Dyslexia: signs, assessment, and support at home and at school

What is dyslexia?

Dyslexia is a specific learning difficulty that mainly affects reading, writing, and sometimes spelling. It has nothing to do with low intelligence, laziness, or lack of effort. Many children with dyslexia are curious, intelligent, and capable, but they need more time, different strategies, and consistent support to learn in the best way for them.

In practice, a child may struggle to connect letters and sounds, read fluently, copy from the board, write without swapping letters, or remember how words are spelled. Some also have difficulty naming words quickly, organising ideas on paper, or following written instructions in sequence.

Dyslexia can show up differently from one child to another. That is why it is important to look at the overall pattern of signs over time, rather than just one difficult day at school.

Signs of dyslexia by age

Signs can vary depending on age, development, and any support the child has already received. Not all children show the same signs.

In preschool and early school years

• Difficulty learning rhymes, songs, or sound-based games.
• Swapping sounds or having trouble understanding that words are made up of syllables and phonemes.
• Delay in learning letters, letter names, or the sounds they make.
• Confusion between similar-looking letters, such as b/d, p/q, or m/n.
• Difficulty retelling a story in the correct order.
• Trouble remembering sequences such as days of the week or simple routines.

At school age

• Slow, hesitant, or very effortful reading.
• Swapping, leaving out, or reversing letters and words.
• Reduced comprehension because the child uses all their energy to decode the text.
• Frequent writing and spelling mistakes, even after practice.
• Avoiding reading aloud or tasks that require a lot of writing.
• Difficulty copying correctly from the board or finishing tasks within the expected time.
• Frustration, shame, low self-esteem, or refusing to go to school.

In adolescence

• Reading that is still slow or not automatic.
• More difficulty summarising, planning texts, and studying from notes.
• Persistent spelling errors.
• Excessive tiredness during long reading and writing tasks.
• Anxiety in tests, presentations, or tasks with time limits.

It is important to remember that some of these difficulties can also happen for other reasons, such as vision problems, attention difficulties, anxiety, learning gaps, or emotional struggles. That is why assessment should be careful and thorough.

When should an assessment be requested?

You should consider seeking help when a child has persistent difficulties despite appropriate teaching and opportunities to practise. The most important warning sign is the gap between the effort made and the results achieved.

It is worth seeking assessment if you notice that the child:

• learns much more slowly than would be expected for their age;
• keeps confusing letters, sounds, or words frequently;
• reads in a very tiring way and avoids reading;
• makes many repeated spelling mistakes;
• becomes very frustrated with schoolwork;
• has a family history of dyslexia or other learning difficulties.

The earlier dyslexia is identified, the sooner the child can receive appropriate strategies and avoid building up frustration, insecurity, and school delay.

How is dyslexia assessed?

Dyslexia assessment should be carried out by professionals with experience in learning difficulties. In Portugal, the process usually involves several steps and often a multidisciplinary team.

Assessment normally includes:

• An interview with parents and, when possible, with the school, to understand the child’s development and the difficulties observed.
• Collection of information about language, learning, behaviour, vision, hearing, and family history.
• Assessment of reading, writing, phonological awareness, language, and sometimes memory and processing speed.
• Observation of how the difficulties affect the child’s school and emotional life.
• Ruling out other causes that might explain the symptoms.

Depending on the case, the child may be seen by a paediatrician, family doctor, psychologist, neuropsychologist, speech and language therapist, special education teacher, or other professionals. At school age, it is useful to involve the school early.

If there is suspicion of additional difficulties such as attention deficit, language problems, or anxiety, the assessment may need to be broader.

Does a diagnosis change anything?

Receiving a diagnosis, or a clear understanding of the child’s difficulties, can bring relief to both the family and the child. Often, the hardest part is not reading itself, but the emotional burden of feeling “less capable” or “not good enough”.

A diagnosis helps to:

• understand that the difficulty is real and not the child’s fault;
• adjust teaching strategies;
• request appropriate school support;
• reduce unfair punishment for something the child cannot control;
• protect self-esteem and motivation to learn.

How to help at home

At home, the goal is not to turn parents into teachers, but to create a supportive, predictable, shame-free environment. The child needs to feel capable, even when learning differently.

