dyslexia? Visual sequencing problem? second guessing myself.

[HattiFattner]

I had DS2s parent/teacher assessment this week. A very lovely and experienced teacher, who has taught both his siblings, and so knows our family.

SHe (and I) has concerns about DS2s reading, writing, spelling and numeracy.

On reading, he has not progressed from Y2 Sats level. He is in Y4. He is very hesitant, still does not really see the difference between "what" and "that" or "Where" and "There", but can pick up on very long words and decode them. Still hits a major block with certain sound blends - ai / ay in particular. Reads words from the middle - so last night, the word "rudely" became "Druley?" He was in reading recovery in infants.

His handwriting is a mess, which I have put down to him being a left hander. Teacher implied theres more to it than that - letters are transposed, badly formed letters, writes everything in very big letters (about 2 lines deep for each letter). He has done a writing/coordination scheme through the school last year, to try and get him better hand control.

Spelling he is 2 years behind his age. ALthough he gets 10/10 for every spelling test, he forgets the spelling when he has to write them in stories.

In numeracy, he also transposes numbers - so 315 becomes 351. He also writes numbers back to front P for 9 for example.

Teacher says she will now keep him on her radar. But im wondering (and second guessing) if DS has some form of dyslexia or visual processing issue.

And if so, what ....and how can I help him?

His confidence is taking a big knock because he is not moving on to the later books, he hates reading out loud and now avoids doing so ("I left my book at school" and "I finished it in class".)

He is otherwise a bright boy, funny, articulate. Just falling behind.

My DS has similar traits to yours. I shall watch this thread with interest.

An awful lot of vision problems are misdiagnosed as dyslexia.

You need to get his eye tested by a Behaviour Optometrist who can properly check your DSs vision.

If he does have eye tracking or convergence problems (which is very likely) than you can do vision therapy to correct this.

And while you're at it, make sure you kids are on:

• Omega
• Zinc and Magnesium

Deficiency in these vitamins cause all sorts of problems. :)

You can help him by getting him properly assessed, and for possible dyslexia this would be by an Ed Psych. When you know what is going on, then you will be able to get the right support put in place.

Except that Ed Psychs won't test his eyesight or his hearing, or look at his diet, or his neuro development, so the Ed Psych won't actually be able to tell you what's going on.

The Ed Psych will be able to misdiagnose an eyesight problem as dyslexia though.

indigobell, thats very interesting - I forgot to mention the "losing place when reading" - which fits in with the Behavioural Optometrist list of symptoms.

I shall look into it some more.

I dont know if there is something wrong at all, or whether this is just a bit of developmental/cognitive delay in these areas.

And a BO won't be able to assess if there are distinct differences between cognitive abilities (which if eyesight problem would be equally affected).

And it is of course possible to have more than one condition.

My DS has fewer problems than yours and has been diagnosed dyslexic.

You do need an ed pysch and I recommend that you see if you can pay for one privately, depending on the waiting times in your area. That way you will know in a few weeks and can start workign with teachers to help DS in a focused way.

TBH it could be many things - dyslexia, obviously, but also visual problems, dyspraxia and probably a host of other stuff.

Reading this with interest because of similar issues. Any advice on how to find an ed psych?

In the state sector, you need to talk to the school and see what they can do for you (and how long the waiting list is - it can be dire). If you are prepared to pay (£300-500ish), then it may still be worth asking the school for recommendations, or asking any local dyslexia specialist schools/units, or asking around other parents, or even posting your location here (if you are happy to do that) to see if anyone would PM you recommendations.

Edith (and everyone else) - Dyslexia doesn't exist.

Dyslexia describes the symptoms of struggling to read and or write.

But it does not describe the cause.

Dyslexia is caused by many things - including vision problems.

If you actually want to help you child so that they don't struggle with reading and writing all their life you need to find out what is causing their literacy problems, and fix that.

If however you're happy for your child to cope with their literacy difficulties all their life, learn lots of compensating strategies, and get extra time in exams - then feel free to spend £400 on an Ed Psych report telling you your child has dyslexia.

But all the Ed Psych will do is recommend different compensating strategies. He won't recommend anything to help cure the underlying problems.

Here is a link to the British Dyslexia Association. You may like to read their information, and follow links to research. There is indeed a great deal of misunderstanding on this.

BDA estimate that vision issues are important in about 35-40% of dyslexics, and provide links to BABO.

