IEP or Dyslexia Treatment: What Should Come First?

If you’re wondering whether to focus on getting an official diagnosis so your child can qualify for an IEP, or to jump straight into intervention, you’re not alone. It’s a common question. And it’s one that schools, pediatricians, and even some well-meaning advocates can make more confusing than it needs to be.

So let me make it simple: if your child is struggling to read, you need to prioritize intervention—not paperwork.

I know the IEP process can feel urgent. There’s pressure to get it done “so the school can help.” You may have been told that without an official diagnosis, your child won’t get support. And yes, it’s true that an IEP can unlock accommodations and services inside a school building. But here’s the thing: accommodations aren’t the same as instruction. And most public schools, even with the best intentions, are not equipped to provide the kind of intervention that actually helps a dyslexic child learn to read and write.

What helps? Explicit, systematic instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, spelling, morphology, and syntax. Not guessing at words from pictures. Not “just reading more.” Not waiting and hoping it will click in third grade.

The earlier you start, the better the outcome. That’s not just a hunch—it’s backed by decades of research. Dyslexia isn’t something a kid outgrows, and the longer we wait for a label, the more ground they lose. Every week you spend navigating red tape is a week your child could be building the foundational skills they need to become a reader.

Let’s flip the script. Imagine your child is struggling to walk, and someone says, “Let’s wait six months until we have an official evaluation before we get them physical therapy.” You’d say no. You’d get them the support they need now, while also working on a diagnosis in the background. The same logic applies here.

I’m not saying a diagnosis isn’t valuable. It is. A good neuropsych evaluation can give you insight into your child’s learning profile, help you advocate for school support, and sometimes even qualify you for reimbursement. But it doesn’t teach your child to read. It doesn’t deliver daily practice in decoding and encoding. That’s what intervention does.

So if you’re feeling stuck, here’s your path forward: find a qualified reading interventionist who uses structured literacy or Orton-Gillingham–based methods. Start sessions now. Then, if you want to pursue a diagnosis, go for it—but do it alongside instruction, not instead of it.

Because the truth is, most dyslexic kids don’t get what they need from school alone. The sooner you take action, the more you can change the trajectory. Intervention is what changes lives—not labels.