What ages do you evaluate for dyslexia?

Dyslexia evaluations here are for school-age children through young adults, including college students. Early signs can appear as young as kindergarten, and it is never too late to evaluate an older student or adult who has struggled with reading. What's right for your child is exactly what we sort out on the free intro call.

What are the early signs of dyslexia?

Common early signs include trouble learning letter sounds, difficulty rhyming, slow or effortful sounding-out of words, frequent guessing, avoiding reading aloud, and spelling that doesn't improve with practice. A bright child whose reading lags behind their thinking is one of the most telling patterns.

How is a private dyslexia evaluation different from what the school does?

School evaluations focus on eligibility for services and often do not name dyslexia specifically. A private evaluation is typically more comprehensive, can identify dyslexia by name, and produces a detailed report that is yours to share with schools, tutors, reading specialists, and other providers.

Can a bright child still have dyslexia?

Yes. Dyslexia is an unexpected difficulty with reading relative to a person's overall ability. Bright children often compensate with strong reasoning and memory, so their reading struggles are missed for years while they work far harder than their peers to keep up.

Will the evaluation look at other learning differences too?

Yes. Dyslexia often co-occurs with ADHD, dysgraphia (writing), or language differences. The evaluation is designed to tell these apart, so you understand what is really driving your child's difficulties and what will actually help.

What do we get at the end of the dyslexia evaluation?

A comprehensive written report and a feedback session with Claire to walk through the findings and clear, practical recommendations — including the kind of structured, evidence-based reading instruction and school accommodations that make the biggest difference.

Dyslexia Testing for Children, Teens & Young Adults

Signs you might be seeing

Every child learns to read at their own pace, and occasional stumbles are normal. But when several of these patterns show up consistently — especially in a child who is clearly bright and capable in other ways — a dyslexia evaluation can help you understand what's really going on.

Slow, effortful reading

Reading is laborious and tiring, with lots of guessing, skipping, or re-reading — and it doesn't get much smoother with practice.

Trouble sounding out words

Difficulty connecting letters to sounds and blending them, so unfamiliar or longer words are a struggle to decode.

Spelling that doesn't stick

Persistent spelling difficulty, misspelling the same words repeatedly, or spelling a word several different ways on one page.

Avoiding reading — and reading aloud

Reluctance to read for pleasure, dread of reading in front of others, or reading fatigue and frustration that spills into homework battles.

A mismatch between reading and everything else

A curious, articulate child whose reading lags far behind their thinking — often working much harder than peers just to keep up. Dyslexia frequently runs in families.

What the evaluation covers

Dyslexia lives in the specific skills that turn print into meaning, so the assessment looks closely at each one — and at how they compare to your child's overall ability. It's also designed to catch or rule out the things that can look like dyslexia or occur alongside it, from attention to language to writing.

Phonological awareness

The ability to hear and manipulate the individual sounds in words — the foundational skill that dyslexia most often disrupts.

Word reading & decoding

How accurately your child reads real and made-up words, which shows how well they can sound out rather than memorize.

Reading fluency & rapid naming

Speed and ease of reading connected text, plus how quickly your child can name familiar letters, numbers, and objects.

Spelling & written language

Encoding, spelling patterns, and written expression, which are commonly affected alongside reading in dyslexia.

Reading comprehension & cognitive ability

Understanding of what's read, measured against overall reasoning and language — the comparison that reveals an unexpected reading gap.

What the process looks like

1. A free intro call

We start with a short, no-cost call to talk through your concerns and whether an evaluation is the right next step.

2. Intake & history

A detailed look at development, reading and school history, and your family's observations — including any family history of reading difficulty.

3. Teacher consult & input (if applicable)

Where it helps, Claire gathers input from your child's teacher to understand how reading and writing are showing up in the classroom.

4. Testing sessions

In-person testing at the Menlo Park or San Francisco office, in a calm, unhurried setting designed to help your child do their best.

5. Written report & feedback session

You receive a comprehensive written report and sit down with Claire to walk through the findings and clear, practical recommendations for reading instruction, home, and school.

Why a private evaluation

Diagnostic clarity

A private evaluation can identify dyslexia by name and explain the specific reading profile — something school evaluations often don't provide.

The report is yours

You own the report and can share it with schools, tutors, reading specialists, or other providers as you see fit.

A clear path to the right instruction

Findings point to structured, evidence-based reading support and can inform 504 plans, IEPs, and classroom accommodations.

Dyslexia Testing for Children, Teens, and Young Adults

Signs you might be seeing

What the evaluation covers

What the process looks like

Why a private evaluation

Questions parents ask

Start with a free call