1. Read together without pressure

Read short texts, preferably ones the child finds interesting. You can alternate between reading aloud, shared reading, and reading done by an adult. The most important thing is to avoid constant criticism. Correcting everything at once usually increases anxiety and reduces the willingness to read.

2. Value content, not just fluency

Many children with dyslexia can answer questions about a text well, even if they read slowly. Praise understanding, persistence, and effort. This helps the child see that reading slowly does not mean thinking slowly.

3. Make writing easier

If writing is very tiring, the child may benefit from using outlines, key words, lists, dictation to an adult, a keyboard, or support apps, when appropriate. The aim is to let the child show what they know without getting stuck on how to record it.

4. Build short, consistent routines

Studying in small blocks with breaks usually works better than long sessions. A calm environment with fewer distractions makes a difference. For many children, 15 to 20 focused minutes are worth more than an hour of frustration.

5. Practise phonological awareness and vocabulary in playful ways

Sound games, rhymes, syllable splitting, finding words that start with the same sound, or playing with letters can help, especially in younger children. Whenever possible, turning practice into a game reduces tension.

6. Protect self-esteem

The child should not be defined by their difficulty. Make it clear that dyslexia does not make them less intelligent. Avoid comparisons with siblings, classmates, or cousins. Small progress deserves recognition.

How the school can help

School plays a central role in the success of a child with dyslexia. Support should be tailored to the child’s real needs, not limited to asking for “more effort”. Useful measures can include:

• more time for reading and writing;
• less mechanical copying from the board;
• instructions also given orally;
• clear and short task instructions;
• adapted assessment, when indicated;
• specialised support for reading and writing;
• use of assistive technology, when appropriate;
• regular follow-up between family and teachers.

In Portugal, the school can activate measures to support learning and inclusion, according to the child’s needs. The important thing is that support is concrete, monitored, and adjusted according to progress.

What does not help

Some well-intentioned responses end up making things worse. It is important to avoid:

• saying the child is lazy or distracted without an assessment;
• punishing reading or writing mistakes in a humiliating way;
• forcing long reading sessions without support;
• comparing the child with siblings or classmates;
• underestimating the difficulty because the child “seems intelligent”;
• delaying help and waiting for them to “grow out of it”.

Dyslexia does not go away through pressure. What changes is how the child learns and the support they receive.

Emotions, motivation, and the relationship with learning

Many children with dyslexia develop anxiety, shame, or fear of making mistakes. Some begin to avoid books, written work, or even school. Others become irritable because they are tired of failing at tasks that seem easy for others.

In these cases, emotional support is just as important as academic support. The child needs repeated experiences of success, even if they are small. They need adults to show them that asking for help is not weakness. And they need an environment where personal worth does not depend on grades.

If frustration, sadness, or anxiety are intense, psychological support may be helpful. Looking after emotional wellbeing helps learning a great deal.

When should you seek urgent help?

Seek assessment more quickly if the child:

• stops wanting to go to school because of fear or distress;
• shows a major drop in self-esteem;
• has intense anxiety, frequent crying, or refuses basic tasks;
• shows other significant signs of difficulty in language, attention, or behaviour.

If there is a suspicion of vision or hearing problems, those should also be assessed, as they may be adding to the difficulties.

Final message for parents and caregivers

Dyslexia can be challenging, but with understanding, proper assessment, and consistent support, a child can develop good strategies, learn, and grow with confidence. The most important thing is to look beyond the mistakes and see the whole child: their abilities, interests, effort, and potential.

When family and school work together, the child feels safer and less alone. And that makes a big difference.

Frequently asked questions

Is dyslexia the same as low intelligence?

No. Dyslexia is not related to low intelligence. Many people with dyslexia have very strong skills in other areas.

Is there a cure for dyslexia?

Dyslexia does not “go away”, but it can be very well managed with appropriate support, teaching strategies, and school accommodations.

Can a child have dyslexia and other difficulties at the same time?

Yes. It can coexist with attention deficit, language difficulties, anxiety, or other educational needs. That is why the assessment should be comprehensive.

Is it worth waiting to see if it improves on its own?

If the difficulties are persistent, it is best not to wait too long. Early intervention helps prevent greater distress and wider delays.

Conclusion

Recognising signs of dyslexia early, carrying out a proper assessment, and building a support plan at home and at school can change a child’s path. The goal is not to expect them to learn like everyone else, but to give them the tools to learn in the way that works best for them.