My child was diagnosed with dyslexia — what to do first

A dyslexia diagnosis is not a ceiling on your child's future — it is the key that unlocks the right kind of teaching.

In short

First, take a breath — dyslexia is a difference in how the brain processes written language, not a measure of intelligence or effort, and with the right structured support children with dyslexia learn to read, write and thrive. Your immediate steps are simple: read the full assessment report, share it with your child's school to begin classroom accommodations, and start structured, evidence-based literacy support (often called structured literacy or a phonics-based reading programme). Your child has not changed overnight — you simply now understand them better.

What to do first

• Understand the report. Ask the assessing clinician to walk you through your child's specific profile — their strengths as well as the areas of difficulty. Dyslexia looks different in every child.
• Tell the school early. Share the report and request reasonable accommodations: extra time, reduced copying from the board, audiobooks, oral answers, and a phonics-based reading approach. In India, schools can offer such support and exam concessions.
• Begin structured literacy support. The most effective help is explicit, systematic, multisensory teaching of letter–sound links, blending and spelling — delivered by a trained therapist or specialist educator. The earlier this starts, the better.
• Protect your child's confidence. Children with dyslexia often work harder than peers for the same result and can quietly lose self-belief. Praise effort, read aloud together for pleasure, and lean into their strengths — drawing, building, storytelling, sport.
• Keep reading enjoyable. Audiobooks, shared reading and graphic novels keep a love of stories alive while the reading skills are being built.

With consistent, well-matched support, dyslexia becomes something your child manages — not something that holds them back.

A few things to remember

Progress is steady rather than sudden, so celebrate small wins. Dyslexia frequently sits alongside real talents in problem-solving, creativity and big-picture thinking. And you are not doing this alone — a good plan is a partnership between you, the school and your therapy team.

The Pinnacle way

AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional — never from an app or online form. From a precise, clinician-administered profile we build a structured literacy plan through specialist learning and speech-language support, shaped around your child's strengths. Explore how we support reading and learning differences across our network.

Trusted sources

WHO ICD-11 (developmental learning disorder with impairment in reading); the British NICE guidance and the American Academy of Pediatrics (via HealthyChildren.org) on recognising and supporting learning differences; ASHA guidance on the language and literacy basis of reading difficulty.

Next step — Want a clear, strengths-based plan for your child? Book a learning and literacy assessment with a Pinnacle clinician.

This is general information, not a diagnosis — individual assessment and diagnosis require an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.