How do you know if your child is dyslexic?

[EdsRedeemingQualities]

I hope someone can give me a bit of a shove in the right direction here, because I'm a bit slow at seeing the whole picture or what I ought to be doing.

I've thought for many years that ds1 is dyslexic, in some way (I know there are different kinds) but so far, his school refuses to address this beyond a perfunctory 10 minute 'test' (no idea what it involves) which they say he was fine with. That was last year (y4).

I had him assessed in y2 but because he was only young (6-7) the lady said he was possibly dyslexic, possibly just immature. It was done as a favour, so we didn't have to pay the £400 and tbh we can't, probably, now, to have it done again. School were not interested at all.

We have been coasting along, and he is getting there, in some things he is above the expected levels (writing is apparently where he should be at end of y6, he's just started y5) but behind in other things and he is slow, and panics easily with work and gets confused.

His 11 plus is coming up and a friend who is dyslexic said that she doesn't think he will pass, and when I told her some of the things he does she was sure he is dyslexic. Now I feel a bit angry with the school for not recognising it or helping him specifically with these issues, though I have tried to myself - but I don't know what to do, and if it is too late.

The 11 plus is something I'd rather he didn't do anyway if he's going to 'fail' but the non-selective schools here are truly appalling, so I'm not sure if it is worth a try or not.

These are the things that make me think he's dyslexic:

writing backwards (especially numbers) without being able to tell, it varies, it switches between backwards and forwards randomly.

Not being able to tell the time at 9yo. We have tried for years, he can do digital, not a clock though.

Having a very vague concept of time - tomorrow, yesterday, in a week, in an hour - all mean very little to him.

Having to be asked about 7 times to do anything, and walking round in circles and tapping things, kicking things, balancing on things all the time while NOT doing the thing he's meant to be doing...iykwim? Like his brain won't process it and make him do it.

I just wondered what I ought to do at this point, really. And what I should be saying to his school.

Thankyou if you got this far.

OP, your son sounds rather like my DD now aged 13 who was diagnosed dyslexic at age 7.5. We had to pay for the assessment which we organised via dyslexia action. The school was useless and we took her out of school one afternoon for specialist teaching at dyslexia action.

Now aged 13, she is in the top set at her comprehensive school (we live in central London - no grammar schools). They have an excellent Senco.

There are alternatives, we also attend a clinic called Tinsley House which is pioneering alternative treatments. There are some threads about it on the child SN boards.

If you can't afford to pay for an assessment kick and scream at the school and LA to provide one. I found diagnosis to be extremely helpful in assisting my daughter though I have been flamed on here before for saying so.

We also tried the dyslexia research trust in Reading. My dd does not have irlens syndrome, so they couldn't really help us.