Dyslexia Test: What Parents Really Need to Know Before Taking the Next Step

If you’ve found yourself typing dyslexia test into Google late at night, you’re not alone.

Most parents arrive at this point because something isn’t adding up, their child is bright, curious, capable yet reading and writing feel harder than they should.

This blog is here to bring clarity.

Not panic.

Not overwhelm.

Just straightforward guidance from someone who has assessed hundreds of children and worked in education for over twenty-three years.

What a Dyslexia Test Actually Is and What It Isn’t

One of the biggest misunderstandings is the difference between a dyslexia screener and a diagnostic dyslexia assessment.

A screener is a quick indicator. Not a diagnosis.

Schools often use screeners because they’re fast and inexpensive. They can highlight risk factors but they cannot confirm dyslexia. They also miss nuanced profiles and are not designed to provide the evidence needed for support.

A diagnostic assessment is in-depth and legally recognised.

This is the assessment I carry out as a Level 7 Specialist Teacher and Assessor. It explores:

• underlying cognitive strengths

• phonological skills

• working memory

• reading accuracy

• reading speed

• spelling patterns

• writing

• and the wider learning profile

It gives you answers, language and a clear plan- not a guess.

If you’ve been told the screener didn’t show dyslexia, but your instincts say something is still off, trust that.

I see this every week.

Common Signs of Dyslexia (Plus the Subtle Ones Parents Often Miss)

Research continues to highlight patterns that show up early, yet are often dismissed as developmental.

Here are signs that regularly prompt parents to seek a dyslexia test:

More obvious signs

• Difficulty blending or segmenting sounds

• Struggles learning letter–sound relationships

• Slow, effortful reading

• Avoiding reading at home

• Spelling that looks phonetic (e.g. frend for friend)

• Mixing up similar letters or sounds

Subtle signs research frequently shows

• Trouble remembering sequences (days of the week, steps in a task, instructions)

• Strong verbal reasoning paired with weak writing

• Difficulty retrieving words quickly (the classic “tip-of-the-tongue” moments)

• Slow processing speed despite high understanding

• Emotional fatigue after school

• A noticeable gap between what they say and what they can get down on paper

• Perfectionism or shutting down due to fear of getting it wrong

These subtle signs matter.

Plenty of bright, articulate children mask dyslexia for years.

Why Parents Seek a Dyslexia Test: Two Real Cases

Here are two anonymised examples of the families I’ve supported, showing just how different dyslexia can look.

Case Study 1: School Struggles Showing Up at Home

This child was quietly coping in class, but the cracks were emerging at home.

Homework triggered tears, simple reading tasks became battles and the frustration began spilling into everyday family life.

Their parent told me:

She’s so bright, but we’re walking on eggshells. We know something is wrong.

During the assessment, the pattern became clear.

Strong reasoning.

Lovely creativity.

But significant phonological difficulties and working-memory challenges - classic markers of dyslexia.

The diagnosis finally made sense of everything the family had been seeing.

It didn’t label her, it freed her.

Case Study 2: Everything Unravelling During A Levels

This teenager had always been able to work harder than everyone else to get through education.

But the jump from GCSE to A Level involved huge volumes of reading.

Their coping strategies simply couldn’t stretch any further.

They described it as:

“Everyone else seemed to keep up. I was drowning.”

A full diagnostic assessment uncovered dyslexia with a specific pattern around processing speed and phonological retrieval.

It confirmed what they had suspected for years but had pushed aside.

Again, not a label.

A relief.

What Parents Usually Worry About And the Truth

Will my child be labelled?

No.

A diagnostic assessment doesn’t box them in.

It gives teachers a clearer map of how to support them.

Most children feel seen, not labelled.

Is the assessment stressful?

Not when done well.

My approach is calm, paced, warm and child-centred.

Children usually settle quickly and even enjoy parts of the process, especially when they realise it isn’t a test they can fail.

The Mistakes That Delay Help

Parents often tell me they wish they’d acted sooner.

The most common delays are:

1. Relying on school screeners

These are useful tools, but they are not diagnostic and often miss children with subtle profiles or higher ability.

2. Waiting too long just in case they catch up

Time helps confidence.

It does not fix dyslexic challenges.

3. Assuming high ability means not dyslexic

Some of the most able children I assess are dyslexic.

Their strengths hide their struggles until workload or speed demands increase.

If something feels off, trust that instinct as you’re usually right.

If you’re reading this, you’re already doing the right thing.

You’re paying attention.

You’re advocating.

You’re trying to understand your child’s experience beneath the surface.

A dyslexia test doesn’t define your child, it explains their world.

If you’d like to learn more, explore the assessment options, or read more about the process, visit my website:

👉 www.thisisdyslexia.co.uk

You don’t have to figure this out alone.