What is Dyslexia?
Dyslexia is a language-based learning difference that affects reading and spelling. It involves challenges with accurate and/or fluent word reading and spelling that persist even when a child receives instruction that is effective for their peers. These difficulties can range from mild to more significant and are not related to effort or intelligence. Dyslexia arises from how the brain processes language and is influenced by genetic, neurobiological, and environmental factors. Because dyslexia makes reading and writing harder, it can also affect reading comprehension, vocabulary growth, and overall academic progress. Early identification and targeted support can help children build strong literacy skills and confidence. (IDA 2025)
What are the early signs and symptoms of a specific learning disorder, namely Dyslexia?
Family History and Early Development
If your child is struggling to read despite extra help, you should seek an evaluation for Dyslexia.
If your child continues to struggle with reading despite extra support, a comprehensive evaluation for Dyslexia will be helpful. Dyslexia evaluations are conducted by a Licensed Psychologist with specialized training in neuropsychological assessment and include gathering background information from parents and teachers along with standardized testing to determine whether a Specific Learning Disorder in Reading is present. Following the evaluation, families receive clear results and individualized recommendations.
Why should you seek a neuropsychological assessment as opposed to a psycho-educational assessment?
A neuropsychological assessment offers a comprehensive, thoughtful understanding of your child’s learning profile and overall functioning. Rather than focusing on academic skills alone, it considers the whole child, including cognitive abilities, language development, attention and executive functioning, processing speed, memory, motor coordination, and social-emotional well-being. This depth of evaluation allows for a nuanced understanding of your child’s needs and ensures that recommendations are precise, individualized, and designed to support long-term success.
When can I have my kid tested for Dyslexia?
Markers of Dyslexia start showing up as early as kindergarten (especially when a family history is present). By January or February of first grade, tests of early word reading, decoding, and spelling begin to be useful in providing information about what the student has learned and what gaps in knowledge exist.
Can my child be successful in life if they are Dyslexic? What are the outcomes later in life?
Yes. Dyslexia does not limit intelligence or long-term success. With accurate identification and appropriate support, children with dyslexia can thrive academically and beyond. As someone who is dyslexic herself, Dr. Kelsey Lisle is committed to helping children build strong literacy skills, confidence, and self-advocacy so they can lead fulfilling, successful lives.
Take Home Message
If your child continues to struggle with reading despite appropriate instruction and intervention at school, a comprehensive evaluation can provide clarity and direction. Early identification allows children to receive targeted support when it is most effective, helping to strengthen reading skills, protect self-esteem, and foster confidence and enjoyment in learning.
Dyslexia is a language-based learning difference that affects reading and spelling. It involves challenges with accurate and/or fluent word reading and spelling that persist even when a child receives instruction that is effective for their peers. These difficulties can range from mild to more significant and are not related to effort or intelligence. Dyslexia arises from how the brain processes language and is influenced by genetic, neurobiological, and environmental factors. Because dyslexia makes reading and writing harder, it can also affect reading comprehension, vocabulary growth, and overall academic progress. Early identification and targeted support can help children build strong literacy skills and confidence. (IDA 2025)
What are the early signs and symptoms of a specific learning disorder, namely Dyslexia?
Family History and Early Development
- Reports of reading/spelling difficulties across generations in the family
- Normal prenatal and birth history
- Delays/difficulties in acquiring speech/language
- Difficulty with rhyming, blending sounds, learning the alphabet, and linking letters with sounds
- Difficulty learning rules for spelling–spell words the way they sound (e.g., lik for like); use the letter name to code a sound (lafunt for elephant)
- Difficulty remembering “little” words–the, of, said–that cannot be “sounded out”
- Listening comprehension is usually better than reading comprehension–may understand a story when read to him but struggles when reading the story independently.
- Reluctant readers
- Slow, word-by-word readers; great difficulty with words in lists, nonsense words and words not in their listening vocabulary
- Very poor spellers–miscode sounds, leave out sounds, add or leave out letters or whole syllables
- Non-fluent writers–slow, poor quality, and quantity of the product
- When speaking, may have a tendency to mispronounce common words (floormat for format); difficulty using or comprehending more complex grammatical structures
- Listening comprehension is usually superior to performance on timed measures of reading comprehension (may be equivalent when reading comprehension measures are untimed)
- Weak vocabulary knowledge and use
If your child is struggling to read despite extra help, you should seek an evaluation for Dyslexia.
If your child continues to struggle with reading despite extra support, a comprehensive evaluation for Dyslexia will be helpful. Dyslexia evaluations are conducted by a Licensed Psychologist with specialized training in neuropsychological assessment and include gathering background information from parents and teachers along with standardized testing to determine whether a Specific Learning Disorder in Reading is present. Following the evaluation, families receive clear results and individualized recommendations.
Why should you seek a neuropsychological assessment as opposed to a psycho-educational assessment?
A neuropsychological assessment offers a comprehensive, thoughtful understanding of your child’s learning profile and overall functioning. Rather than focusing on academic skills alone, it considers the whole child, including cognitive abilities, language development, attention and executive functioning, processing speed, memory, motor coordination, and social-emotional well-being. This depth of evaluation allows for a nuanced understanding of your child’s needs and ensures that recommendations are precise, individualized, and designed to support long-term success.
When can I have my kid tested for Dyslexia?
Markers of Dyslexia start showing up as early as kindergarten (especially when a family history is present). By January or February of first grade, tests of early word reading, decoding, and spelling begin to be useful in providing information about what the student has learned and what gaps in knowledge exist.
Can my child be successful in life if they are Dyslexic? What are the outcomes later in life?
Yes. Dyslexia does not limit intelligence or long-term success. With accurate identification and appropriate support, children with dyslexia can thrive academically and beyond. As someone who is dyslexic herself, Dr. Kelsey Lisle is committed to helping children build strong literacy skills, confidence, and self-advocacy so they can lead fulfilling, successful lives.
Take Home Message
If your child continues to struggle with reading despite appropriate instruction and intervention at school, a comprehensive evaluation can provide clarity and direction. Early identification allows children to receive targeted support when it is most effective, helping to strengthen reading skills, protect self-esteem, and foster confidence and enjoyment in learning.