💛 How to Know If Your 5–7 Year Old Is Struggling with Reading (Before School Flags It)

You’ve probably had moments when something just feels off — even if you can’t quite name it yet. Maybe your child…

• Guesses words by the first letter instead of looking all the way through

• Mixes up letters like b/d or p/q repeatedly, even after repeated exposure

• Avoids reading or gets frustrated quickly, even with books that seem “easy”

If any of those made you nod “yes,” you’re right to be curious — because these are early, important signs. And most parents aren’t told what to look for until much later, when gaps are harder to close. The good news? Early signs are clear — once you know what matters.

🚩 The Most Common Early Reading Red Flags (That Often Get Missed)

These are the structured-literacy-aligned signs I look for during assessments — long before a school report ever mentions concern:

1. They’re relying on memory or guessing — not actually decoding
If your child “reads” because they’ve memorized the book or guesses based on pictures or the first letter, that’s not true reading yet — even if it looks like it.

2. They struggle to hear or play with sounds in words
If clapping syllables, rhyming, or breaking sounds apart (like /c/ /a/ /t/) is difficult — that’s an early phonological awareness gap, a key predictor of reading struggles.

3. They freeze when the pattern changes
If they do well with patterned books (“I see a… I see a…”) but panic when the text changes (“I see the small brown dog”) — they’re not connecting sounds to print yet.

Why Parents Are Smart to Pay Attention Early

Research is clear on this:

“Children who get off to a poor start in reading rarely catch up, and students that are not reading at grade level in grade 1 will continue to be a poor reader.”
— Reading Rockets: Catch Them Before They Fall: Identification and Assessment to Prevent Reading Failure in Young Children
https://www.readingrockets.org/topics/intervention-and-prevention/articles/catch-them-they-fall-identification-and-assessment

But here’s the key — they rarely catch up 👏unless 👏something 👏changes.
Kids don’t just “grow out of it.” They grow into coping strategies — guessing, memorizing, avoiding — unless they get the right kind of support early.

That’s why early intervention (JK–Grade 2) makes the biggest difference — long before confidence or self-belief is impacted.

What to Do If You’re Seeing These Signs

You don’t need to panic — but you should take action. Here’s where to start:

✅ Track what you’re noticing — patterns matter more than one-off moments
✅ Choose decodable books — not leveled readers where kids guess from pictures
✅ Focus on sound–letter connection work — instead of “look at the picture” strategies
✅ Get an assessment or consult early — before confidence becomes a barrier

This isn’t about pushing — it’s about supporting before frustration turns into avoidance.

Want a Clear, Guided Starting Point?

I created a free guide just for this —
Raising Thriving Readers Made Simple
→ 10 most common parent questions
→ 30 practical solutions
→ Tools and examples you can use tonight at home

💛 Click here to get instant access — so you feel confident, not confused, about what comes next.

Or perhaps you are ready for more personalized support

Book your free tutoring consultation today. This is a chance for us to connect, learn about your child, and see if tutoring with Thriving Readers is the right fit for your family.

💜Learn more here