A Parent’s Guide to Understanding the Types of Dyslexia and How to Support Reading Success (Revised in Light of the New 2025 Definition of Dyslexia)
- Kathy Cousineau
- Oct 13
- 10 min read
Updated: Dec 4
Every parent looks forward to that magical moment when reading finally “clicks” for their child, when the letters on the page begin to make sense and stories open up a whole new world. But sometimes, despite encouragement, practice, and effort, reading feels harder than it should. When sounding out words takes longer than expected, or guessing becomes the go-to strategy, it is natural to feel concerned.
If this sounds familiar, you are not alone. Many bright, curious children experience the same challenges, and one of the most common reasons is dyslexia.
The good news? Dyslexia is well understood. It has nothing to do with intelligence, and with the right kind of instruction, such as structured literacy programs like Orton-Gillingham (OG), Wilson Language, and SPIRE, children can make meaningful progress and become confident, capable readers.
Every child with dyslexia brings a different set of strengths and challenges, and recognizing what your child needs most can make it much easier to support their reading success.
Understanding the Types of Dyslexia in Light of the 2025 Definition
In 2025, the International Dyslexia Association (IDA) updated its definition of dyslexia to reflect decades of research. The new definition explains that dyslexia is one condition that exists on a continuum and may affect word reading accuracy, reading fluency, and spelling. These difficulties can stem from a combination of biological and environmental factors and may involve challenges with phonological or morphological processing.
Although dyslexia is a single diagnosis, children often show different patterns of difficulty. This is why parents and educators still use the term types of dyslexia. The word “types” does not describe separate disorders. Instead, it describes the ways dyslexia can show up in individual learners, such as difficulty with sounds, remembering how words look, reading fluently, or a combination of these skills.
These patterns, commonly referred to as phonological dyslexia, surface dyslexia, rapid naming dyslexia, and double deficit dyslexia, help explain why dyslexia can look different from one child to another. They also help families identify the early signs of dyslexia and understand which reading skills may need the most targeted support.
With that understanding in place, let’s take a closer look at the four commonly described types, or patterns, of dyslexia and what each one can look like in everyday reading.
What Is Phonological Dyslexia: Why Sounding Out Words Feels Hard
Among all the types of dyslexia, phonological dyslexia is the most common. It involves difficulty processing the individual sounds (phonemes) in words, a skill that is essential for decoding.
Children with this pattern may know their letters but may struggle to connect letters to their sounds, blend sounds smoothly, or break words apart. It also makes it tricky to recognize rhyming patterns.
A Real-World Example
Maya loves stories and has a vivid imagination, but reading feels frustrating. She guesses words instead of sounding them out and struggles with rhyming games. After starting a structured literacy program, she learned how to connect letters and sounds step by step, and her confidence grew.
Why This Happens
Phonological processing — the ability to identify and manipulate speech sounds — is often weak in children with dyslexia. This makes decoding slow and effortful, which can make reading feel like guesswork.
What to Look For
Children with phonological dyslexia may:
Have trouble sounding out new or longer words.
Guess words instead of decoding them carefully.
Struggle with rhyming or hearing when words sound alike.
Have difficulty blending sounds (turning /s/ + /a/ + /t/ into sat).
Show inconsistent spelling — even simple words are written differently each time.
Avoid reading aloud because it feels slow and frustrating.
Rely on pictures or context to figure out words instead of using phonics.
How You Can Help
Practice hearing and playing with sounds. Use rhymes, clap syllables, or break words apart.
Encourage sounding out slowly. Praise effort, not just accuracy.
Use multisensory techniques like tracing letters while saying their sounds aloud.
Choose structured literacy programs like Orton-Gillingham, Wilson, or SPIRE, which are proven to help.
Be patient and positive. Building phonological awareness takes time but leads to strong reading foundations.
What is Surface Dyslexia, and Why Can't My Child Recognize the Same Word on Different Pages?
Surface dyslexia looks quite different than phonological dyslexia. It appears when children can sound out regular words but have trouble with words that don’t follow typical phonetic rules, like "said" or "yacht." Teachers often call these “high-frequency words,” “trick words,” or “heart words” because parts (or all) of these words can’t be sounded out easily for reading or spelling. Children with surface dyslexia may spell words the way they sound—like writing “sed” for “said”—and often read more slowly because their brain is not storing whole words visually.
