If reading is a daily struggle in your house, you are not imagining it, and you are not alone. As a reading specialist here in the Gresham and Portland metro area, the most common thing I hear from parents is some version of: "I knew something was off, but I couldn't put my finger on it." That instinct matters. Dyslexia is one of the most common learning differences, affecting roughly one in five people to some degree, and the earlier we recognize it, the easier it is to help.
Dyslexia is not about intelligence, laziness, or vision. It is a difference in how the brain processes the sounds in language and connects them to letters. Bright, curious, hardworking kids can absolutely be dyslexic. Here are the signs I encourage families to watch for.
Before kindergarten (ages 3–5)
- Trouble with rhyming. Struggling to hear or produce rhymes ("cat, hat, bat") after many exposures can be an early flag.
- Difficulty learning letter names and sounds. A child who has heard the alphabet song hundreds of times but still can't reliably name letters may be telling you something.
- Mixing up similar-sounding words or saying "mawn lower" for "lawn mower" beyond the toddler stage.
- A family history of reading struggles. Dyslexia tends to run in families, so if a parent or sibling struggled, watch a little more closely.
In kindergarten through second grade
- Slow, effortful sounding-out of even simple words, or guessing at words based on the first letter and a picture.
- Trouble connecting letters to sounds consistently, even with practice.
- Reading that doesn't match their thinking. These kids often have wonderful vocabularies and ideas when they talk, but their reading lags far behind.
- Avoiding reading. Tummy aches at homework time, "I'm too tired," or melting down over a single page are often signs of frustration, not defiance.
In third grade and beyond
- Reading aloud that stays slow and choppy while classmates have become fluent.
- Spelling that doesn't stick, even for words practiced on a test the week before.
- Exhaustion after reading. Decoding takes so much energy that comprehension and stamina suffer.
One sign on its own isn't a diagnosis
Every child develops at their own pace, and a single item on this list does not mean your child is dyslexic. What matters is the pattern and the persistence: signs that show up across categories and don't fade with ordinary classroom instruction. A formal evaluation by a qualified professional is the only way to confirm dyslexia, but you do not have to wait for a label to start helping.
What actually helps
Here is the encouraging part. Dyslexia responds beautifully to the right kind of teaching. Structured literacy, an approach grounded in the science of reading, teaches the sounds and patterns of English explicitly, systematically, and in a way that sticks. It is the same approach used in LETRS and Orton-Gillingham-based methods. Children who are taught this way, especially early, can and do become confident readers.
What does not help is "more of the same," waiting to see if they grow out of it, or programs that rely on memorizing whole words and guessing from pictures. Dyslexic readers need the code taught directly.
What to do next
- Trust your gut and write down what you see. A short log of specific struggles is gold for any teacher or evaluator.
- Talk to your child's teacher and ask what they're observing.
- Seek a structured-literacy approach sooner rather than later, whether through school services, a private evaluation, or targeted tutoring.
If you'd like a knowledgeable, no-pressure conversation about what you're seeing, I'm happy to talk it through. As a LETRS- and UFLI-trained reading specialist serving Gresham, Boring, and the greater Portland area, I work one-on-one with kids to turn reading from a daily battle into something they can actually do, and even enjoy.
Debbie Sexton, M.Ed. | North Star Tutoring
Reading, dyslexia, and early-literacy specialist serving Gresham, OR and the Portland metro.
Call or text (503) 809-4120 or email northstar.dksxtn@gmail.com.
This article is for general information and is not a diagnosis. If you have concerns about your child's development, consult a qualified professional.
Ready to help your child become a confident reader? I offer one-on-one reading tutoring — including dyslexia tutoring and early-literacy support for grades K–3 — in person around Gresham and Portland or online across Oregon. As a LETRS-trained reading specialist, I’d love to help. Call or text (503) 809-4120 for a free consultation.