If you’re noticing that your child struggles with reading despite being bright and capable in other areas, you might be wondering about dyslexia. Here’s what to know and what steps you can take.
What Is Dyslexia?
Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that affects reading. It’s rooted in differences in how the brain processes the sounds in language (phonological processing). Children with dyslexia typically have difficulty with:
- Sounding out unfamiliar words
- Spelling
- Reading fluency
- Phonological awareness (rhyming, blending sounds, segmenting words)
Importantly, dyslexia is not about intelligence. Children with dyslexia are often creative, strong verbal communicators, and excellent problem-solvers.
How Can an SLP Help?
Speech-language pathologists are uniquely qualified to help children with dyslexia because of our deep understanding of the connection between spoken language and written language.
At Into Words Therapy, Maggie provides structured literacy intervention grounded in the Science of Reading. This includes:
- Systematic phonics instruction
- Multisensory techniques (see it, say it, hear it, write it)
- Phonological awareness training
- Reading fluency practice
- Comprehension strategies
What Should I Do?
- Trust your instincts. If something feels off, it’s worth investigating.
- Get an evaluation. A comprehensive speech-language evaluation can identify the specific areas where your child needs support.
- Start intervention early. Research consistently shows that early, evidence-based intervention leads to the best outcomes.
If you’re concerned about your child’s reading, schedule a free consultation to talk through what you’re seeing.