Has Your Child Been Diagnosed with Dyslexia?

Has your child been diagnosed with dyslexia? Do you feel overwhelmed? Do you want to help them but are not sure how? Many mums are trying to do exactly the same thing – simply the best they can. If you`re reading this, you may be feeling the same way. You may be wondering what to do, where to start, and whether all the extra practice is actually helping.

Back then I was not a teacher. After a lot of research, assessments, tears, small wins, and conversations with professionals and eventually completing my PGCE, I have learned that supporting a child with dyslexia doesn`t have to be as complicated as it may seem at first. Sometimes it`s about focusing on a few key things and being consistent.

One of the biggest lessons I`ve learned is to focus on decoding, not guessing. Many dyslexic children become expert guessers because reading is hard work. They look at the first letter or two and try to work out the rest. It can be tempting to let them carry on when they get close, but helping them slow down and look through the whole word builds stronger reading skills in the long run. Chopping words into smaller chunks can often do the trick :-)

Phonological awareness is another area that often gets overlooked. Before children can become confident readers, they need to hear and manipulate sounds in words. Playing with rhymes, clapping syllables, asking whether a syllable is open or closed, and blending sounds together may seem simple, but these skills are the foundation that reading is built on.

I`ve also learned that dyslexic children benefit from learning with more than just their eyes. The more senses involved, the better. Saying sounds aloud while writing them, using magnetic letters, tracing words with a finger, writing in the air, or practising spellings through movement can make learning stick in a way that worksheets often don`t.

Spelling can feel like a never-ending battle, but overlearning is incredibly important. Dyslexic children usually need many more repetitions than other children before a spelling pattern becomes automatic. What looks like "forgetting" is often just a brain that needs more exposure and more practice. Repetition is simply part of the process.

Something else worth paying attention to is concentration. Many children with dyslexia also struggle with attention, focus, or mental fatigue. If your child seems restless, distracted, or exhausted after reading, it may not be because they aren`t trying. Reading can require enormous effort. Understanding this can help us respond with support rather than frustration. ;

Most importantly, remember that progress is rarely a straight line. There will be weeks when it feels like nothing is changing. Then suddenly your child reads a word they couldn`t read before, finishes a book independently, or writes a sentence without help. Those moments matter.Dyslexia is a marathon, not a sprint. Our children don`t need us to have all the answers. They need us to believe in them, celebrate the small victories, and keep showing up, one page, one word, and one day at a time. ;

If you`re supporting a child with dyslexia, know that you`re not alone. I`m in the same boat, and I understand how hard it can be. But I also know that our children are capable of making progress, even when the journey feels slow. As a parent, I started this journey looking for answers for my own child. Today, I am also a teacher, and I use both my professional knowledge and personal experience to support children with dyslexia and their families. If you need guidance, encouragement, or practical strategies, I would be happy to help.