Is It Dyslexia? When Reading and Spelling Don't Stick cover art

Is It Dyslexia? When Reading and Spelling Don't Stick

Is It Dyslexia? When Reading and Spelling Don't Stick

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Is It Dyslexia? When Reading and Spelling Don't Stick Episode Summary Wondering if your bright child's reading struggles, spelling problems, or homework meltdowns could be signs of dyslexia? In this episode, Dr. Amy Patenaude explains why reading and spelling may not "stick" for some kids, even when they're smart, verbal, and trying hard. You'll learn how dyslexia and learning load can look like avoidance, shutdowns, attention problems, or math fact struggles, and what to ask the school when "they're doing fine" doesn't match what you see at home. This episode is for you if... Your child is bright, verbal, and curious, but reading is slow or exhausting.Spelling doesn't stick, even with practice.Homework turns into tears, shutdowns, anger, or avoidance.Teachers say your child is "doing fine," but home tells a different story.You're wondering if it's dyslexia, ADHD, anxiety, sleep, motivation, or learning load.You want clear school scripts without writing a novel of an email. In this episode you'll learn Spot signs of dyslexia and related learning struggles in bright kids.Understand why reading, spelling, writing, and math facts can take so much brain fuel.Recognize when attention problems may actually be learning load or overload.Name the cost of learning struggles: time, tears, and self-story.Ask the school for a clear intervention plan, progress data, and a review date.Try tiny, low-shame supports at home without turning homework into a nightly battle. Key Takeaway It's not a motivation problem. It's a mapping problem. When reading and spelling don't stick, kids may need explicit support to build the brain's "word photo album," plus accommodations that reduce fatigue while skills grow. Tiny Wins to Try This Week Pick one. One is enough. Notice when the crash happens. Is it during reading out loud, spelling, writing ideas on paper, math facts, or copying steps?Write one dot-log sentence for three days. "Reading took ___ minutes + [tears/avoidance]. Audio helped."Try one support. Audio + print for one assignment, speech-to-text for a first draft, or grid paper for math.Send one clear school email. "I'm noticing a pattern. What supports are in place, and what data will we review in 6–8 weeks?"Lower the load before homework. Try snack, a short reset, and one tiny ask instead of jumping straight into the worksheet. Free Resources Volcano Moments + Hurricane Level Feelings Phrases Guide When homework, transitions, or after-school runway turn into a full volcano moment, this guide gives you words to borrow so you don't have to improvise while everyone is already escalated. Grab the Volcano Moments freebie here. Summer Without the Spiral If summer brings more screen battles, transition stress, big feelings, or "now what do we do all day?" energy, grab this free support to help your family move through summer with more structure and less spiraling. Grab Summer Without the Spiral here. What to Ask the School Use these questions to move from vague reassurance to an actual plan: What is the goal skill, and what is the instructional plan to build it?What intervention is being used?How many minutes per week?Is it individual or small group?How will progress be measured?When will we review the data? Research Snapshot This episode is informed by current dyslexia definitions, dyslexia myth-busting resources, and school psychology guidance on Specific Learning Disability evaluation and support. The key takeaway for parents: dyslexia is not a lack of intelligence or effort, and bright kids can compensate in ways that make the struggle harder to see at school. Comprehensive evaluations should look at patterns across multiple sources of data, not just one score, and instructional response data should help guide support without becoming an endless waiting room. The episode translates these ideas into parent language: pattern, cost, response. Resources and Links Follow Psyched2Parent on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/psyched2parent/Follow Psyched2Parent on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/psyched2parent/Support Amy's fundraiser for the Kyle Pease Foundation https://kyle-pease-foundation-inc.networkforgood.com/projects/297130-amy-patenaude-s-fundraiser Disclaimer "This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not medical, psychological, or legal advice. Listening to this podcast does not create a provider-client relationship. If you're concerned about your child's mental health, safety, or development, please consult a qualified professional in your area."
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