How to Identify Dyslexia | Emotional Dysregulation in Children | E222

How to Identify Dyslexia in Children

If your child struggles with reading, spelling, or attention, you’re not failing as a parent. How to identify dyslexia starts with understanding that it’s a neurological, language-based difference—not a vision problem.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How how to identify dyslexia early through phonological and decoding assessments
• Key behaviors that distinguish dyslexia from ADHD or inattentiveness
• Structured literacy and home supports for Self-Regulation Skills for Children
• How to partner with schools while protecting confidence and motivation

Early signs of dyslexia

Look for:

• Struggling with rhyming, letter-sound matching, or speech delays
• Slow, effortful reading, spelling errors, or writing avoidance
• After-school meltdowns from overworking to decode words

Red flags:

• Reliance on memorization without decoding
• Persistent spelling mistakes
• Emotional signs of frustration or anxiety

Assessment strategies

• Use C-TOPP (phonological processing) and WADE (decoding/encoding)
• Check reading fluency and spelling progress
• Assess IQ, phonological, and working memory to compare potential vs performance
• Consider a QEEG brain map for insight into attention and processing

Parent insight: Many dyslexic kids appear inattentive because decoding drains cognitive resources.

Differentiating dyslexia from ADHD

• ADHD: attention, impulsivity, and executive functioning challenges
• Dyslexia: decoding overload, spelling errors, and fluency struggles

Effective reading interventions

Structured, multisensory literacy programs include:

• Orton–Gillingham, Wilson, Lindamood-Bell
• Daily practice, cumulative review, and data tracking
• Targeted IEP goals for decoding, spelling, and fluency

Home support: short, frequent decoding exercises and read-alouds for vocabulary

School support: individualized instruction, decodable texts, and accommodations for mastery

Partnering with the school

• Request IEP or 504 accommodations for reading supports
• Ask for decodable texts, controlled spelling lists, extended time, and oral responses
• Praise effort, keep reading below frustration level, and protect confidence

Parent example: Middle-schooler uses speech-to-text for drafting, then practices targeted spelling patterns during interventions.

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Takeaway

How to identify dyslexia involves observing early signs, using structured assessments, and supporting the brain through regulation-first strategies.

FAQs

Q1: At what age can dyslexia be identified?

Screening can begin in kindergarten; don’t wait until 3rd grade.

Q2: Is dyslexia linked to low intelligence?

No. Many dyslexic children have average or above-average IQs.

Q3: What accommodations help immediately?

Decodable texts, audiobooks, extra time, reduced copying, and alternatives to written output.

Q4: Can dyslexic children also have ADHD?

Yes. High cognitive load from reading can mimic attention challenges.

Q5: How do I support emotional regulation during reading?

Use structured routines, visual supports, co-regulation, and short, frequent practice sessions.

Dr. Roseann Capanna-Hodge helps parents understand Emotional Dysregulation in Children and teaches practical Nervous System Regulation in Children and Co-Regulation Techniques through Regulation First Parenting™.