This article was originally printed in the July/August 2026 issue of ‘hood Magazine. To see this article in print, and to read the rest of the issue, check out our digital issue.
By Kylie Knudson, Former Educator, Parent, and Dyslexia Advocate
When our family’s dyslexia journey was first featured in ‘hood Magazine in 2024, my message was simple: early intervention matters.
Today, after several more years of learning, advocating, and connecting with other families, I believe that message more than ever.
1 in 5
Dyslexia affects approximately 1 in 5 individuals, yet many families spend years searching for answers while watching their child struggle academically, emotionally, and socially. Too often, children begin to believe they aren’t smart or capable when, in reality, they simply haven’t been taught in the way their brain learns best.
As both a parent and a former educator, one of the most eye-opening lessons I learned was that many teachers, including myself early in my career, were never adequately trained to identify dyslexia or understand how the brain learns to read. For years, I believed that if children were exposed to enough books, reading would eventually click. What I later learned is that reading is not a natural process. The brain must build specific pathways and connections, and those pathways are strengthened through direct, explicit, systematic, and multisensory instruction.
Knudson Family
Finding the Right Intervention
The good news is that when children receive the right intervention, everything can change.
For our family, early identification helped put our son on a different path. But much of that support came through evaluations, tutoring, training, and resources that required significant time, research, and financial investment outside of school. We were fortunate to find answers, but many families still don’t know where to begin.
What started as our personal journey has grown into a passion for advocacy and community change. Through parent support groups, educational events, and conversations with other families, we’ve discovered we are far from alone.
Fifth Reader Foundation
That shared experience inspired the creation of Fifth Reader Foundation, a nonprofit we are excited to launch in Sioux Falls and surrounding communities. Our mission is to provide education, resources, support, and hope to families navigating dyslexia and other language-based learning differences.
Because when we know better, we can do better. And every child deserves the opportunity to thrive.
