A Parent’s Guide to Understanding the Types of Dyslexia and How to Support Reading Success
- Kathy Cousineau
- Oct 13
- 11 min read
Updated: Oct 15
Every parent looks forward to that magical moment when reading just “clicks” for their child—when the letters on the page suddenly come alive and begin to make sense. But sometimes, despite all the effort, support, and encouragement, that moment doesn’t come as easily as expected. When reading feels harder than it should — when sounding out words takes forever or guessing becomes the go-to strategy — it’s completely natural to feel concerned.
If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Many bright, curious children face similar challenges when learning to read, and one common reason is dyslexia.
The good news is that dyslexia is a well-understood learning difference that many children share. It affects how the brain connects letters and sounds—but it has nothing to do with your child’s intelligence or potential. With the right kind of support, like structured, research-backed programs such as Orton-Gillingham (OG), Wilson Language, and SPIRE, children with dyslexia can make powerful progress in reading and writing—and start to see themselves as capable, confident learners who can succeed.
But it’s important to remember that dyslexia isn’t the same for every child. Each child’s experience is unique, and understanding these differences can make a big impact.
The Many Faces of Dyslexia
While dyslexia is one condition, it is not one-size-fits-all. Dyslexia can show up differently in each child, and understanding those differences can make a big impact. When experts talk about the “types of dyslexia,” they aren't referring to separate diagnoses — there is only one diagnosis: dyslexia. Instead, these “types” describe different patterns of difficulty that may affect each child, such as trouble with sounds, word memory, or both. Understanding which type best matches your child’s experiences can help you seek, and educators provide, the most effective support tailored to your child’s needs.
To help understand these differences, experts often talk about types of dyslexia based on how the difficulties show up. For example, primary dyslexia is the kind that tends to run in families, while secondary dyslexia can happen because of early developmental challenges. There are also less common types, like acquired dyslexia, which can happen after a brain injury, and deep dyslexia, which is a more severe form that affects understanding sounds and meaning.
While experts may use different terms and categories to describe dyslexia, most agree on four main types of dyslexia that help explain how it affects children:
Phonological Dyslexia
Surface Dyslexia
Rapid Naming Dyslexia
Double Deficit Dyslexia
Let's take a look at what each type means and how you and your child's teachers can support their reading journey.
What Is Phonological Dyslexia and Why Does My Child
Struggle to Sound Out Words?
Among all the types of dyslexia, phonological dyslexia is the most common. It affects how the brain processes the individual sounds (called phonemes) that make up words.
Children with phonological dyslexia often know their letters but have a hard time connecting those letters to their sounds. This makes it tricky to sound out unfamiliar words, blend sounds smoothly, or recognize rhyming patterns.
A Real-World Example
Maya loves being read to and has a strong imagination, but she gets frustrated when she tries to read on her own. She guesses at words instead of sounding them out and struggles with rhyming games because she can’t easily hear the separate sounds in words. After beginning a structured literacy program designed for dyslexia, Maya learned how to connect letters and sounds step by step — and started reading with growing confidence.
Why This Happens:
In phonological dyslexia, the challenge lies in how the brain processes and manipulates sounds within words. Children can see the letters but have trouble breaking words into smaller sound parts (like hearing that cat has three sounds: /k/ /a/ /t/). Because decoding is difficult, reading unfamiliar words often feels 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.
Think: “I see the letters, but I can’t hear the sounds they make together.”
How You Can Help:
Practice hearing and playing with sounds. Use rhymes, clapping syllables, or breaking 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 doesn’t automatically recognize these tricky words.
A Real-World Example:
Sofia could read words like “frog” easily, but got stuck on “through” and “said.” She spelled “night” as “nite.” Her brain wasn’t storing irregular words automatically—a common sign of surface dyslexia. She’d sometimes not recognize the same word on different pages, which made reading frustrating. With practice in recognizing these tricky words visually, her reading and spelling improved.
Why This Happens:
In surface dyslexia, the challenge isn’t with hearing or decoding sounds — it’s with remembering what whole words look like.
