Dyslexia & Going Back To School
Dyslexia & Going Back To School
This time of year it's important to be supporting our kids
It’s that time of year again! I can’t believe how quickly this summer went by, but now it’s over and we’re back to school time again. One important thing to be thinking about as your young children go back to school this year is reading difficulties. Dyslexia can start being diagnosed as early as kindergarten and it is vital to assess a child’s reading skills during those early years. If the right intervention and support happens in kindergarten or first grade, those children will often be able to keep up with their peers in learning to read. I personally also think that it is better for kids to be diagnosed with dyslexia at a younger age because they don’t know the stigmas around learning differences and will have an easier time accepting it. Another important thing to keep in mind is to accept your child’s diagnosis without getting offended because there is nothing you can do to change it and you will make it easier for your child by being a positive example. If you ignore the problem and pretend that your child is fine, you are not only hurting yourself but more so your child.
Many tools are available to help you assess your child’s reading skills if you don’t want to wait for them to do it at school, and even more tools to help you work through dyslexia if your child has it. I’ve added a link to a resource from the International Dyslexia Association that explains some basics about how and when to get assessed. Lastly, I’ve added a video where a psychologist explains how you can best support your child’s reading journey and what to look out for as they go back to school this year. And of course, I hope that you and your children have an easy time getting back into your school routines!