. You may also find reading with your child and completing homework becomes very stressful for your child and your family.
If you suspect that your child may have dyslexia, consider discussing your concerns with your child’s teacher or support teachers. They can provide further insights into your child’s academic learning and performance.
If you have a niggly feeling or are unsure, the best option is to consult a professional. Seeking help isn’t about labelling your child or saying that there is something wrong with them. It’s about finding out more about their strengths, areas of growth, and the way they learn best so that they can be supported to reach their full potential.
If you’re looking for a whole team of speech pathologists who are dedicated to supporting your child and their dyslexia diagnosis, you’ve come to the right place.
No matter where you are (on your dyslexia journey or where you are living), Pop Online Speech Pathology can support you in reaching the milestones that matter most to your family.
Book a free discovery call with an experienced Pop speech pathologist today.
Sources:
- Dyslexia in Australia. (2024). Dyslexia Association of Australia. Retrieved from https://dyslexiaassociation.org.au/dyslexia-in-australia/
- Snowling, M. J., Hulme, C., & Nation, K. (2020). Defining and understanding dyslexia: Past, present and future. Oxford Review of Education, 46(4), 501-513. https://doi.org/10.1080/03054985.2020.1765756