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Original poster

Dyslexia.Is diagnosis always an advantage?

26 replies

teta · 29/11/2013 13:30

I have a D's aged 9.He has always struggled a bit,but we have supported him with a tutor.I have always suspected he might be dyslexic but didn't want him to be
Labeled.I'm not so sure that this is the right decision now.Has any one been in this situation?

OP posts:
Doppledanger · 29/11/2013 13:42

What's wrong with knowing for sure your dyslexic if that's what you are? I have a dyslexic child and getting him help for that is part of my parental duty as I see it. Why on earth would you not have your child assessed if you suspect he is having issues?

Original poster
teta · 29/11/2013 13:51

He has a twin sister on the same class and I didn't want him to be treated any differently as he would have been aware of this.We have always give him extra support though.He has had extra Maths help since the age of 6 and lots of English practice at home.

OP posts:
Rooners · 29/11/2013 13:55

I get where you are coming from totally. However I think it is a double edged sword.

We're going through assessment atm and the teacher hasn't actually labelled him at all. She has put together a cognitive profile and is going to support us getting him into a good school - but I'm not sure it is ever as simple as a diagnosis as such. Dyslexia takes so many forms.

The important thing is that he is getting the RIGHT kind of support and help - we can't access anything much for ds as the lovely specialist we went to for this is far too busy with children who are properly struggling to read and write. He ticks over in mainstream without much extra support.

But if you think your child needs extra help with certain things then maybe have him assessed privately with someone with a very good reputation - they will tell you if he needs a certain approach. You have a tutor but they may be working with him in the wrong way, iyswim.

(don't ask me what the right way is - I have no idea!)

Doppledanger · 29/11/2013 14:09

My son also has a twin (identical) and this is in part why they are in separate classes at school. I can't see that there have been any negatives from being diagnosed.

Original poster
teta · 29/11/2013 14:13

I think the tutor is doing things the right way and his maths has improved.However his mental maths is terrible and I was shocked when he had to write a story for homework recently.To make it worse his sister is very bright as is his younger brother.

OP posts:
sandiy · 29/11/2013 14:21

I suspect my son has dyslexia,everything for him is such a struggle.He is by no means stupid but his reading and writing are so poor that it's holding him back.Its hard because he has twin sisters just 13 months older so the difference in his achievement are really obvious.
Our area does nt recognise dyslexia so apparently there is nothing to gain from formal diagnosis according to school.Because he has no behaviour problems school won t fund ed psych.Its a horrible situation to be in as a parent.I would love a diagnosis because Ithink it's better for the children to know that something's wrong rather than they are "stupid"

wheresthebeach · 29/11/2013 14:50

We're wondering about DD...although it would be on the mild end if it were the case but still worth knowing I think. The plus as far as I'm concerned would be getting a 'pass' on languages in secondary. It's a nightmare if you're dyslexic (shudder at the memories...).

Lonecatwithkitten · 29/11/2013 16:01

If he is dyslexic and you do get a diagnosis he will get extra time in his exams - which if he is dyslexic he will need. Coming from a family of dyslexics there is a huge amount to be gained from diagnosis. I even had extra support at Uni of the Vet med course because I was dyslexic, without that I would not have passed the theory part even though my practical skills were distinction level.

kelda · 29/11/2013 16:06

In my experience, a diagnosis is a diagnosis, and not a label.

I know a couple of children who have been labelled as disruptive, lazy, parents told they may have ADHD, when the problem has turned out to be dyslexia.

A diagnosis also helps children and the parents/ teachers etc understand exactly what is wrong and have a starting point for intervention.

The SN board is useful for more information.

Rooners · 29/11/2013 17:15

Actually ds is visibly cheered at thinking he might be dyslexic rather than just not very clever - iyswim. He was grateful for the chance of a name for it.

kelda · 29/11/2013 17:30

I think so too Rooners. It is incredibly demotivational for a child to be trying their best, to be working so much harder then their classmates, and not be acheiving very much. A diagnosis is an explanation, rather then a label.

MrsBazinga · 29/11/2013 18:09

I think that having an assessment done will help pin point his specific areas of difficulty, and he can then be supported with strategies tailored to whatever his exact needs are. 'Dyslexia' in itself can cover a whole spectrum of learning needs, and it can only be a positive to know exactly which aspects of learning he struggles with.

How you go about getting an assessment done, through school or privately is a whole other matter. And how on board school will be varies hugely, but I don't think you need to worry about labelling. I think it can actually be very empowering.

openerofjars · 29/11/2013 18:15

My experience is in teaching adults with dyslexia, not children, but looking beyond compulsory education, I think it'd be much harder for your DS to get a diagnosis after leaving school. Also, at present university students with dyslexia can be eligible for Disabled Students' Allowance, which they can really only access if they have been diagnosed with dyslexia by a qualified Educational Psychologist. But this of course could change a lot in the next few years.

helzapoppin2 · 29/11/2013 18:29

My DS now in his twenties was diagnosed with dyslexia when very young, but is very literate and has always loved reading and creative writing. Later he was diagnosed with ADD. I hate these labels, they must be a real burden to live with. Unless it's really severe I'm not sure if they help or hinder later on. I think of all those without dyslexia who never bother to read or write anything!

