Expert reveals overlooked signs of dyslexia in children and adults – and the support that can help – this Dyslexia Awareness Week
During Dyslexia Awareness Week (5–11 October), an expert is highlighting signs of dyslexia that can go unnoticed, as figures suggest more than two-thirds of people with this neurodivergency are unaware they have it.
An estimated one in 10 people has dyslexia, a Specific Learning Difficulty (SpLD) which brings challenges with reading and writing, yet only 3% of people are thought to be officially diagnosed. As a result, many children and adults struggle with literacy without understanding why.
Cherrida Crew, Team Lead for Specific Learning Difficulties at Evolve Psychology, explains: “Reading and spelling are often the first things that come to mind when someone mentions dyslexia, but the experience can be much wider than that. For some people, dyslexia’s greatest impact can be how much effort it takes to process information, organise thoughts, get ideas onto paper or keep up with tasks.
“When that extra labour goes unnoticed, day after day, it can have a long-lasting impact on confidence and self-esteem. So, understanding whether you or your child has dyslexia can make a significant difference to emotional wellbeing as well as academic and professional progress.”
Signs of dyslexia
- Reading slowly and with effort.
- Difficulty decoding unfamiliar words.
- Confusing letters which look similar.
- Inaccurate spelling.
- Disorganised or limited written work.
- Difficulty remembering sequences or following multi-step instructions.
- Challenges with phonological awareness (identifying or manipulating sounds).
- Difficulties with working memory, organisation, and time management.
- Zoning out during literacy tasks.
- The existence of co-occurring conditions. Dyslexia often overlaps with other conditions, particularly ADHD.
For a child, school feedback may raise some signs – these can be subtle and not easily spotted in a busy classroom. They include:
- Struggling to concentrate and focus at school but not at home.
- Taking longer than their peers to read and write.
- Not always following verbal instructions (while dyslexia is primarily a literacy difficulty, it encompasses executive function challenges too).
- Showing a marked contrast between verbal abilities and written.
- Becoming uncharacteristically frustrated or bad-tempered in the classroom.
Diagnosis means the right support can be put in place, whatever the person’s age. For children, this might include exam accommodations. At any age, people with dyslexia may find practical tools such as text-to-speech software and dictation helpful.
Evolve’s Cherrida Crew explains:
“Struggling with literacy can affect a person’s experience of education and work, as well as their self-esteem, meaning they may not reach their full potential. That does not mean dyslexia causes poor mental health, but the wider experiences of being dyslexic can bring their own challenges: feeling misunderstood or frustrated, having to compensate constantly, or being made to feel that you simply need to try harder. It can be exhausting, which is another reason why a diagnosis is important. Instead of asking, ‘Why can’t you do this?’, we can start asking, ‘What would make this easier?’”
Being diagnosed at any age can help those impacted and their support networks to develop strategies to help manage things that other people may not realise are difficult. This could include:
- Being given extra time to process information or complete tasks.
- Breaking instructions down into smaller, manageable steps.
- Using clear, accessible layouts and reducing unnecessary information on the page.
- Offering different ways to present information, rather than relying on written work alone.
- Using technology or other tools that can reduce unnecessary effort.
Last year, award-winning neurodiversity and psychology service, Evolve, launched a new Dyslexia Assessment Service. Specialists can assess children over the age of 8 and adults either face-to-face at clinics across the UK, or remotely. Post-assessment reports are fully compliant with guidelines for educational support and are accepted for applications such as the Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA).
