How do I know if my ds is dyslexic or just not academic

[theITgirl]

DS is stil struggling with his reading & writing. He is in year 2 and they are expecting him to get a 2c at the end of this year.
Now I know this is not exactly bad, but both DH & I feel he is brighter than that.
BTW DS has absolutely no idea we are concerned.

Some background
Teachers etc say his general knowledge is excellent.
Demographics of the (state) school intake means that most children get at least a 2a.
He is very very long-sighted, which was picked up last year and he now wears glasses. So he really struggled at the beginning.
Though he was taught to read using Jolly Phonics, both DH & 1 believe he reads by recognising whole words rather than sounding them out.
He also does get phased by loud noises, but not nearly as badly as he used to.

If he is not academic that is not a problem, it is that I already feel so guilty for not picking up on the eyesight earlier, I am determined that if it is something like dyslexia I will NOT miss it this time.
Does anyone please have eny idea what I should be watching out for?
Something like a check list so I can see how many boxes he ticks for example.

Yes - This thread has been prompted by the other recent thread, and I am well aware that the chances are he is simply not academic. But if he does need help, I would want it to start in plenty of time.

Thanks for reading this thread and I hope someone can help this neurotic mummy

You're not neurotic. My ds struggled terribly with reading and could NOT get phonetics, yet seemed otherwise bright (well I would think that!)

There is a dyslexia assoc website, strongly recommend you look at it as it has a check list, I spent ages on it but quite frankly he didn't tick a single box. His Y2 teacher wary of using dyslexia label - put him on IEP, extra sessions with TA and loads of phonic practice work at home and general confidence-boosting stuff (eg 'helping' YR and Y1 lower sets - a way of ensuring he got phonics sessions but without being singled out)

It finally began to click end Y2, he's still required support throughout Y3, he's now a thriving Y4 and has well and truly caught up.

Good luck

ITgirl, you may find the information on this web page helpful :-)

www.aowm73.dsl.pipex.com/dyslexics/should_I_have.htm

Thanks for this. I am going to have to go and chat to his teacher about this, get her opinion as well.

If he has had sight problems which were late in being diagnosed this would have caused delay in his reading/writing/ number recognition etc. Also if he is recognising whole words this would usually indicate that he is unlikely to be dyslexic.
Is the predicted 2c for all subjects (reading writing spelling comprehension maths and science) or just for one or two?

I would agree with mrz, dyslexics tend to have a problem with the word recognition side of the brain and use the other side to compensate.
My DS 12 is on the special needs register and SENCO says he is most likely dyslexic , he didn't get reading until he was 7 and in Yr2 when he caught up a lot of children who had been reading fluently in reception.
He does read well but reluctantly, but there is over a level difference between his written work and his comprehension skills. In his Year 6 SATS he was a 4c for writing and 5b for comprehension/reading.

I'm struggling to decide if there is a dyslexic/ dyscalculic issue with my ds2. I think so, teacher doesn't, GP thinks there's a strong possibility.
He's also yr 2 and a very good reader, really good on phonics and verbally excellent but his written work is atrocious, and his maths is very very poor. His predicted sats are 3 for speaking / listening 2a for reading 1 for writing and 1 for maths!!! When I looked at the dyslexia checklist he ticks a lot of the boxes. So I don't know what to do next really.
What are you going to do IT girl?

mrz out of interest why do you say that if a child can read whole words they're unlikely to be dyslexic?

There are 3 areas of the left hand side of the brain associated with reading.
The first one recognises letters, the second one puts sounds together, the third is associated with word recognition. In dyslexics it is usually the word recognition part that doesn't work and they start using the right hand side to compensate.
DS's Senco said the reason Ds can read well is that he was taught jolly phonics.

Year 2 - most ed psychs will not screen for dyslexia until at least 7 as it can be difficult for dyslexia to be diagnosed in young children for cases such as this where perhaps a child has fallen behind due to poor eyesight etc.

The classic signs for dyslexia are wide disparity between reading/spelling ability, written and verbal ability, poor personal organisation, inabaility to recall and carry out simple instructions, poor co-ordination but there are many other "signs" and there is not really a "tick" box list.

I would give him a bit longer to catch up with his peers - remember they learn so fast at this age and are absorbing all the time.

Blueblob in general (although not always which is why I said unlikely rather than definitely not dyslexia) dyslexia involves children missing parts of words when reading also some reversal and right to left scanning.

I do think he may need to catch up especially as he has been handicapped by undiagnosed sight problems. Often once children get glasses they catch up really quickly.

My Gp said he wouldn't refer ds2 until he's passed his 7th b'day.
I guess the reason I'm convinced is that despite have fantastic recall and comprehension of all sorts of things historical and art (he could give you a lecture on Andy Goldsworthy) he can't count, as in what's next, 37,38,?
and I wouldn't even attempt backwards. most numbers are still backwards as are a lot of letters and even though his reading is great and he self corrects he will always read no/on saw/was etc etc
I think the GP was interested in the fact he walked at 9months but didn't crawl at all, had dreadful glue ear, can't ride a bike and my dh is severely dyslexic.
Anyway,.. I'll keep trying, not because I want to give my ds a label because he's a bit thick as posted on the other thread but because I think he's a star who deserves all the help I can give him.