Most estimates suggest that Dyslexia affects up to 20 percent of the population. In fact, 80–90 percent of all people with learning disabilities are dyslexic. This makes Dyslexia the most common of all neurodivergent profiles. It’s important to remember that dyslexia doesn’t mean a person lacks intelligence. On the contrary, many people with dyslexia are incredibly smart and creative. A wide range of Dyslexic artists, performers, politicians, scientists, doctors, lawyers, teachers, and people across all professions find success despite of their early literacy struggles. In fact, many of these folks attribute their creativity, perseverance, and other strengths to their Dyslexia.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Dyslexia?
Dyslexia is a brain difference that can make it harder for some people to read, write, and spell, even though they are intelligent. Dyslexic brains process language and/or visual symbols differently. This can affect reading and spelling in different ways.
While some dyslexics might reverse letters or see things backward, others have trouble hearing the sounds in language and spelling words based on how they sound. Some dyslexics struggle to decode new words and learn to read by memorizing. Others may be skilled at decoding, but don’t remember words easily – so they have to decode almost every word they read.
Why Do We Test for Dyslexia?
We test for dyslexia to help students who might have it. Identifying dyslexia early can make a big difference in a student’s learning journey. By knowing if someone has dyslexia, teachers and parents can provide the right support and strategies to make reading and writing easier and more enjoyable.
For a student, knowing they are dyslexic helps them have patience with themselves, and understand how they learn best. Furthermore, Dyslexia testing with a skilled provider can help parents and teachers understand the child’s specific profile of strengths and challenges, and how to create a dyslexia-friendly environment for that child.
When Do We Test for Dyslexia?
Testing can happen at different ages, but it’s often done when a student is in elementary school and is having a hard time with reading and writing. Signs include struggling to sound out words, confusing similar-looking letters, or having trouble with spelling. They may also have trouble learning and pronouncing new words. Later on, when they learn to read accurately, they may still read slowly. Having a strong family history of dyslexia (parents, siblings, even aunts, uncles, or cousins) also makes it more likely that these early struggles signal dyslexia.
Traditionally, many schools thought dyslexia testing couldn’t happen until after the age of seven. However, there are many early signs of dyslexia before students even start school. In fact, we can screen for signs of dyslexia as young as four years old! Now, more and more, schools are screening for dyslexia in kindergarten, because they understand that the earlier we know about dyslexia, the sooner we can help. Early “red flags” for dyslexia include learning new words slowly, repeatedly mispronouncing the same words, and having trouble with rhyming.
Who can test for Dyslexia?
A variety of professionals hold the training and experience to test for dyslexia, including psychologists, developmental-behavioral pediatricians, child neurologists, reading/learning specialists, and even some speech pathologists. The exact professional license required varies from state to state, depending on licensing and educational regulations.
Parents should know that sometimes factors like attention, anxiety, or ineffective instruction cause trouble in reading. In all of these cases, parents should look for a Licensed Psychologist or Licensed Educational Psychologist (like the clinicians at Mind Matters), as psychologists consider all these other possible causes when assessing for dyslexia. Additionally, many conditions co-occur alongside dyslexia and need to be identified in order to understand how to help the student
How Do We Test for Dyslexia?
Testing for dyslexia is like a puzzle, and there are different pieces we put together to get the full picture. At Mind Matters, we use the following sources of information to evaluate for Dyslexia:
Observation
During testing (and any school observations) we watch how your child reads, writes, and spells. We look for any patterns that might signal Dyslexia, such as guessing words based on the first letter or last letter, or skipping over words while they read.
Review of Schoolwork
Looking at the your child’s schoolwork and progress reports help us understand your child’s progress in reading and writing. Understanding the history of their literacy development (especially for older children) helps the assessment process.
Interviews
At Mind Matters, we also talk to the student, parents, and teachers to gather more information about the student’s reading history and any challenges they’ve faced.
Direct Testing
We work directly with your child in a 1-1 setting and complete various tests and activities. This includes a variety of reading and writing tasks, as well as other measures that evaluate key cognitive skills that support literacy development. Through these tests, we find out how your child’s brain processes language and text, and can clarify how these processing differences might affect their learning.
Behavioral Screenings are for parents of children who are struggling with behavior at home and/or at school. Parents may wonder if their child school environment suits them, or whether internal factors (e.g. attention, language, anxiety) contribute to the behavior.
ADHD Screenings are for parents who are wondering whether their child’s struggles with attention and/or restlessness indicate an underlying condition like Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
Kindergarten Readiness Screenings are for parents wondering whether their child is ready to begin kindergarten. For example, they may feel their child needs more time or support to develop readiness skills. Likewise, a screening can be particularly helpful for a child with a summer birthday as parents weigh whether to wait another year for kindergarten.
How Do We Help Dyslexics?
Once all this information is gathered, the specialist can determine if the student has dyslexia and what kind of support they might need. Then, they can collaborate with the child’s team (parents, teachers, tutors) to map out goals and best “next steps.” The specialist can help parents find a neurodiversity-affirming provider who easily understands how the child learns. It’s crucial that children with dyslexia receive interventions that are structured, multi-sensory, and evidence-based.
When needed, we also help parents find a neurodiversity-affirming provider who understands how the child learns most easily and will support their continued growth in this strength while also building up the more difficult skills. Using technology to help make things easier and try out different styles of learning are two other essential elements of neurodiversity-affirming intervention. Hopefully, this can help foster a love for reading and learning!
Conclusion About Dyslexia Testing
In a nutshell, dyslexia is a brain difference that can affect how some people read and write. We test for dyslexia to help students who might have it, usually when they’re struggling with reading and writing. The testing process involves observations, screenings, assessments, interviews, and reviewing schoolwork to get a full picture.
Remember, dyslexia doesn’t mean a person can’t be an excellent learner or a successful individual. It just means they might need some extra help and support along the way. So, if you or someone you know is facing reading challenges, don’t worry – there are people ready to help and make the journey a little bit easier.
Schedule Dyslexia Testing in San Francisco or Berkeley, CA today!
Is your child a curious explorer, a great problem-solver, or a creative thinker? Uncover their unique cognitive strengths and empower their neurodiversity journey.
- Message our Client Care Coordinator so she can get to know more about you and your child, answer any questions, and help you find the right match. Or, call us at 415-598-8378.
- Explore our services & compassionate psychologists.
- Meet with one of our clinicians online, and follow up with neurodiversity affirming dyslexia testing in San Francisco & Berkeley, CA.
Other Services our Psychologists Offer:
We know that every child’s life experiences are different. That’s why we offer a range of services including psychoeducational evaluations, neurodevelopmental screenings, IQ Testing, and parent guidance consultations to help better support and advocate for your child!