Parent checklist
Signs of dyslexia in kids — what to look for, grade by grade
Dyslexia shows up differently at five than it does at eleven. Here is what parents typically notice at each stage, what usually is not a red flag, and what to do next if the list sounds like your house.
Kindergarten – 1st grade
- Trouble learning letter names and the sounds they make
- Can't hear rhymes or clap out syllables
- Confuses b/d, p/q, was/saw
- Struggles to remember sight words from one day to the next
- Family history of reading trouble
2nd – 3rd grade
- Guesses a word from the first letter instead of reading it
- Reads slowly and word by word, with little expression
- Spells the same word several different ways on one page
- Leaves out vowels or reverses letters in writing
- Reads a page then can't say what happened
4th – 6th grade
- Avoids reading out loud at all costs
- Loses their place, skips lines, or re-reads the same line
- Writes far below what they can say out loud
- Takes twice as long on homework as classmates
- Struggles in school and feels defeated so no longer tries
What usually isn't a warning sign
- Occasional letter reversals before age 7 are typical development
- A child who reads well but hates reading may just need better books
- A quiet reader who comprehends fine is usually not struggling to decode
This page is a parent guide, not a diagnosis. A formal evaluation comes from your school district or a licensed evaluator — but you don't have to wait for one to start helping at home.
What to do next
- 1Write down what you see for a week — which words, which mistakes, how long homework takes.
- 2Ask the school in writing for a reading evaluation; the request starts the clock.
- 3Start short daily practice at home so your child keeps gaining ground while you wait.
Find out where your child is stuck
The free 3-minute check turns what you're noticing into a clear picture — and shows you which grade set to start. Or read how the at-home dyslexia tutoring method works.