Dyslexia or ADHD

[Hemingwayway]

If your child is unable to focus or concentrate at school, very easily distracted and has difficulty with reading and spelling, or untangling complex questions ...

How did you know whether it ws Dyslexia or ADHD or both?

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Child needs to be assessed as it could be a number of things, speak to the child’s school raising your concerns.
Make sure you write these concerns down and ask the school for their concerns in writing, then go via your GP to start the ball rolling. It’s a fight but worth it to get the child the right support in place. Good luck.

Thank you but school are entirely uninterested. Our SENCO appears bent on ensuring school does not acknowledge children may need additional help. This is the experience of a large number of parents.

There are several Specific Learning Difficulties which could or may not be relevant, an Ed Psych assessment could unravel it and make suggestions as to how to overcome barriers. Assume you have checked hearing, eyesight etc to eliminate potential physical issues.

We've checked hearing and eyes, all clear. He has had been assessed and diagnosed with dyslexia and dyspraxia. Wondering how to find out more on ADHD because it seems to me his inability to focus for more than a few minutes is a large part of the problem. He is 9 and in Y5.

If you can afford it, you could request a private assessment from an educational psychologist. It should give you pointers towards what strategies will help your child. You could discuss that with the school, but they might have different ideas of course.

Are they bouncing off the walls and almost never sleep? If so then possible ADHD if not then may be dyslexia or ADD (ADHD without the hyperactivity).

Dyslexia diagnosis is only done privately I believe so there is a cost. School may do a screening for it (but not diagnosis) and then put things in place so definitely worth speaking to them. I think for diagnosis at least you have to be 7, not sure how young they screen. For ADHD diagnosis you would speak to your GP to start with - but definitely talk to school first as you would probably need them to say he was showing signs of ADHD at school to support a diagnosis.

@Hemingwayway

We've checked hearing and eyes, all clear. He has had been assessed and diagnosed with dyslexia and dyspraxia. Wondering how to find out more on ADHD because it seems to me his inability to focus for more than a few minutes is a large part of the problem. He is 9 and in Y5.

Sorry cross posted. If he's not hyperactive it could be ADD.

A private Ed psych assessment will be your best way forward but they aren't cheap.
They would however look at a whole range of issues including ADHD/ADD and processing disorders.

As well as trouble reading and writing DD had huge difficulty concentrating, couldn't remember things, was very impulsive, had a lot of difficulty maintaining friendships and never stopped moving.

We got a private Dyslexia diagnosis which recommended seeking an ADHD assessment. It was the private Dyslexia report that finally made the Primary school take notice of what I'd been saying for years and they made the CAMHs referral.

We had to go through all the steps and hoops of CAMHs but the ADHD diagnosis was never in doubt when people who actually understood the condition spent any time with DD.

We started the diagnosis process in year 5 so she got the official diagnosis in year 6 before starting Secondary school. We weren't prepared to medicate before year 6.

Hi op, that's my experience too re Senco.

I've had to get my dd learning by myself and I've been right out of my comfort zone doing it

The school it feels like work agaisnt us and have been defensive.

I'd start to do as pp said, can you apply for the ehcp, I'd also start to write to governors did out sen policy and start to make a fuss in writing of course.

Unfortunately many SENCo’s have absolutely no knowledge on ASD/ADHD/ADD as they have very basic training in it during the course that they take to be a SENCo. Honestly it’s shocking!
Sadly as your child’s school is ignoring it, you will need to go private to get a diagnosis, make sure you communicate through the school via writing so that you have a paper trail.
So many children with SEND are being let down by schools because schools are reluctant to put them on there SEND register as they then need to find £6000 from the school budget to support them before the local authorities will do anything. It’s disgraceful!

I had in mind there must be some sort of impact to school finances for them to be so reluctant to acknowledge problems. Our SENCO told us that our Ed Psych was not a reputable one and used that to dismiss his report.

It's really common to have both - c50% of people with ADHD may have dyslexia. Get an assessment with a psychiatrist and MDT if you need a diagnosis

@Hemingwayway your DC has already been assessed by Ed Psych and the SENCo dismissed it? What did the EdP report say?
SENCo can not dismiss those reports, they are not qualified to do that!
It does sound like your school is being driven by money, they are failing you DC.
Please take a look at IPSEA website, it will help.

I've been thinking my DS has ADHD for a while, and was thinking about discussing it with his teachers when I get the chance. However, because he's only 5, I'm not sure if it will be brushed of as typical 5 year old behaviour. But I am open to suggestions. My DS is the same OP, concentration isn't great, sensory issues, speech delay (which the teachers have noticed) sleep problems

Not sure the best way to approach it. I was diagnosed via the nhs cmht with ADHD. So I don't know if that would back up my concerns, as I know it can be heredity, but I'm not sure

Has nothing changed in 20 + years?
Ds I suspected had dyslexia although he could read, there were a range of things.9and mixed up, sometimes 6 god and dog
b and d and I could go on.
We had him privately assessed but school board said they would not accept such. So one moring I barged into the headmasters office and refused to move until he filled in the necessary forms. I sat a long time. Then he shoved them on the desk telling me I was wasting my and everyone elses time. I grabbed the forms and said I would post them. Which I did. Then ( in the days pre computers) I wrote to the ed board and told them if nothing was done by a certain time on a certain date then I was going to the media as I had no choice. My dc deserved help and they denied it.
Fast forward I forget the date comes round and picking up dc from school the head was waiting for me.
He asked what I had done as a perapetic teacher arrives at the school without warning. She was there to help dc and 2 other children.
This was the breaking point we had waited for. But it was so tough for us all to then. I assumed things had improved.
What is happening is a disgrace..I suggest that you write to the Ed board pointing out that your son has a right to get help and if it is not provided by x date then you will go to the media. Contact ofstead.
I wish you and your dc all the very best.
My dc did have both dyslexia and dyspraxia .

Adhd is a medical issue. If you concerns you need to speak to a GP and ask for a referral. Either that or go private.

Even with a dyslexia diagnosis there isn't much support in school system. Usually its 1 hour a week with a support worker for dyslexia.

Mine are diagnosed and have echp. They have made much better progress with us using Word Hornet and then Word Wasp at home - literally a book you work though. We are now using toe by toe to help with fluency.

Nessy online is quite good too

I think you may be me. I could have written this! My DD is eight and year four. It only really became apparent that stuff was not right with her when we attempted homeschooling. She couldn’t grasp the spellings, her writing was dire and her reading only just about ok. Her teacher was very nice but largely clueless. I think DD was clever enough to mask things.

Then the battle began.

We paid for Ed psych report. Senco (2 days a week so basically uncontactable) told me how most of the recommendations were not appropriate. Little was done. We got a private adhd assessment but again little done to reflect that. A spelling intervention was identified in April 2021. It started in June, ran for three weeks, then stopped due to staffing issues. That was it for the summer and it’s still not started again.

I feel desperately sorry for DD who just can’t keep up. She knows she’s working below the level of everyone else and wonders why she’s not getting any relevant help. It does seem to be that any excuse is used to avoid providing extra help. What particular annoys me is even if I offer to pay for stuff excuses are made as to why it still can’t be accommodated.

Literally my only hope is the local secondary that seems to have an amazing inclusive SN programme. Just need to get her there.