5 Signs Your Child Might Have Dyslexia

As parents, we all want our children to thrive and feel confident in their learning. But for some, certain areas of schoolwork can feel much harder than they should. Dyslexia is a common specific learning difficulty that affects reading, writing and spelling – and it often runs in families. Spotting the signs early can help your child get the right support and boost their self-esteem.

Here are five signs that your child might have dyslexia:

1. Struggles with phonics and phonological awareness

Children with dyslexia often find it difficult to hear and manipulate the sounds in words. This can make it harder to learn phonics – the building blocks of reading – and may mean they don’t pick up reading skills as quickly as their peers.

2. Difficulty learning to spell and achieving spelling accuracy

Spelling is typically a real challenge for children with dyslexia. You might notice that your child forgets spellings they’ve already learned, mixes up letters in words, or writes words how they sound rather than the correct spelling.

3. Reading difficulties – especially fluency as they get older

Many younger children with dyslexia can appear to be reading, but struggle with reading fluency as texts become longer and more complex. They may read slowly, skip words or avoid reading altogether due to frustration.

4. Poor short-term memory

Children with dyslexia often have difficulties holding information in mind. This might show up as forgetting instructions, mixing up sequences, or finding it hard to remember times tables or spellings.

5. A family history of dyslexia or other specific learning difficulties

Dyslexia often runs in families. If you, a sibling or another close relative has struggled with reading, spelling or schoolwork, it’s worth considering that your child might also be affected.

At DITTAS, we offer expert dyslexia assessment, dyslexia screening and dyslexia support for families across Bromley, Southeast London and Northeast Kent. We also provide remote assessments and online dyslexia tuition, so you can access high-quality help from the comfort of your own home.

Get in touch with us today to find out how we can help.