Would a SALT assessment pick up dylexia?

[SchnitzelVonKrumm]

Or similar difficulties? If not, what sort of testing would? DD is nearly 7.

[auntevil]

Personally I would say that it depends on the area of difficulty your DC has.
DS1 saw SALT - who didn't pick it up. OT did, because part of his problem is post rotary nystagmus - so a convergence/vision issue.

[Ineedmorepatience]

There is specialist dyslexia testing available all around the country. You have to pay though and sadly many schools dont really recognise the issues that can lead to dyslexia.

If you can afford it, I would recommend a behavioural optometrist to check for tracking and visual perception issues and other things I cant remember right now.

Both my younger Dd's have had great success with coloured lenses in their glasses and Dd2 did exersises for tracking issues.

I am not sure that SALT would be the right way to go, although someone might come along and correct me.

Good luck

[SchnitzelVonKrumm]

My worries are more related to past hearing loss than - she doesn't report words moving etc. DD really struggled to learn to read (phonics) but has made a big breakthrough and is ahead of what's expected for her age now. Her writing is still a struggle though, although her phonetic understanding is quite consistent - its just that what she writes seems to suggest she still isn't hearing or processing new words accurately. She is also rubbish at sequencing eg. Days of the week.

[SchnitzelVonKrumm]

Sorry, that should read: My worries are more related to past hearing loss than VISUAL PROBLEMS - she doesn't report words moving etc. DD really struggled to learn to read (phonics) but has made a big breakthrough and is ahead of what's expected for her age now. Her writing is still a struggle though, although her phonetic understanding is quite consistent - its just that what she writes seems to suggest she still isn't hearing or processing new words accurately. She is also rubbish at sequencing eg. Days of the week.

[Ineedmorepatience]

Dont know much about it but have you read anything about Auditory Processing Disorder? If you google there is quite alot of info.

Good luck

[KOKOagainandagain]

Has DD had a SALT assessment? If you were going to get independent assessment I would go with a private EP rather than a 'centre' where SpLD teachers conduct the assessment.

[SchnitzelVonKrumm]

Yes, she has had a SALT assessment which found no S&L problems.

[dontknowwhat2callmyself]

A couple of years back DD's SALT at the time did suggest I took her to a Behavioural Optomotrist - she had noticed that DD was getting words mixed up eg she would show DD a picture and DD would say the wrong word. I can't say I had noticed this myself at home (however, DD's vocabulary was limited at the time anyway - she has an ASD diagnosis).

I didn't realize at the time but I think SALT may have been hinting at dyslexia. DD has picked up reading quite well but can sometimes get words muddled eg was for saw etc..and will insert small words that are not there eg an or and etc.. so I am just keeping an eye on things. She is only 6.8 so things may or may not get more obvious as time goes on. I don't think school will flag anything as she seems to be reading well and has an ASD diagnosis so any issues they just assume are to do with her ASD.

Generally thinking I don't think this is part of SALT's remit. An Educational Psychologist is usually the person a school would use to diagnose Dyslexia.

[SchnitzelVonKrumm]

That's very interesting. DD is being assessed for ASD but the paed at the first meeting (months ago) said there was a possibility of ASD but that it was very probable DD has a learning difficulty and she wanted a full ed psych assessment before progressing to stage 2.
DD has a stage 2 appointment next week but no ed psych report has been done - school was meant to arrange it but the SENCO (who is generally very supportive) seems to feel it isn't needed. So as there is a family history of late-diagnosed dyslexia and DD seems to tick lots of the boxes I was wondering whether the SALT report might have ruled it out in her mind.

[dontknowwhat2callmyself]

I wonder why the SENCO feels EP assessment is not needed? EP assessment would come out of the school budget so it may be a cost issue. In our case DD was assessed by EP after she had her diagnosis and her school wanted to apply for a statement. They needed the report to support their application to our LA.

[SchnitzelVonKrumm]

Yes, it's odd - I might call the clinic tomorrow and see if they're assuming it's been done. Everyone who has seen DD has said that if dignosed she would be highly atypical and very high-functioning, so it seems strange to rule out what might actually be an alternative diagnosis. I also wonder, if we go to stage 2 and they decide she isn't on the spectrum, will all investigations just stop or could push for an ed psych assessment afterwards?

[sazale]

The SALT picked up that my daughter 14 had sequencing difficulties and holding on to auditory only information which the EP later picked up on and diagnosed auditory dyslexia.

My ds 6 had a phonological assessment by his independent salt as I was worrying about his significant difficulties learning and wanted to know if it was connected to his phonological speech disorder as school kept brushing me off. The testing showed that he has phonological processing difficulties. This is one of the many causes of dyslexia.

[SchnitzelVonKrumm]

Does that imply it's not something a SALT would automatically look for? As I say, her S&L assessment was part of the social communication clinic diagnosis and didn't throw up any issues. Aaargh it's such a confusing process

[KOKOagainandagain]

It's not an either/or issue - DS1 has ASD, SpLD including dyslexia (EP report will identify 'classic' profile with low working memory and processing speed)and auditory processing disorder. So it is not so much ruling something out as assessing different areas of difficulty that may be found in conjunction with an ASD in some cases.

[SchnitzelVonKrumm]

I know, but we haven't had an EP report, hence my query about whether a SALT assessment would do double-duty, so to speak!

[SchnitzelVonKrumm]

So, my DD had her ADOS today and they have ruled out ASD (as we expected) and discharged her. Should I push school for the full ed psych assessment?