Dyslexia- words moving around and walking off page

[Sorcs]

I’ve also posted this in SN education.

Hello, I’m looking for some advice on dyslexia and how it might typically present.

My 6.5yo has ASD & ADHD with quite a spiky profile. He’s highly verbal & very bright but extremely impulsive & has a lot of social & emotional problems. He’s in a special school and is way behind with reading and writing.

He can’t read much at all but knows the phonics sounds and will attempt to sound out letters but struggles to put them together. The other day I asked him to try and read a few words in a sentence, he started to sound out ‘this’ but gave up and said he couldn’t do it as all the letters where moving around and walking off the page! He said it so matter of fact I actually thought he was joking!! I always thought he found it hard to focus on reading due to the ADHD but perhaps he’s dyslexic also.

I’ve told his teacher who said she’ll look into it further but I’m wondering if anyone on here has had a similar problem with their child or even if your child has mentioned letters walking off the page?

He can’t write independently either, it’s always copied or traced.

Any advice appreciated!!

[Sorcs]

Anybody out there that can help please?

[BlankTimes]

I've heard of that, and I'm pretty sure coloured overlays helped to 'fix' the words in place for the child. However that was years ago, there may be new interventions nowadays.

Quick google says moving words are common in dyslexia, so definitely ask for an assessment. These are just two random hits.

www.dyslexia-reading-well.com/visual-dyslexia.html

www.ireadbetternow.com/resources/what-are-the-symptoms-of-dyslexia
Words move when reading
Most people think of dyslexia as seeing words or letters that are reversed, but that phenomenon only occurs in a small number of dyslexic patients. The majority of those with dyslexia see the words move when reading, and this movement can make the words go in and out of focus, float on the page or drift up and down or sideways. The letters in the words may also move closer together or pull apart.

[Kuponut]

It's kind of how it is for me reading (I'm a recently diagnosed dyslexic - spell and write very well, but have real difficulties processing information when I read text - I just don't comprehend and retain it well, I've got by for years by being able to skim read and re-reread to retrieve information but if you ask me to explain what I've just read after you take it away - I'm snookered). The words go a bit wavy and uncooperative - they're kind of hover-y around on the page if I'm having a particularly bad day.

I get by by using a ruler to track along the lines of text, I put a coloured overlay on my screen (iPads have a function to do this for free, on my PC I have software as part of my DSA assessment that does similar), and I often use screen reader software - even just with the sound turned off as the word highlighting of one word at a time slows it all down for it to begin to make sense for me.

Ed psych's diagnosis was I've got a very visual form of dyslexia, compensated for and masked by an otherwise very high IQ which is why I've got as far in education as I have before it was picked up. Fairly sure DD2 has similar difficulties - she uses some cheap reading rulers (Amazon did a pack of 10 where it basically leaves a single line between masked areas) which improves her reading considerably.

[Mamimawr]

Ask the school if they have coloured overlays. If they don't I would buy these and have a look what works best.


10 Pack Duo Window Reading Rulers One of Each Colour www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B007WTUYBC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_3z2jEb4X5Q1T4?tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

[Equanimitas]

You really need your child to be checked by a reputable Behavioural Optometrist. Check babo.co.uk/find-a-behavioural-optometrist/. If you're in the London area, the Nanjuwany Eye Practice has been recommended to me

[Sorcs]

Thanks for all the tips!!
I’m going to order some of those overlays & I've book him in to see a behavioural optometrist in March.

[KisstheTeapot14]

www.amazon.co.uk/Reading-Highlight-Colored-Bookmark-Overlays/dp/B07KMP6X6D/ref=sr_1_7?keywords=reading%20rulers&qid=1578686597&sr=8-7&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

These are 6.99 for 8 of them and help you keep track of what line you are trying to read.

Tempted to try for DS.

[Kuponut]

We use those for DD2 Kiss and they work really well - she has problems tracking a line of text although she can decode well (I'm strongly suspecting the same tendencies I have)... think I must have bought umpteen of them by now as she tends to abandon them around the classroom and leave them in school reading books (she's dyspraxic and has the organisation skills of a disorganised housebrick when it comes to her belongings)!