How Is Dyslexia Identified?

Dyslexia is not diagnosed by a single test, but rather a broad blend of criteria.  The number one diagnosis for problems with learning to read is dyslexia, and since dyslexia is genetic, family history is a key component of the diagnosis.  Another key component is the person’s experience of learning, and the frustrations and challenges they experience at school and in less formal learning situations.  A diagnosis requires a combination of tests of reading and language appropriate to the age and education of the person being tested, along with evaluation of personal and family history, and observations of the person speaking and reading. (1) A qualified professional will use the combination of all these different evaluations to give a diagnosis of dyslexia or some other cause for the learning challenges being experienced.

One of the hallmarks of dyslexia versus other causes for reading problems is that it only affects certain skills specifically related to language, and does not affect thinking or reasoning skills, see Dyslexia: Sea of Brilliance. This is how you find the typical person with dyslexia, competent in many areas, even highly skilled in some, and struggling to read (or write) at a level below what you would expect based on their other competencies.  I was once told that people with dyslexia are frequently diagnosed, but not as dyslexic.  They are told they are lazy, not trying, or not living up to potential because it is difficult to understand how someone who is generally intelligent in other areas should have such tremendous difficulty in learning to read.

Once you are familiar with the patterns of dyslexia, it becomes very easy to spot.  In my opinion, the most common reason why more people aren’t identified as having dyslexia are twofold. 1) No one thinks that a person who shows a general level of skill and competency in a number of different areas could have such a challenging problem.  They’re smart.  They must not be trying, otherwise they could learn to read at a similar pace to how they learn other skills.  2) No one wants to be labelled with a learning difference, and parents in particular do not want to admit that their child has a problem.  My husband and I both went through that process of not wanting to label our kids, and having to admit that there was something going on that needed extra focus.  They’ll grow out of it.  They just need to put in a bit more effort, concentrate a bit harder, etc. My post Check Reading Development as Carefully as Physical Development explains why this generally isn’t the case.

Unfortunately, you need to overcome both of these reasons in order to get the specific help necessary to actually solve the problem.  In general, people with dyslexia are relieved when they get a diagnosis.  There is a reason why they are struggling!  They aren’t stupid (their own self-evaluation), or lazy.  Knowing that there is an actual difference in brain processing that is causing all these challenges and frustration opens up doors to overcome those challenges and move forward.  If your child is struggling with learning to read, a slow reader for their age, or takes a very long time to complete schoolwork, consider that perhaps dyslexia might be at the root of the problem.  Ultimately, we all want the best for our kids, and sometimes that best is found with an accurate diagnosis, accommodations, and remediation to help them develop the skills they need in order to succeed.

(1) Shaywitz, Sally (2003), Overcoming Dyslexia, New York: Alfred A. Knopf, p.132