The main signs of dyslexia by age are persistent difficulty reading words accurately or fluently, sounding out unfamiliar words or spelling, even with effective instruction. Difficulties with phonological awareness, noticing and working with the sounds in spoken language, are common. A child may know a word when you say it but struggle to connect its sounds to the letters on the page.
Before school, concerns may involve rhymes and letter sounds. In the early grades, sounding out words and spelling may stay difficult. Older children and teens may read accurately but need much more time and effort. An age list cannot diagnose dyslexia. Look at the pattern over time, the instruction your child has received and how they respond to targeted help.
The International Dyslexia Association's 2025 definition describes persistent difficulties with word reading or spelling accuracy, speed or both. It also notes that phonological difficulties are common but not universal. No child needs to match every sign below before you ask for support.
What are early signs of dyslexia at ages 4 to 5?
At this age, pay attention to early language and sound skills rather than expecting independent reading. Possible warning signs include difficulty noticing rhymes, remembering familiar letter names or connecting taught letters with their sounds. A family history of persistent reading or spelling difficulties is useful information to share.
The Yale Center for Dyslexia & Creativity's signs of dyslexia guide includes difficulty with rhymes and letter names in preschool, and sounding out words in the early grades. The ages here are a guide, not diagnostic cutoffs. Children have different opportunities to learn these skills. A child who has not been taught letter sounds needs teaching before anyone interprets that unfamiliarity as a difficulty.
I would tell the kindergarten teacher what you have noticed and ask what they see during sound and letter activities. You might say, "We've practised these sounds together, but they still seem unfamiliar. What would you suggest we try?" If speech or language development also concerns you, discuss it with your family doctor or a speech-language pathologist. Support can start before a formal dyslexia diagnosis.
What are signs of dyslexia at ages 6 to 8?
As children receive reading instruction, the question becomes whether word reading and spelling develop with that teaching. Signs worth discussing include:
- Difficulty blending taught sounds into a word.
- Guessing unfamiliar words instead of sounding them out.
- Reading familiar words slowly and with repeated effort.
- Spelling that remains difficult when writing independently.
Bring actual work to the teacher rather than asking whether a checklist fits. Keep a dated spelling sample and note which words needed help during a short reading task. Ask whether the same difficulty appears in class and what specific instruction addresses it.
One rough evening tells you little. Repeated difficulty with a skill that has been explicitly taught deserves a closer conversation. Ask how progress will be checked, so "keep practising" comes with a plan.
What are signs of dyslexia at ages 9 to 12?
Reading demands increase across subjects. You may notice slow reading, difficulty with unfamiliar longer words, persistent spelling errors or avoidance of reading aloud. A child may understand a science topic in conversation but struggle to read the chapter independently.
Ask your child which part takes the effort. Is it working out the words, remembering what they have read or putting an answer on paper? These questions do not identify the cause, but they help the teacher choose what to examine. Keep track of the help required, including how much an adult reads aloud.
I would also ask about strengths. Does your child explain an idea more fully aloud than in a written answer? Share both examples with the school. A brief written response may leave out knowledge your child can show another way.
What are signs of dyslexia in teens aged 13 to 18?
Teenagers may have learned to read many words accurately while still reading slowly. Spelling and unfamiliar subject vocabulary can remain difficult. Avoiding reading aloud or needing long periods to finish reading-heavy work may become more noticeable.
Ask about effort as well as marks. "How long does this reading take, and what helps you get through it?" is a better starting point than assuming a completed assignment was manageable. Invite your teen to describe what happens without checking every answer or correcting every word.
Let them help choose what to share at a school meeting. Bring earlier report cards and examples of previous reading support if you have them. Good marks do not rule out dyslexia, and assessment can still be useful when a difficulty was missed in the early grades.
What strengths can coexist with dyslexia?
A child with dyslexia may have strong reasoning, imagination, oral vocabulary or understanding of stories read aloud. Some enjoy building, art or solving problems. These strengths vary. Dyslexia does not come with a required talent, and creativity is not a diagnostic sign.
Dyslexia is not a measure of intelligence. It occurs across levels of intellectual ability, including in gifted learners. Strong thinking skills do not remove the need for reading support. A child should not have to prove exceptional ability elsewhere before adults take their reading difficulty seriously.
Keep activities they enjoy in the week. A reading plan should leave room for your child to do things they feel capable of, without turning every interest into another literacy exercise.
What is not a sign of dyslexia on its own?
Letter reversals are common before about age 7 while children learn to write. Reversing b and d alone does not establish dyslexia, and writing letters the right way round does not rule it out. If reversals persist, share examples with the teacher alongside any reading or spelling concerns. Messy handwriting, disliking a book or one low spelling mark cannot establish dyslexia either.
