How do you get an assessment for dyslexia?

[Torrorosso]

We suspect dd, 16, might have mild dyslexia. There has been constant feedback from teachers that her written work isn't checked well enough (and they may be right), but also we've realised she does muddle the order of letters and numbers, and doesn't spot mistakes even when she does read her work back.

How would we go about getting an assessment and how long does the process take? We are in Wales if that makes any difference.

Thanks for any advice

You would need an educational psychology assessment. X

Or go to Dyslexia Action (charity) and ask for an assesment, you have to pay but much cheaper that an educ psyc.

Have youspekn to the shcools SENCO?

Dyslexia Action is very expensive!

You can use a PATOSS registered teacher for half the price. It is the same test.

We took my son to dyslexia action in cardiff. OK it was expensive, but I knew that the council and subsequently the school would take the report seriously and that to me was worth every penny....what I didn't count on was the HUGE improvement son made once he'd been officially diagnosed. He positively skipped out of the centre singing "I'm not stupid, I'm not stupid" He went from a reading age of 7 (at age 9) to a reading age of 15 at age 11. He's a member of mensa, has already passed his maths gcse exam and is up level 7 for everything important at comp in year 8.

It's the best £400 I've ever spent!

That is a great story, trooper. I had a similar experience with my son. Always worth getting tested in my opinion.

get an assessment from a PATOSS registered assessor. www.patoss-dyslexia.org/SupportAdvice/TutorAssessorIndex/

I paid for my two to be assessed. It had made a big difference psychologically to DS1 as he was starting to call himself stupid.

I've just sent my son for a dyslexia assessment which wasn't cheap but well worth it to get him the right help in school. Definitley get your child assessed if you can. Unfortunately it isn't covered by the NHS and getting a school to fund it is difficult.

A petition has been set up to try to get this changed, need as many people to sign as possible so many others don't have to go through what families do currently:

www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/secretary-of-state-for-education-and-secretary-of-state-for-health-make-dyslexia-diagnosis-easier-for-children-to-get?share_id=PcElAuEZkI&utm_campaign=friend_inviter_chat&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=share_petition&utm_term=permissions_dialog_false

Trooperlooperdo, what kind of support did your receive? My son is 8 years old and we had him tested for dyxlexia on Saturday. They think he might have mild dyslexia however, they think he has dysbraxia and I now need a referral from my GP to get him tested.

I would be interested to know whether your son was in a private school and received additional assistance. I just don't know where to start and any advice would be much appreciated.

I am in the process of getting my son a tutor, a teacher. Although, I wonder whether I need a tutor who is trained to work with children who have dyslexia and dysbraxia!

Many thanks for advice.

Hi Chapter
I also have dyslexic sons. You would be best off getting him a tutor that is trained in dyslexia teaching. Try the PATOSS website for a list of tutors. My sons are in state schools and they are rubbish at helping them.
A really good thing to help dyslexic kids to learn to spell and read is this www.wordshark.co.uk/wordshark/wordshark-home-use.aspx I've found that doing it is better and cheaper than getting a tutor.

Hi Chapter, my son is in state school. Last year he had 2x 25minute additional quick lessons per week (one spelling and one handwriting) during registration time and one lesson a week of accellerated literacy. I also took him out of school once a week (timed so that he'd miss non important lessons) for a specialist dyslexia lesson in Cardiff. At £33.50 a week this was not cheap, however it have me the shove to get qualified myself; I am a secondary school teacher and have an MSc in special needs education, so it was easier for me to grasp the specific techniques and glean tips and learn what to do. This year I've purchased an ipad with the savings from not paying the now £35 per week for lessons, downloaded some excellent spelling, grammar, memory and comprehension apps and I teach him myself for an hour every week. Twice a week we also learn spellings using the ipad which is MUCH more interesting for him than just writing spellings down on a piece of paper, plus it also means I'm not having to decipher his handwriting.

What I have found to be VERY useful is teaching him to touch type. Typing creates muscle memory which can aid in learning the spellings of words they struggle with

Trooperlooper - would you mind posting the names of the apps you are using. Also very interested how you are doing spellings on the ipad. Many thanks

PATOSS hold a list of tutors and assessors most local to you. Assessments cost approximately £350 and are rather more detailed and thorough than the broad assessments carried out by an Ed. Psych. They go into far more detail in terms of phonic knowledge, letter strings/ families to be learned, etc.

Schools normally do a screening test that highlight possible indicators. Other signs to look for include poor short term memory, difficulty remembering telephone numbers, times tables, appointments and difficulty with orientation, left from right, map reading. Diagnosis is extremely worth while for self esteem.....not sure will have a huge impact on educational teaching, apart from exam considerations.
hope that helps

i work with children with dyslexia to would also love to hear any recommendations :)

Anyone know if it's possible to have all of the above signs of dyslexia, i.e. poor short term memory, difficulty remembering telephone numbers, times tables, appointments and difficulty with orientation, left from right, map reading and still be a remarkably quick reader?

It's just that that list describes DS to a T, and his teachers are constantly a bit bemused by the difference between what he apparently understands and the mess he presents them with on paper.

feel awfull reading this my sons both need testing and i will never be able afford to pay for them both :(

Irrespective of being tested, there's plenty that can be done to help with the remediation of both spelling and / or reading. Valiant1, don't despair - what are your DCs' difficulties (as noticed by you and by their teachers)?

my oldest is two years above his reading and three years below his writing and spelling its legible and he got average in his sat tests but high school have taken him from assembly's for extra tuition till January then see how he is youngest is struggling his writing isn't legible at all spelling is as he says it and his speech is not great, but speech therapy say they have done all they can have asked school to give him a triangle pencil their reply was that won't stop him writing backwards and are adamant its his speech. The teacher is very quietly spoken and users hearing aids which doesn't help I don't know what to do next

Valiant Contact Parent Partnership at your local council for advice. Good luck. It is outrageous how some schools don't know anything about dyslexia.

I'd second aciddrops' suggestion

thank you will speak to the lady I know who works there never thought of them and just to add the head teacher is specially trained to deal with children with disabilities if is like Mr bean though and let's the witch of a deputy Mrs Trunchball take over everything
sorry had a bad day need some of this and two packets of these .

My 8 year old son is also dyslexic but I couldn't get school to take it seriously. We got some educational psychology advice from educationalpsychologist.co.uk but it didn't include an assessment. We sent the psychologist our concerns and they produced a list of strategies for us to share with his teacher and the SENCO. It was much cheaper than a full assessment and the school took the ideas on board. Result a much happier child who enjoys going to school again.