The brain takes longer to store and retrieve the visual patterns of irregular words, so the reader can’t recognize them instantly.
What to Look For:
Children with surface dyslexia may:
Can sound out regular words (like cat, jump) but struggles with reading irregular ones (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
Relies heavily on phonics and doesn't read automatically
Spells words exactly as they sound (like "frend" for "friend").
Think: "I can sound out words, but I can't remember what they look like."
How You Can Help:
Build visual word memory by practicing sight words regularly with flashcards or during reading time.
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 word 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.
A Real-World Example
Zara reads words correctly but very slowly. When reading aloud, she often loses her place or pauses for long stretches, even though she recognizes most of the words. She sometimes forgets what she’s just read because so much energy goes into saying each word. With practice using short, repeated passages and fun, timed games that build speed and confidence, Zara’s reading fluency improved over time.
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.
Think: “I know it — my brain just can’t pull it out fast enough.”
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.
Focus on progress, not speed. Celebrate small gains in smoothness, comfort, and confidence.
Can a Child Have More Than One Type of Dyslexia? Understanding Double Deficit Dyslexia
Some children with dyslexia experience difficulties with both decoding sounds and reading fluently. This combination is known as double deficit dyslexia — meaning they have challenges with phonological awareness and rapid naming.
These children 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 smoothly — and with greater confidence.
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. These children 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 inaccurately and 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.
Make progress, but only with focused, individualized support.
Think: “It takes me a long time to figure out the words — and even longer to say them.”
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
Over the years, I’ve met countless families whose journeys began in confusion and ended in clarity. Parents often tell me, “My child is so bright, but reading just doesn’t click.” What I always remind them — and what I want you to remember — is that dyslexia is a learning difference, not a limitation.
I’ve worked with children and adults with dyslexia who have gone on to become writers, engineers, teachers, and artists. Their success didn’t come from avoiding reading; it came from understanding how their brain learns best and from receiving the right kind of instruction and support.
If your child has dyslexia, know that they are not alone. Whether it’s 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 isn’t to “fix” your child — it’s to help them build confidence, develop effective strategies, and use their abilities to thrive.
FAQ
What are the four main types of dyslexia?
The four main types include phonological dyslexia, surface dyslexia, rapid naming dyslexia, and double deficit dyslexia. Each describes a pattern within the single diagnosis of dyslexia.
Are there other forms of dyslexia beyond these four main types?
Yes. Experts sometimes describe additional categories, such as primary dyslexia, secondary (developmental) dyslexia, deep dyslexia, and acquired dyslexia. These terms are less common but can help researchers and specialists describe how dyslexia develops or shows up in different situations.
Does dyslexia run in families?
Yes — dyslexia often runs in families. If a parent or close relative has dyslexia, there’s an increased chance a child may experience 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 are separate but can occur alongside dyslexia — and both can improve with targeted support.
Does dyslexia affect or reflect my child’s intelligence or ability to learn?
No. Dyslexia is a specific learning difference, not a measure of intelligence. It affects how the brain processes written language, not how bright a child is. Many people with dyslexia are highly intelligent, creative, and successful in fields such as science, art, design, and entrepreneurship.
Can dyslexia be outgrown?
No. Dyslexia doesn’t go away, but children can learn strategies that help them read and write with confidence and independence. With early identification and structured, evidence-based instruction, most students make strong, lasting progress. Dyslexia may always influence how they read, but it doesn’t limit what they can achieve.
Where can I learn more?
If you want to learn more, you can find additional trusted information at the following sites:
Final Thoughts
Every child’s experience with dyslexia is unique, but it never defines their potential or limits their success. Dyslexia is not a barrier to learning; it's simply a different way of learning—one that uncovers creativity, resilience, and strength.
With understanding, patience, and the right kind of instruction, children with dyslexia can become confident, capable readers who discover the joy of learning. When parents and educators work together to provide support that celebrates strengths as much as it builds skills, children don’t just overcome challenges — they thrive.
Together, you can turn challenges into opportunities for growth and show that dyslexia is not a limitation, but a path to remarkable possibilities.
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