Medical reasons your child may not be reading yet

Your child can't read, still! What a scary thought. Remember, everyone has their own speed, especially in homeschooling. However, you do want to do everything you can to make sure it's not a medical issue. Here are the main medical issues that affect reading capability.

Dyslexia is when words don't really stay in place, it makes reading super difficult. You can see what that looks like in this video. Dysgraphia is another learning disability that has more to do with writing. In both cases, you need to see a diagnostician, which your school may offer. Maybe even for free. You can also do a few checks at home. Ask your child if the words are sparkling or moving, shaking, etc. Perhaps you notice that they can read letters just fine, but when putting the word together they add letters. These are signs of dyslexia, but it really pays to go to a professional either way. A diagnosis helps a lot with moving forward and finding a learning methodology for them. If your child is a girl, you may want to be extra sensitive to the test results, because parents claim the tests are biased towards identifying boys. If you do diagnose dyslexia you may want to also check for autism. Autistic kids often have dyslexia. This is just a correlation so not to be taken too seriously, but it's a good idea to check.

Eyesight sounds like an obvious thing to check for. We're used to that meaning how close or far we can focus our vision. But actually a full eye exam. Your child could have an eye convergence issue for example. It's definitely worth ruling it out as a problem. It can cost $150 and insurance may not cover it, but it's worth it.

ADHD is a popular diagnosis these days. You don't actually need to go get it diagnosed right away. Just be aware that if your child can't sit still or focus well, perhaps forcing it on isn't the best approach. You may want to try audiobooks, graphic novels, reading to them, etc. There are even read-a-loud YouTube channels if you can't find the time yourself.

In summary, find a professional to talk to and make sure you've covered your bases in terms of medical issues. The first place to start is your school and ask if they have someone that can help. Go ahead, call them now.


If your child does turn out dyslexic, here are ways to help them read. With that out of the way, there are a number of ways to inspire a child to love reading, one of which is reading together with your child, even if you hate it yourself.

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Jamie Larson
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