Foundation year DS struggling - is assessment sensible?

[PhilomenaCunk]

My 5yo DS is struggling in Foundation. His teacher says that he is struggling to remember his letter names, sounds and numbers. This is true. He cannot sight read any of the tricky words - we learn them then turn the page and they've gone again. Phonics is a nightmare, as he finds it very hard to retain even the basic ones, let alone the digraphs etc.

His teacher, who is great, says she is a little concerned as in other respects DS is articulate, keen, knows lots of facts (and can retain them and bore people with them ). He loves school but is starting to notice that the other children are finding things a lot easier than him.

I have dyspraxia. My brother has dyslexia. I don't WANT a diagnosis but I don't want to wait until DS is behind before he gets help if that's what he needs. Is there any point in getting an ed psyche assessment now or should I hold off?

Yes. DN is eight and has been diagnosed with discalculia. Would have been much easier if this had been done been done years ago. Early intervention makes all the difference

I don't think you will find a SEN teacher or Ed Psych who would give a diagnosis that young but with a similar family history I strongly suspected my DD was dyslexic. We didn't actually get her formally diagnosed until Year 5 but in the meantime I agreed with her teachers /SEN teacher that she did need help with alternative teaching styles and in Year 1 we implemented a scheme of intensive intervention (most of it done at home). The SEN teacher argued that whether or not she was dyslexic the intervention at that stage was the same. She is really grateful we did that now and still uses the tools she was given .

Thanks, both. I'll have a chat with my son's teacher. She seems very 'on it', so at least that's one thing less to worry about. I might post on special needs board too as I'm interested to know what sort of assessment gets done if they're too young to be expected to really read yet.

Hi, I am in a similar position with my daughter in Reception Class. She is an August child so the youngest in the year, but as with your son, the gap between my DD and the rest of the class is noticeably widening. Part of me is worried as she does fit alot of the signs of dyslexia but the other part is brushing it off as she is young and will find her feet. She has a younger sister who is 3 and rapidly catching her up. I know my post doesn't help but reassuring to know you are not alone.

we were exactly in the same place three years ago with our DS, both 31 July. An Educational Psyc concluded at age six that he was "at risk for dyslexia". For a few years we watched and hoped and tried everything the school suggested to support him.

I sooooo wish I had seen this video back then.

We started work on reflexes, vestibular and proprioceptive movements along with Omega3 about two months ago. DS' teacher is amazed at his progress, and so are we. We'll do vision therapy once primitive reflexes have been integrated as he has some convergence issues (also VERY common in "dyslexic" children.) I only wish we had started a few years ago!

Thanks. Nutty, I can't see that link on my phone but will look at it on the laptop later. I've requested a meeting with his teacher and I've been researching local ed psychs who might be able to do an initial assessment.

I'm also starting him on omega 3. And we'll try some of the multi sensory learning.

He's also been saying that the whiteboard is fuzzy so we'd had his eyes tested but nothing wrong so I might see if his teacher can suggest something.

Hi Elise, sorry to hear your facing the same thing. And it does help to know we're not the only ones. It feels like every other child I see is reading fluently, doing algebra and writing their first novel.