Dyslexia

If your child struggles with reading, spelling, connecting letters to sounds, sounding out words, rhyming, or identifying individual sounds in words, these may be signs of dyslexia.

What is Dyslexia?

Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that affects accurate and/or fluent word reading and spelling. These challenges exist on a continuum of severity and persist despite effective classroom instruction.

Definition adapted from the International Dyslexia Association.

Why Speech-Language Pathologists?

Speech-language pathologists are uniquely trained to differentiate between dyslexia and other language disorders.

Dyslexia is fundamentally a language-based learning difference. Because reading is built on spoken language, SLPs are uniquely qualified to evaluate the underlying language skills that impact literacy.

Speech-language pathologists are trained extensively in:

Phonological processing
Language development
Sound-symbol relationships
Morphology and word structure
Reading comprehension and written language

Comprehensive Dyslexia & Reading Evaluations

2-3 sessions/Each typically 60-90 minutes

Parent feedback session

$1,200

Dyslexia is not identified by a single test. It is a pattern of strengths and weaknesses across language and literacy skills.

A comprehensive dyslexia evaluation includes:

Parent intake and developmental history
Review of student's most recent academic testing (e.g. school-based evaluations, IEPs, acamedic words samples, etc)
Oral language assessment
Standardized assessment: Test of Dyslexia (TOD)
Speech and language assessment
Written samples
Detailed written report
45-60 minute parent feedback session with recommendations

Dyslexia cannot be diagnosed by one score alone. Instead, we examine patterns across multiple areas of language and literacy.

Areas assessed may include:

Phonological awareness
Rapid automatized naming
Phonics knowledge
Decoding skills
Spelling
Reading fluency
Reading comprehension
Expressive and receptive language skills

Dyslexia Intervention Services

Two 60-minute sessions/week

One-on-one therapy

$150/session

Reading intervention is most effective when it is:

Systematic – skills are taught in a logical sequence
Explicit – concepts are directly explained and modeled
Diagnostic – instruction adjusts based on your child’s responses
Cumulative – previously learned skills are continuously reviewed

This approach is known as Structured Literacy.

Structured literacy refers to evidence-based reading instruction that teaches:

Phonology (sound awareness)
Sound-symbol relationships
Syllable patterns
Morphology (prefixes, suffixes, roots)
Syntax
Reading fluency and comprehension

Therapy Format

Intervention is typically recommended as:

Two 60-minute sessions per week

This frequency allows for:

Repetition and mastery
Skill integration
Multisensory activities
Steady progress
Ongoing diagnostic teaching

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