Dyslexia in families

[SallyBear]

My 13yr old DS finally got a dx yesterday of Severe Dyslexia. Parents evening with 7yr DS3 when looking at his work and listening to his teacher it was like a horrible sense of déjà vous. I don't want him to go through useless LA testing where they all say there's nothing wrong just missed out on chunks of phonics. So I am going to see about getting him tested too now.

So my question is - have any of you got a child with dyslexia and suspect or know that another of your dc has dyslexia too. Does it run in families?

[foofooyeah]

My partner has dyslexia and dyscalcula, our 8 year old son has just had testing done and its been confirmed that he has too. We knew already especially with regards to the maths issues. I beleive it can be herditery so if one son has it I dont see why younger one cant.

I had to push school to get son tested so be prepared. I think the rearlier the diagnosis the better

[SallyBear]

Thanks foofoo. I appreciate your reply x

[Iceflower]

Hi Sallybear, my dd has a dx of dyslexia by a specialist tutor from the Dyslexia Institute. At tribunal, the LA EP questioned this as she insisted only EPs were qualified to dx dyslexia [hshock]

Dd has dyslexia but ds doesn't appear to. Her dad, aunt (his sister), granny (paternal), second cousin (paternal) are all dyslexic! So it appears quite clear in our case there is a familial link.

[mrslaughan]

I think it is all linked - I have 2 nephews and 1 niece with dyslexia, and a nephew with dyspraxia (fine and gross) DS has fine motor dyspraxia ..... They may not understand the link , but I am sure it is there, and I am sure it comes through from my father, who my sister an I am now convinced had dyspraxia ( and was ambi- dextrous)

[steelev48]

My children haven't been diagnosed but I strongly suspect that they are both dyslexic. My father, brother and uncle were diagnosed as adults. I really do believe that it runs in families.

My children also have signs of dyspraxia but no diagnosis. My nephew was diagnosed about aged 9.

Funny how it's all the males!

[SallyBear]

Well that's brilliant. It sort of confirms my suspicions. I will definitely get DS3 assessed. So you all think that an EP is best to dx? DS1's was an independent EP that the school use. I think that I'll go to the same EP for DS3.

[NoHaudinMaWheest]

Sally my Ds 16 is dyslexic eventually diagnosed by EP in July although we have suspected it since reception. My DD 12 is also dyslexic though more mildly. She had an alert teacher and was diagnosed by LA dyslexia team in yr5.
My nephew is severely dyslexic - was in a special unit for the last 2 years of primary. He is now 26 has a degree in history and politics and a job in the field he wanted. Although undiagnosed I think I had very mild dyslexia and dyscalculia. My brother also has undiagnosed dyslexia and from my mother's accounts so did her father. I think DS also has dyscalculia though DD doesn't.

I think there is a clear family link there with males being more badly affected.

[SallyBear]

DS1 has Aspergers and I suspect dyspraxia. So it's not rocket science to make the link between all three, but LA don't want to because its all about money.
I have a horrible feeling that DS3 might also be on the Spectrum too, but not obviously so. It just keeps painting a bigger picture of co-morbid difficulties that people face. It is another label, but that hopefully means that we can help make things easier for them in the long term by giving them strategies to support them in and outside of school iyswim.

[NoHaudinMaWheest]

Ds has AS and I had wondered about dyspraxia though it didn't entirely fit. OT assessment suggested that his motor difficulties were due to hypermobile joints and that makes more sense in his case.

I have heard of lots of cases of ASD and dyslexia going together and the specialist dyslexia school I looked at for DS said they thought lots of their students were on the spectrum though mainly undiagnosed. However in Ds's case he seems to have inherited the AS from DH's side and the dyslexia from mine.