Dyslexia: Signs, the School's Term and Next Steps

What It Means

Dyslexia is a learning disability that makes it hard to read words correctly and with ease, and it often makes spelling hard too. NICHD describes it as a type of reading disorder in which the usual sticking point is connecting letters with the sounds they stand for, and it notes that people with dyslexia have normal intelligence. U.S. public schools file it under the IDEA term specific learning disability, and the regulation at 34 CFR 300.8(c)(10) lists dyslexia by name as one of its examples.

Try It: Tick the Reading Signs You Keep Seeing

Tick each sign you've seen again and again over weeks, not once. These are signs NICHD lists for reading disorders such as dyslexia.

Sounding out new words is a struggle Matching sounds to the letters that spell them is hard Spelling is poor, even for practiced words Reading is slow and effortful Reading aloud comes out flat or halting Just-read sentences don't make sense to them

Signs ticked0

Out of6

Nothing ticked yet. If reading still worries you, the teacher is a good first person to ask.

How Parents Say It

"He's bright, but reading just doesn't click."
"She guesses at words instead of sounding them out."
"We asked the school to evaluate her for dyslexia."

The Breakdown

From first signs to school support

Stage	What happens	Source
Noticing	Trouble sounding out words, slow reading, poor spelling, and trouble understanding what was just read	NICHD
Asking the school	A parent can request an initial evaluation from the public school; Buhata's page on evaluation requests covers the letter and the timeline	IDEA
Eligibility	The school decides whether your child has a specific learning disability, the IDEA category that names dyslexia	34 CFR 300.8(c)(10)
The word on paper	Nothing in IDEA stops a school from writing "dyslexia" in an evaluation, an eligibility decision or an IEP	Department of Education letter, October 23, 2015
Services	A child who qualifies gets an IEP; Buhata's IEP page explains what goes in it	IDEA

IDEA covers children ages 3 through 21 who are evaluated, found to have a covered disability and found eligible for services, according to the Department of Education.

Signs NICHD lists for reading disorders

Trouble sounding out words and linking sounds to letters
Poor spelling and slow reading
Reading aloud without natural expression
Trouble understanding a passage just read
Difficulty naming familiar objects quickly

When to talk to the school and the doctor. If signs like these keep showing up over a school year, talk with the teacher and ask about an evaluation, and mention it at your child's next checkup. A checklist can point you toward a conversation; it can't tell you whether your child has dyslexia.

Good to Know

NICHD says only a professional can diagnose a learning disability, and that reading disorders aren't a sign of low intelligence or of not wanting to learn. IDEA's definition at 34 CFR 300.8(c)(10) leaves out learning problems caused mainly by vision, hearing or motor disabilities, intellectual disability, emotional disturbance, or environmental, cultural or economic disadvantage, which is one reason the doctor belongs in the conversation. Keep dated copies of every request and report you exchange with the school.

FAQ

Is dyslexia a learning disability?

Yes. NICHD describes it as a type of reading disorder, and IDEA's definition of specific learning disability at 34 CFR 300.8(c)(10) names dyslexia as an example.

Will the school use the word dyslexia?

Schools often use the IDEA category, specific learning disability. In an October 2015 letter, the Department of Education said nothing in IDEA prohibits using the term dyslexia in evaluations, eligibility decisions or IEP documents, so you can ask for it to be named.

Can an online test tell me if my child has dyslexia?

No. NICHD says only a professional can diagnose a learning disability. Use what you notice at home to start a conversation with the teacher and your child's doctor, and ask the school about an evaluation.

Related Terms and Categories

Evaluation request
A request, usually from a parent, that the public school evaluate a child for a disability and special education services under IDEA.
IEP
An IEP (Individualized Education Program) is the written plan a public school makes for a child who qualifies for special education under IDEA.
Phonics
Teaching children how letters and letter groups stand for the sounds in spoken words, so they can sound out words to read them and spell them.
Phonemic awareness
The ability to hear, pick out and play with the single sounds (phonemes) in spoken words, like hearing that "cat" is made of three sounds.
Dysgraphia
A learning disability in writing that affects handwriting, spelling and getting thoughts onto paper; U.S. schools treat it as a specific learning disability.

School and education for parents

Sources

NICHD, "What are reading disorders?"; NICHD, "What are the symptoms of reading disorders?"; NICHD, "What are some signs of learning disabilities?"; U.S. Department of Education, IDEA regulations, 34 CFR 300.8(c) (Child with a disability, including specific learning disability); U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, Dear Colleague Letter on IDEA/IEP terms (October 23, 2015)

Last updated October 1, 2026.

Dyslexia