Original poster
teta · 30/11/2013 12:33

Thank you all.This information has been incredibly useful.There seems to be some very compelling reasons why a diagnosis would be advantageous.I do think he will probably be on the mild side though.I would like to explain to him why certain things are so difficult for him compared to his brothers and sisters.

OP posts:
Periwinkle007 · 30/11/2013 20:37

there are so many things that can be affected by dyslexia, maths, maths problems, comprehension, foreign languages, spelling and so on. We are trying to get my daughter diagnosed at the moment and looking back I am pretty certain that I am dyslexic but was never diagnosed. I think it is definitely worth knowing if a child is dyslexic. It doesn't necessarily change the fact that they will need to learn a way to do things anyway but it will mean that certain techniques could be tried which are proven to work for dyslexics.

NynaevesSister · 01/12/2013 13:38

We have been down this route. We too thought that if diagnosed it would just be mild.

They didn't assess for dyslexia as such. Instead the school undertook really in depth assessments. Hours worth of them but spread out over a week so he wasn't overwhelmed.

Turns out that actually it was pretty bad. Enough that we are now looking at a statement. It was in fact how bright he really is that was the problem. This was masking it.

The assessment was amazing, it was like I was actually reading my son. I'll be very grateful to the school for doing this for many years to come.

The assessment also meant they can target exactly the areas that are holding my son back.

In half a term he went up two sub levels in reading! Before this he only managed one sub level A YEAR.

NynaevesSister · 01/12/2013 13:40

Also the boost in confidence for my son has been immeasurable. He might still be at the bottom of the class in everything but he knows it isn't because he is dumb. But because he learns differently.

Daykin · 01/12/2013 13:47

I was diagnosed quite late and it was a real lightbulb moment. I found it quite empowering to realise that the reason I saw things differently was because of dyslexia and not just general stupidity. I knew I was slow but i didn't know things like when other people copied a word from the board they didn't have to do it a letter at a time, I didn't know that other people's reading out loud was more confident than mine because the words stayed still on the paper from them. I genuinely thought other people saw the same way that I did and when I realised that they didn't then I could understand it. I don't see the point in struggling on and not knowing the reason why.

Bunbaker · 01/12/2013 13:55

My experience is that the children I know who have been diagnosed with dyslexia have all received the extra help they needed, which wouldn't have been available without the diagnosis. Don't worry about labels, just focus on getting the right help for your child.

ILoveRacnoss · 01/12/2013 15:11

As a teacher I'd wholeheartedly support diagnosis. I've seen pupils visibly grow in confidence once they knew why they found some things harder than others.

The 'label' helps because it means they know that they are not 'stupid', it's not their 'fault', it's not lack of effort, or any other alternative explanation.

They also are happy to use their 'label' to explain if anyone does ask why they have a different spelling mat, that's printed on different coloured paper, or in a different font.

I need glasses to help me see because I'm long-sighted. It's no different to Bob needing a blue overlay to help him read because he's dyslexic or Jane needing a specially-shaped pen because she's dyspraxic.

NynaevesSister · 01/12/2013 15:40

Just to be clear here that the coloured overlays have nothing to do with dyslexia. That is for Irlens syndrome, and while you can have both Irlens and Dyslexia you can also have Irlens and not be dyslexic.

Your primary should keep a box of tools, ideally for each class, which commonly get referred to as the dyslexia box. But it should also contain coloured overlays. He can try some of these and see if it helps. Irlens is where, to the reader letters appear to move, or fizz, or blur, or disappear, or a mix of those. It sounds daft but if that's the case then coloured transparency costing a quid will solve the problem.

NynaevesSister · 01/12/2013 15:41

Just to be clear here that the coloured overlays have nothing to do with dyslexia. That is for Irlens syndrome, and while you can have both Irlens and Dyslexia you can also have Irlens and not be dyslexic.

Your primary should keep a box of tools, ideally for each class, which commonly get referred to as the dyslexia box. But it should also contain coloured overlays. He can try some of these and see if it helps. Irlens is where, to the reader letters appear to move, or fizz, or blur, or disappear, or a mix of those. It sounds daft but if that's the case then coloured transparency costing a quid will solve the problem.

MothershipG · 01/12/2013 15:46

Label schmabel! If my DS had not had his condition recognised he would still think he was just stupid and his self confidence would be in his boots and he wouldn't have had any support or be given extra time for exams etc. etc!

I really don't understand why anyone would want to deny a child the support they need? As Ilove says would you refuse a child glasses if they needed them? What's the difference?

Periwinkle007 · 01/12/2013 21:02

NynaevesSister - we suspect our daughter is a compensating/hidden/stealth dyslexic who has learned to read purely by luck more than anything else but it is a battle to get it noticed because at the moment she is ahead of where she ought to be for her age but I know things aren't adding up right and can see the signs. It is brilliant the school did all the right tests for your son, I have finally persuaded them to do a screening test of some sort at some time but I have no idea what it involves so am not sure whether it is likely to show up or if it is possible that she could 'compensate' during the screening. will have to wait and see.