A Real-World Example
Sofia reads simple words like “frog” easily, but becomes stuck on “through” or “said.” She sometimes doesn’t recognize a word she just read on the previous page. With repeated practice and exposure, her ability to identify tricky words improved.
Why This Happens
The challenge is with building orthographic memory — recognizing words automatically by sight. This includes understanding irregular spelling patterns and visually storing whole words.
What to Look For
Children with surface dyslexia may:
Can sound out regular words (like cat, jump) but struggles with reading irregular words (like said, was, through)
Reads slowly, because they sound out nearly every word, even familiar ones
Reading aloud sounds choppy or overly focused on sounding words out. They may pause often to "decode" every word.
Has trouble recognizing the same words in different places (even from one page to the next)
Relies heavily on phonics and doesn't read automatically
Spells words exactly as they sound (like "frend" for "friend").
How You Can Help
Build visual word memory by practicing irregular words through repetition and multisensory activities
Encourage slowing down to focus on recognizing whole words rather than guessing or only sounding out.
Use multisensory activities that combine sight, sound, and movement to strengthen memory pathways, such as tracing words while reading them, using letter tiles, or writing words in shaving cream or sand
Draw attention to spelling patterns (“This word ends in -ight, just like light and bright”).
Communicate with your child’s teacher about what you notice at home. Together, you can find strategies that support your child’s growth.
What is Rapid Naming and Why Does My Child Read So Slowly?
Some children can sound out words accurately but still read very slowly or seem to struggle keeping up when reading aloud. This pattern is often linked to rapid naming dyslexia (also called a naming speed deficit).
Rapid naming dyslexia affects the brain’s ability to quickly retrieve and name familiar symbols—like letters, numbers, colors, or words. It doesn’t mean your child can’t read — it means that the process of remembering and saying the words takes longer than usual. Children may decode accurately but read very slowly, which affects comprehension and stamina.
A Real-World Example
Zara can decode words correctly, but reading aloud feels slow and tiring. She sometimes loses her place or forgets what she just read because so much effort goes into saying each word. Repeated reading of short passages and paired reading helped her build fluency and confidence.
Why This Happens
In rapid naming dyslexia, the challenge isn’t with decoding or understanding words — it’s with how quickly the brain retrieves and names them.
The brain’s processing speed for turning visual symbols (like letters) into spoken words is slower, which makes reading feel effortful and tiring.
What to Look For
Children with rapid naming dyslexia may:
Read accurately but very slowly. They can decode words but can’t do it quickly or automatically.
Lose their place while reading aloud or skip lines.
Struggle with timed tasks, especially those involving reading, naming colors, or recalling sequences.
Take extra time to name letters, numbers, or familiar objects.
Understand the story when someone else reads it, but struggle when reading the same text themselves.
Appear anxious or hesitant about reading aloud or timed work.
Tire easily or lose focus during longer reading sessions.
Speak fluently in conversation, but sound halting when reading text.
How You Can Help
Give lots of low-pressure fluency practice. Use short, enjoyable books or passages your child can reread to build confidence and speed.
Play quick naming games. Practice naming colors, letters, or objects rapidly in a playful way.
Use paired or echo reading. Read aloud together so your child hears and mirrors natural pacing.
Try audiobooks or text-to-speech tools to support comprehension without fatigue.
Celebrate progress in smooth reading, not just speed.
Can a Child Have More Than One Type of Dyslexia? Understanding the Double Deficit Pattern
Some children show difficulties in both phonological awareness and rapid naming. This combination, known as double deficit dyslexia, can make reading especially challenging without targeted intervention.
Children with double deficit dyslexia often find reading especially tiring because they must work hard to figure out each word and to read it at a reasonable pace. But with the right, structured support, they can make steady progress and grow into confident, capable readers.
A Real-World Example
Liam has difficulty sounding out unfamiliar words and also reads very slowly, even when the words are familiar. He tires quickly during reading and often loses focus or becomes discouraged. After working in a structured literacy program that combined phonics instruction with fluency practice, Liam began to read more accurately and more smoothly which helped him grow into a more confident reader.
