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My 7 year old cannot read much.

11 replies

Usern04637473 · 22/04/2023 21:41

She’s 8 in the summer, year 3. She cannot really read much beyond simple words, she knows her phonic sounds, she just cannot seem to grasp blending & reading. She’ll often guess words, say them totally wrong and just cannot be bothered with it. She also has a really short attention span

we read with her as much as possible at home, she was in a phonics group at school with 2 children her age based on their ability but they are moving up whereas dd has not made much progress. Interestingly all 3 have speech delays so I believe this could be linked. She was having small group tutoring at school which had now ended.

she was and still is speech delayed and has an EHC plan due to her speech delay, gross motor skill delays and learning delays. She is under SALT but that’s it. She’s waiting to be seen by some kind of learning team in our area. I don’t know what they will say or suggest.

despite this she’s a very sassy, confident popular girl who loves school and has lots of friends. She is great at writing (with support), drawing and great at maths.she really does try in all areas.

i don’t know what to do anymore. The school aren’t really saying much, I don’t know how to fully help her.

I believe she could have adhd, my eldest is autistic & adhd and I believe she could have adhd. She has a really short attention span, she very easily distracted, she jumps from one thing to another and constantly fidgets. I believe she has dyspraxia as everything would suggest thid. She’s definitely neurodivergent but my son could read pretty well at dd’s age despite having complex needs and learning delays himself.

she should be getting support with her learning at school but there’s only 1 TA in the class and a few with Sen and some that are generally explosive in class and because she’s pretty compliant she goes under the radar.

many advice for a desperate mum? Where do you find a tutor for phonics/reading?

OP posts:
FloatingBean · 22/04/2023 22:08

Sounds like you need an early review of the EHCP as it isn’t currently meeting DD’s needs.

If DD has an EHCP what provision is included in there? Does it contain OT? Is the small group tutoring DD was having included in there? If 1:1 is specified and quantified it must be provided. If it isn’t you can enforce it.

Has DD tried any assistive technology?

RandomMess · 22/04/2023 22:21

Sounds like she needs full and proper screening for SPLDs including dyslexia and dyspraxia.

Conductpolicy · 22/04/2023 22:39

Could you get first 100 high frequency word flash cards and try a different reading route? See if it works?
My poor dd wasn't getting phonics at all.
We started again with basic old fashioned books and flash cards.
Then getting lots of books at each level.

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SoupedUpSue · 22/04/2023 23:32

You need to be pushy as hell is my advice.

Dishwashy · 23/04/2023 01:57

RandomMess · 22/04/2023 22:21

Sounds like she needs full and proper screening for SPLDs including dyslexia and dyspraxia.

This. Would a private Ed Psych be an option? If I had my time over, I'd have got mine privately assessed years ago. We wasted years waiting for school to help.
Specialist dyslexia assessors can also do it but with that extra complexity of the potential ADHD I would pay a bit more for an Ed Psych.

Also make sure eye tests are up to date, though you're probably on top of that.

Usern04637473 · 23/04/2023 10:45

Thanks all.

her eye sight is fine. She has regular screening at the hospital, her eye sight is actually fine but she attends eye clinic for a large nevus on her eye and they test her eyes every time and thankfully growth hasn’t effected her sight.

EHC plan is pretty vague. It does not include OT, I don’t know if any in my area that do, I’ve had to fight for my eldest who also has an EHC plan to get regular ongoing OT and still not get anywhere with it. I’ve just paid for a private OT assessment for my son, I will likely do the same for DD but thinking ED psych might be more suitable. We don’t have a lot of money but dd has just had a back pay of DLA we will use.

she does need to see an Ed psych, the school has a limit to how many children can see them apparently (not sure if this is true). I think dd is low down the list as she has no behavioural issues.

tutoring was not in her EHC plan. It lasted a term with 2 other children. She has been referred to the cognitive & learning service in my area. I’m not exactly sure on what they can do though. It might be more of a sign post for other services - but I guess that’s a good thing.

If we go private cannot afford it all though, I’m not sure what service would be most beneficial though?

I am so frustrated with the whole thing. Children without EHC plans in the school are being referred for different things but I feel they are dismissive and say for dd ‘it’s all covered in the EHC plan’. I don’t begrudge any child EHCP or not getting support. Irs like they always think she will have the EHC plan so it does not matter!!

My son went to the same school and although they were supportive of his needs (much more complex than dd’s) he didn’t really achieve anything there and struggling massively at secondary.

moving school is not really an option. We are rural with one village school. I could take her elsewhere but I don’t think any schools within a reasonable distance are much better either.

are dyslexia and dyspraxia linked? are they also linked to speech delay? I’m gonna speak to her speech & language therapist, she has always been the one who’s pushed for more but often the school don’t listen to her.

OP posts:
Michaelmonstera · 23/04/2023 10:51

Dyslexia, dyspraxia and speech delay can all be linked

Usern04637473 · 23/04/2023 10:53

Michaelmonstera · 23/04/2023 10:51

Dyslexia, dyspraxia and speech delay can all be linked

Thank you. I’m not sure whether to wait for the cognitive and learning service to see her (referred end of 2022) as they may be able to pick up on this or push for further referrals or pay out for private now! I will email senco tomorrow I think to see if the knows a time frame for them to come out.

OP posts:
FloatingBean · 23/04/2023 11:03

You need to either ask for an early review to try to improve the EHCP, both the content and to tighten it up. It is irrelevant what others in the area have or don’t have. Unfortunately the LA don’t have to agree to an early review and there is no right of appeal, so then you will either need to wait for the AR or request a reassessment of needs which does come with the right of appeal if refused.

Or request a reassessment of needs. If the LA agree to a reassessment of needs it would trigger statutory timescales for assessment from EP and you can request the needs assessment also includes OT.

Following an early review or reassessment of need you may need to appeal in order to secure a good EHCP. Same for DS if the LA won’t include OT.

CrotchetyQuaver · 23/04/2023 11:35

I think I would try and find a private tutor to help with her reading, and keep on pushing for the other things at school/GP.

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