
Dyslexia in Girls: When the Well-Behaved Kid Is Actually Struggling to Read
The Literacy Keys - Dyslexia resources and structured literacy tips by an Orton Gillingham tutorShow Notes
She’s not lazy—she’s masking dyslexia. Hear the sneaky signs of dyslexia in girls and why so many teachers miss them. A real story that looks at sex differences in dyslexia. In this episode, we cover how late diagnosis is common when girls compensate. You'll discover behavioral myths, research gaps, and a checklist of red flags for dyslexia in girls. This information will highlight why dyslexia is diagnosed more frequently in males and how societal issues create the impression of sex differences in dyslexia. All of this is important to understand when thinking about testing your child for dyslexia.
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Links: Go to the homepage of our website to download the Dyslexia Symptoms by Age mentioned in this episode.
Cheers, Tracy Young, Orton Gillingham Tutor The Literacy Keys You can watch episodes with Alex on YouTube
Episode Timestamps: 00:00 Welcome and why we’re talking about dyslexia in girls
01:40 The “behavior bias”: why girls often fly under the radar
07:00 Masking and classroom dynamics that hide reading struggles
09:15 Red flags we missed and what parents often notice first
16:30 Teacher training gaps and why schools may overlook dyslexia
22:45 Early-childhood warning signs (ages 5–12)
25:55 Rhyming/tongue twisters: an easy at-home clue
30:35 Subtle symptoms + what “looks fine” can really mean
35:35 Social masking + perfectionism/people-pleasing pressure
41:40 What helped + practical supports to try
43:25 Quick wrap-up takeaways
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