Why This Happens
Double deficit dyslexia affects two key reading processes at once:
Phonological awareness — recognizing and manipulating sounds within words.
Rapid naming — quickly recalling and saying familiar letters, numbers, or words.
Because both systems are affected, reading can feel slow, inaccurate, and exhausting. Children with this pattern may need more repetition, more time, and very explicit instruction to build the automatic connections that make reading easier.
What to Look For
Children with double deficit dyslexia may:
Struggle to sound out unfamiliar words and read slowly, even with familiar ones.
Guess at words because decoding is difficult, and recalling them quickly is hard.
Read haltingly, often pausing or losing their place.
Show inconsistent spelling, with both phonetic and visual errors.
Experience fatigue or frustration during reading tasks.
Avoid reading aloud or longer reading assign
ments.
How You Can Help
Ensure your child receives instruction using a structured, multisensory reading program (like Orton-Gillingham, Wilson, or SPIRE) that strengthens both decoding and fluency skills.
Practice reading in short, manageable chunks to build confidence and stamina.
Alternate between accuracy and fluency activities, such as practicing tricky sound patterns one day and timed rereading the next.
Celebrate small steps forward. Every bit of progress matters — consistency and encouragement make all the difference.
Collaborate with your child’s teacher or reading specialist to ensure support targets both phonics and fluency skills.
A Note from Kathy
If your child has dyslexia, know that they are not alone. Whether they experience phonological, surface, rapid naming, or double deficit dyslexia, your child has unique strengths and talents that may not always be immediately visible. The goal of specialized reading instruction is not to “fix” your child. It is to help them build confidence, develop effective strategies, and use their strengths to thrive. With understanding, patience, and the right kind of support, children with dyslexia can grow into confident readers who feel proud of their progress.
As you explore these different patterns of dyslexia and consider what they might mean for your child, a few common questions often come up. The FAQs below expand on key ideas from this article and offer additional clarity for families. And if you still have questions after reading, please feel free to reach out to me using the link at the bottom of the page.
FAQ
What are the four main types of dyslexia?
The four commonly described types, or patterns, of dyslexia are phonological dyslexia, surface dyslexia, rapid naming dyslexia, and double deficit dyslexia. These describe different ways dyslexia can affect reading, spelling, and fluency within the single diagnosis of dyslexia.
Are there other forms of dyslexia beyond these four main types?
Yes. Some experts refer to additional categories, such as primary dyslexia, secondary (developmental) dyslexia, deep dyslexia, and acquired dyslexia. These terms are less common and are often used in research settings or to describe dyslexia that results from neurological injury.
Does dyslexia run in families?
Yes, Dyslexia often has a genetic component, which means it can run in families. If a parent or close relative has dyslexia, a child may have a higher likelihood of experiencing similar reading or spelling challenges.
Can dyslexia develop later in life?
Yes, though it’s rare. Dyslexia that develops later in life is usually the result of a brain injury or neurological event and is called acquired dyslexia. Most cases of dyslexia, however, are developmental and appear in early childhood.
Can dyslexia affect learning beyond reading?
Yes. While dyslexia primarily affects reading and spelling, it can also impact organization, sequencing, and working memory. Some children also struggle with math-related difficulties (called dyscalculia), such as remembering number facts or solving word problems. These challenges can occur alongside dyslexia but are considered separate learning differences.
Does dyslexia affect or reflect my child’s intelligence or ability to learn?
No. Dyslexia is unrelated to intelligence. Many individuals with dyslexia are highly capable and excel in creative, analytical, and innovative fields.
Can dyslexia be outgrown?
No. Dyslexia does not go away, but children can become strong, independent readers with the right evidence-aligned instruction. Early identification helps, but effective support can make a meaningful difference at any age.
Where can I learn more?
If you would like to explore additional resources, these organizations offer reliable, parent-friendly information:
Final Thoughts
Every child’s experience with dyslexia is unique, but none of it limits their potential. With understanding, patience, structured reading instruction, and supportive educators, children can thrive. Dyslexia is not a barrier. It is simply a different way of learning that can reveal remarkable strengths.
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