10 Early Signs of Dyslexia That Parents Should Know

Shakya Learning Co | Monroe, NC

Reading difficulties can be hard to understand for both kids and parents. Dyslexia is a common learning difference that changes how the brain processes language. The good news is children with Dyslexia can become confident, successful readers if they are identified early and given structured help.

Here are ten warning signs that parents should look for, along with advice on what to do next.

1. Having difficulty learning how to say and spell letters

Kids might not be able to remember the alphabet or remember what sound each letter makes (for example, they might not remember “B” says /b/).

💡Give this a shot: Make flashcards with letters and sounds on them and play short games every day that connect sounds with pictures.

2. Having difficulty with rhyming or hearing word patterns

If your child has difficulty recognizing words that rhyme (like sun and fun or bat and mat), this could be an early sign of challenges with phonological awareness.

3. Learning sight words takes a long time

Kids might forget words they know well such as “the”, “was”, and “said,” from one day to the next. This isn’t laziness; it’s a problem with working memory that has to do with how the brain stores written language.

4. Not reading or getting upset easily

If your child says “I hate reading” or doesn’t read at all, it might be because they are having difficulty with reading, not because they don’t want to.

💬What to do: Read aloud to them every day. Even if they can’t decode words on their own yet, hearing rich language will help them learn new words.

5. Having difficulty spelling or saying words

You might see spelling mistakes that don’t make sense, like “sed” for “said” and “frend” for “friend.” This means that your child is using phonetic spelling because they haven’t learned how words are spelled yet.

6. Challenges with remembering sequences

Kids with Dyslexia often have trouble with order, like the days of the week, the steps in a task, or the order of letters in a word.

🎯Tip: To help with sequencing skills, use songs, visual schedules, and games that require you to sort things by hand.

7. good at listening but not so good at reading

You might notice that your child understands complicated stories when someone else reads aloud to them, but they can’t read them on their own. One of the clearest early signs of Dyslexia is this “listening gap,”

8. handwriting that is messy or doesn’t match

It’s normal for young writers to switch letters (b/d, p/q), but if they keep doing it after age 7 or if they have problems with spacing and direction, it could be a sign of Dyslexia and that they are having trouble with processing information.

9, family history of reading challenges

Dyslexia is often passed down through families. Early screening is very important if a parent, sibling, or grandparent had trouble learning to read or spell.

10. Low reading confidence even after trying

It’s time to look deeper if your child is working hard but not making much progress in reading. Most of the time, problems with confidence show up before a diagnosis is made.

💬Encourage your child to try instead of being perfect. Praise small wins and persistence; this will keep your child motivated in the long run.

💡What parents should do next

It’s okay if you see a few of these signs. The first step to helping your child do well is to be aware of them early on.

1. If you are worried, talk to your child’s teacher or reading specialist.
2. Ask for a Dyslexia screening or evaluation.
3. Find support that uses the Orton-Gillingham or Structured Literacy Method.
4. You might want to get in touch with Shakya Learning Co in Monroe, NC, for one-on-one help with reading and writing difficulties.

💌 Get support

📍Serving Monroe, NC and surrounding Union County areas

🌐shakyalearningco.com

📧shea@shakyalearningco.com

🌿Early help changes everything. Every child can learn to read – with the right tools and support.