Reading Disorders are part of a greater category of Learning Disorders, and may describe difficulty in reading with speed or accuracy, or not being able to comprehend what was read. In addition, there may be distortions, substitutions, or omissions in what the child reads out loud. In other words, the child fills in unrelated words when unable to come up with the word they want or they may try to distract you to take the attention off of themselves when they cannot come up with the words written that they are trying to read.

To determine if a child has a reading disability, typically, the child is tested using a standardized assessment and if the child's scores fall significantly below peers of the same intelligence and age, a reading disorder is diagnosed. In other words, the child may have normal intelligence but fail to perform at an expected level of reading. Sometimes reading disorders are also called "Dyslexia." Dyslexia is commonly associated with reversing of letters or words, and having difficult deciphering the words or meaning of words.

Approximately 4% of the children in the United States are diagnosed with a reading disorder. The federal government requires school personnel to teach children diagnosed with learning disorders in ways that best meet their specific and individual needs at no cost to the parent. There are several ways they can do this. Testing time can be extended or questions can be read to the student rather than the student being required to read on their own. Lessons can be broken down into smaller portions, or a buddy system can be put into place to assist the child in reading without damaging the child's self-esteem.