Reading difficulty also needs context. Missed schooling, limited instruction or learning in a new language may affect performance. Tell the school and psychologist about all the languages your child uses and their opportunities to learn in each. These circumstances need careful consideration; they do not automatically rule a learning disorder in or out.
Dyslexia is not a vision problem. Vision problems can make reading uncomfortable and deserve appropriate eye care, but treating them does not treat dyslexia. The joint statement on learning disabilities, dyslexia and vision from the AAP, AAO and AAPOS explains that evidence does not support eye exercises or behavioural vision therapy for improving educational performance in dyslexia. Eye exercises are not a substitute for reading instruction.
How does dyslexia relate to specific learning disorder?
In the DSM-5-TR, dyslexia describes a pattern of word reading, decoding and spelling difficulties within "specific learning disorder with impairment in reading." Not every reading difficulty is dyslexia. The diagnostic wording needs to reflect the child's assessed difficulties.
Diagnosis requires more than a reading score or a checklist. A psychologist considers persistent difficulties, their effect on daily functioning, teaching history and other explanations. Ask them to explain which reading skills are affected and what that means for instruction.
What can you do at home?
Start by asking the teacher which skill to practise and how to practise it. Ask how instruction explicitly teaches speech sounds and letter-sound relationships, with practice in decoding, spelling and fluent word reading. Choose practice that fits what your child has been taught. Home practice can reinforce instruction; it should not leave you responsible for designing your child's reading support.
- Keep practice manageable. Stop for a break when frustration takes over, and tell the teacher if the suggested work is consistently too difficult.
- Continue reading aloud for pleasure. Your child can listen to an interesting story without having to read every word themselves.
- Ask about audiobooks or text-to-speech for access to content alongside reading instruction.
- Notice the specific effort: "You checked the sounds in that word." Avoid comparing reading speed with a sibling's.
If your child says, "I'm stupid," I would answer plainly: "Reading is taking a lot of effort. We are going to ask for help with the parts that are hard." You do not need to promise that reading will become easy or give them a diagnosis to take that feeling seriously.
What should you ask your child's school?
Request a conversation with the teacher and, where appropriate, the school learning team. Bring examples and ask for a plan you can return to.
- Which reading and spelling skills are difficult, and how have they been checked?
- What targeted instruction can begin now, and who will provide it?
- How will progress be measured, and when will we review it together?
- What classroom supports can help my child access work while those skills develop?
Discuss whether the findings and your child's needs call for an Individualized Program Plan, or IPP. Ask how a private assessment would contribute and what documentation the school needs before you book. Schools and boards decide which supports and accommodations they provide. A report does not guarantee extra time, a placement or a particular plan.
When should you seek a dyslexia assessment in Calgary?
Consider assessment when reading or spelling stays difficult despite targeted teaching, progress remains limited or the effort interferes with school and everyday life. You can ask about assessment while support continues. Our guide to signs your child needs a psychoeducational assessment covers broader concerns to bring to that conversation.
At Invincible Kids, learning disability and dyslexia assessments in Calgary are part of our psychoeducational assessment service for children from age 6, teens and adults, with in-person sessions in SW Calgary. Assessments are completed by Lacy Hunter, Provisional Psychologist, under the supervision of a Registered Psychologist. Findings, diagnostic conclusions and recommendations are reviewed in supervision before the report is finalized. A diagnosis is made only when the evidence supports it.
The assessment considers academic skills alongside learning history and how your child thinks and processes information. You receive explanations and recommendations whether or not the evidence supports a diagnosis. Bring schoolwork, records of support and your child's own questions.
For a younger child, ask the school and your family doctor about early support. If severe anxiety or persistent school refusal accompanies reading difficulties, seek help from your family doctor or a mental health professional rather than waiting for testing.
Tell us what you and the teacher have noticed, and we can discuss whether assessment fits your questions. Book a Discovery Call.
Common questions
Can dyslexia run in families?
Yes. A family history of dyslexia or persistent reading and spelling difficulties can indicate increased risk. It does not mean a child will definitely have dyslexia, and children without a known family history can have it too. Share what relatives found difficult with the teacher or psychologist, even if those relatives never received a formal diagnosis.
Will my child outgrow dyslexia?
Dyslexia can persist into adulthood, though reading and spelling skills can improve with targeted instruction. Support needs may change as schoolwork becomes more demanding. Ask the teacher which skills need instruction now and how progress will be checked. Do not wait for a child to outgrow persistent difficulty before asking for help.
Can a child have both dyslexia and ADHD?
Yes. Dyslexia and ADHD can occur together, but they are different conditions. Losing focus during a difficult reading task does not by itself establish ADHD. Tell the psychologist about both literacy and attention concerns, including what happens during other activities and in different settings, so they can consider which questions need assessment.