5 Tips for Parents of a Child Who Has Just Received a Dyslexia Diagnosis

We recently had the honor of sitting down with author, Erika Lopez for a conversation about using our gifts in our own way to make an impact in this world.

Erika was raised in the Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C. by her mother, an immigrant from Guatemala. She attended college at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville.

She started her career in finance in Washington D.C. but realized the thing she liked discussing most with her clients was their philanthropic vision and plan. So she left finance to work in the non-profit industry for the next twelve years. 

Erika moved to North Carolina eight years ago with her husband and two children.

About five years ago, Erika began writing memoirs and essays based on her childhood experiences and began sharing her writings on a blog she named Landings.

This year, she released her first book, The Adventures of Amazing Grace a children's chapter book she created with her daughter.

During our conversation with Erika, she shared with us the lessons she learned after. Today, we want to share that advice with you!

Here are 5 Tips for Parents of a Child Who Has Just Received a Dyslexia Diagnosis:

1. Surround yourself with a supportive community.

Receiving a diagnosis for your child can be a very lonely place. Make sure that you have a support system around you. Reach out to your support network to share the news in a way that lets them know this is not a secret. 

If you do not know anyone, personally, who has been where you are now, look to local online communities. Connecting is such a huge part of this journey. 

2. Familiarize yourself with science-based research and knowledgeable experts.

There are so many accounts you can follow on social media that provide accurate information, like Made by Dyslexia.

There are also a number of reliable and helpful books you can read. Some books you may want to start with are:

• The Dyslexic Advantage by Brock L. Eide M.D. M.A. and Fernette F. Eide M.D.
• The Dyslexia Empowerment Plan by Ben Foss

Picture books are a great way to open conversations with your child about their diagnosis. 

• Aaron Slater Illustrator by Andrea Beaty
• Just Ask!: Be Different, Be Brave, Be You by Sonia Sotomayor

3. Be aware of the social-emotional impact of the diagnosis on your child.

After receiving a diagnosis, a heavy emphasis will be put on intervention. It’s important not to forget to continue to do things that are fun for them. 

Make sure you take time to not simply look at your child through the lens of their new diagnosis. 

Listen in on how they describe their diagnosis and speak about it with their friends. You can get a lot of information about how they are coping from how they talk about their diagnosis.

4. Embrace Ear Reading

Listening to audiobooks is a legitimate form of reading. If someone is blind, no one would question their using fingers to read. For people who are dyslexic or dysgraphic, listening to audiobooks, or ear reading, is often the best way to take in the information rather than reading with their eyes. 

There are so many great options on Audible and children’s podcasts available. 

Keep reading to your child. This will help to continue their love of stories and books. As they progress, you can move to partner reading.

5. Give yourself grace.

Receiving a new diagnosis for your child can be an emotional rollercoaster like you’ve never encountered before. It may be easier said than done but know that it is not your fault. You are just learning as you go. 

Connect with our guest, Erika Lopez! Visit her website and her blog. Or, find her on Instagram.

For our full conversation with Erika Lopez, check out our latest episode of the Together in Literacy podcast. If you like what you hear, don’t forget to rate, leave a positive review, and subscribe!

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