Of course the BDA and dyslexia action won't say that dyslexia doesn't exist - that's like turkeys voting for Christmas.

If you are concerned about your own child, and want to do everything you can to help them, don't waste your tine and money on EP reports or specialist dyslexia tutoring.

I think you are misinterpreting the stance of the BDA and the role and functions of an Ed Psych.

OP: you are of course free to choose which route you want to take with your DC. If the evidence-based conclusions of BDA are wrong, then BABO will provide all you need. But if they are right, then in 60% of cases it will not help.

Please do look at the BDA page (and indeed BABO as one of the organisations it recommends) and make up your own mind.

As a SENCO I agree with Indigo a diagnosis of dyslexia is pretty useless because it such a catch all label that covers a huge spectrum of difficulties and while offering a broad reason why a child is having problems doesn't in anyway address how to help.

mrz: that fits with the BDA stance.

Edith - So if it doesn't in anyway address how to help, why would you bother getting a diagnosis?

Especially when EP reports tend to cost £300 - £700....

Whereas an initial test by a BABO costs £35 - £70. And will tell you if your child has convergence or eye tracking issues - and will tell you how to cure these very common problems.

They can also test for the far rarer Irlen Syndrome - and again tell you how to help it.

It helps to have an independent assessment, not to get a magic 'dyslexia' assessment but because:

1. You will have an independent person looking at your child - you may need this is the school don't play ball. It may also make you and your child feel better.
2. He/she will give you specific things for the school (and you) to be doing with your child to help.
3. If things don't improve you will have an independent base mark of achievement and potential. Say in a years time he's not improved you go back to the EP and his achievement hasn't moved in line with his potential.

Make sure there's an IEP (school action) in place to help. Keep a record of every meeting, every intervention, every promise. You need to know what's being done and whether it's helping.

1. If the school won't 'play ball', an independent EP report normally doesn't change anything.

1. An EP isn't going to tell a good school anything they haven't heard before. (And won't tell a bad school anything they will listen to)

1. You go back to the EP in a year's time - and then what? They've already tested your child and given you their recommendations.

It's taken me 4 years to work out all the underlying causes of DDs and DSs dyselxia. I regret wasting 2 of those years waiting for the school to get EP reports done.

BABO is a great place to start. But it's only a start.

before spending money on a private assessment consider whether the school will accept the findings or follow the advice they don't have to nor do they have to provide an IEP

Hatti, all other things aside. I would advise you to ask for an appointment with the school SENCO (Special Educational Needs Coordinator) and discuss with him/her how the school can approach getting your ds properly assessed.

In all likelihood they would in the first instance call in an Ed Psych and I would push for them to do so, as watching and waiting once a child is in Y4 is really not an option - especially if no progress has been made since Y2.

In the meantime, you can be looking into a possible BABO asessment and that way you have all your bases covered.

In my experience, some schools may try to delay or discourage you from requesting an assessment, but if you put all your concerns in writing along with the request and make it clear that you aren't going to back down (firm but polite) they should hopefully come round. As KATTT said, keep records of everything - even conversation and phone-calls as well, as it all helps with the fight.

If your ds isn't making adequate progress, he should already be on the teacher's radar - in fact he should at the very least be on the Special Educational Needs Register at School Action and be receiving specific targetted support. Its a sad fact though, that often its the parents that need to point this out and fight to get their dcs the support they need.

This is a good website for getting to grips with what should happen. The section on 'a step by step approach' explains it very well.

KATTT has said pretty much what I would have said to "why", which boils down to it being a starting point (not an end in itself).

How you then use the information (and how responsive third parties are) are subsequent and separate issues.

IndigoBell: if your school had been supportive/responsive, and had your DCs been among the estimated 60% where there is no vision component, I wonder if you would be posting as you are.

BDA is a good place to find all sorts of helpful responses.

So you spend all that money getting a private EP report which pretty much tells you what everyone knew already then what?

No. The school had screened one of my DCs, assessed as low risk, and said his radically changed performance was normal. In comparison with older DC, and cousins, I remained concerned and had him assessed.

I then had evidence of dyslexia, and the school were really good in putting targeted support together.

It is not always the case that "everyone knew".

So the school didn't know your child was performing badly? They didn't know he was struggling with reading/writing?

I would be interested how you had evidence of dyslexia