My child struggles with reading - do they need a dyslexia assessment?

If you’re a parent watching your child struggle with reading, you’ve probably asked yourself this question at least once. Maybe your child is bright, curious, and articulate, yet reading feels painfully slow. Maybe homework that should take 20 minutes stretches into tears and frustration. Or maybe a teacher has gently suggested, “Let’s keep an eye on this.”

First, let’s say this clearly: you are not overreacting for wondering about dyslexia. And at the same time, not every reading struggle means dyslexia. Knowing when testing is appropriate can help you move forward with confidence.

Reading Struggles Are Common — But Patterns Matter

Many children struggle with reading at some point, especially in the early grades. Learning to read is complex and requires several skills working together: phonics (how we hear and use the sounds in spoken language), decoding (recognising the sounds in a word and blending them together), fluency, comprehension, memory, and attention. Temporary struggles can happen for lots of reasons—developmental differences, limited exposure to reading, stress, or even teaching methods that don’t match your child’s learning style.

What raises a red flag isn’t one hard moment—it’s a consistent pattern over time.  This is especially true when support doesn’t seem to help.

Signs That May Point Toward Dyslexia

Some common signs include:

• Difficulty learning letter sounds and connecting them to letters

• Trouble sounding out words, even familiar ones

• Slow, effortful reading that doesn’t improve much with practice

• Guessing at words instead of decoding them

• Avoiding reading or becoming anxious when asked to read aloud

• Poor spelling that seems inconsistent or unpredictable (in other words, ‘good days and bad days’)

• A child can make sense of what they hear (what we call listening comprehension) but have weaker reading comprehension skills

If several of these signs show up consistently and have been present for months or years, it may be time to look deeper.

When to Seriously Consider an Assessment

You may want to pursue a dyslexia assessment if:

• Your child has received extra reading support but made little progress

• Reading struggles are affecting confidence, behaviour, or self-esteem.

• There is a family history of dyslexia or reading difficulties

• Teachers express concern about decoding or fluency

• Your child works much harder than peers just to keep up

An assessment isn’t about labelling—it’s about understanding how your child learns and what support will actually help.  It will give you answers and help advocate for the right support – at any age.

Trust Your Parent Instincts

Often, when I speak to parents, they tell me that they sense something hasn’t been quite right for a while.  Parents often sense that something isn’t clicking long before formal concerns are raised. If you’ve been thinking, “Something doesn’t add up,” it’s worth listening to that voice.

If reading feels like a daily battle in your home, you’re not alone. Asking questions is not a sign of worry—it’s a sign of advocacy. And sometimes, getting answers is the most empowering step a parent can take.

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