Questioning dyslexia diagnosis

[UnicornMom]

For an apparently bright teen I know well .....scores on ed psychologist assessment as follows:
VCI 121, VSI 84, FRI 94, WMI 62, PSI 45 does a dyslexia diagnosis make sense given these scores or could it be ADHD? Also to what extent can the VCI, VSI and FRI be lowered by the working memory and processing speed indexes

That's a pretty unusual profile. The working memory and processing speeds are very low. Some of the subtests that make up the visual spatial index and fluid reasoning tasks are timed and the child's score on these will probably have been affected by very slow processing speeds. It's probably more helpful to think about things in terms of specific difficulties with working memory and slow processing instead of dyslexia. (Some people would say his profile is dyslexic but in the absence of significant difficulties with reading and spelling, others would not). Kids with working memory difficulties can often appear distracted and seem to have problems concentrating - usually because they can't remember what they have to do and get lost mid task. It's perfectly possible that the child also has ADHD alongside other difficulties.

I can't answer your question as my dyslexia diagnosis was almost 30 years ago but you do realise that it doesn't make us dumb and that Albert Einstein was dyslexic

I cant advise on figures but dyslexic people can be bright. We are using Toe by Toe at the moment though have been recommended to try Word Hornet

I was in my thirties when I was diagnosed. I have a high IQ and was told that probably did help me go undiagnosed for so long - has that been measured?

Albert Einstein wasn't dyslexic. I wish people would stop parading round this weird "fact" as true.

Why are you questioning the diagnosis?

many people never learn to read phonetically but make it up by remembering word shapes over time - they can read late - but - can (in some cases) develop almost photographic memories for the written word - but - spelling can always be a difficulty - god bless spell check - cue: if your spelling is so bad that spell check can't recognise a word have a thesaurus open behind the screen to find another word you can spell that means the same & find original word on page! dyslexia & ADHD & ASD does not mean that someone is not intelligent - just that they process differently & may have difficulties in other areas. Nobody is perfect just as normal doesn't exist.

I view diagnosis as a lense, and just like having glasses for short sightedness doesn't help someone with long sight. I just want to make sure they have the most accurate diagnosis to get the most tailored support.

I also worry that the VSI and FMI are artificially low due to the working memory and processing speed, but that people will take that at face value and think the teen is thick but with isolated verbal ability, thirteen is very artistic predicted a high grade in GCSE art.

Oops thirteen should read the teen

The tests are very carefully designed to separate out confounding factors, so processing speed issues shouldn't bring down, say, verbal reasoning skills. In any case, because dyslexia is quite a blanket term, what matters are the ed psych's recommendations for specific help based on specific areas of difficulty. So for instance for poor working memory, for young children getting the class TA to remind them what the steps in a task are, in what order, in older children (where you want to foster independence) dictating tasks step by step onto a phone, or using mind maps.

Barberastrozzi how then would you explain their strong performance in the visual arts given their scores? This is why I am wondering about ADHD which is in my understanding more about executive function, and can be treated..... It would be a shame for the yp to miss out on treatment if it would make their life less stressful.

It is quite common for people who are identified as being dyslexic to have other conditions like ADHD. Processing problems and short term memory problems are common in people with dyslexia. Generally identification of dyslexia is a complex, lengthy and, sometimes, arbitrary procedure often using observation of traits to make the identification as well as a range of tests. There is no one test for dyslexia and the more tests completed, the better.

My son is dyslexic, ASD, sensory issues and has slow processing. He went for quite a while Undiagnosed as he was quite complex to diagnose.

They put slow processing down to ASD.
My son is excellent at art and problem solving but struggles with English, social interaction and common sense really to name a few.
The diagnosis of all these things is quite complex and generally if diagnosed with asd or dyslexia there are usually other issues there too. May be worth asking for a referral to camhs if in uk for further testing to make sure has the correct support. X

Accessing CAMHS is difficult where the teen lives. The parents commissioned the report. but I feel it lacks context as it makes no mention of the teen being treated for anxiety despite this being done by the same private company.

Anyone any thoughts about allowing an anxious teen to watch Birds of prey the new Harley Quinn movie. They are at an age they can do so legally.