New dyslexia diagnosis - what now?

[onlyoranges]

We have just found out our dc has dyslexia. I have known for a long time something was going on but finally got the assessment and it makes sense to me now. I wondered for those of you who are further along the journey what I should be doing now. I know school won’t offer anything that doesn’t really benefit them and their SATs results but I would like to know what we are entitled to make the experience of school better. My dcs self esteem has been slipping for a couple of years and in a way I hope this helps? How did you tell your dc (aged 11). Thanks

Hi. I am a Dyslexia specialist. You say you have a diagnosis of Dyslexia. I’m assuming this was after a full diagnostic assessment. If this is so, there should be a comprehensive recommendations section in the report which details the specific help your daughter needs and what support the school should be giving her.

"Hi dc, this report says that you're dyslexic. That's interesting isn't it? Being dyslexic means that you might be better at some things than many other people, it's also probably why you've found x y z tough. This is good news because it will help us find out the best ways for you to learn. Any questions?"

I'd told my daughter that I thought she was dyslexic before the assessment during a MASSIVE meltdown about a spelling test! Those were quite common before her diagnosis! When we got the assessment I was just straight with her and said " you're dyslexic". She was a bit upset at first as she thought there was something wrong with her but we talked a lot about just having a different way of thinking. I told her that if you could see inside peoples brains her friends would have lines of lists in their heads and that inside hers there's an amazing firework display going off , ha ha ! Her diagnosis has actually been a very positive thing for her. Her general ability is very high and yet her dyslexia had made her feel
"really stupid", in her words. I drew a chart of 100 stickmen and asked her to mark where she thought she was with most "stupid" at the bottom and most "clever" at the top. She put herself about 10 from the bottom and I showed her she was actually right up in the top 5. It was like watching a penny drop! She watched lots of stuff on YouTube about very successful dyslexics and interviews with people like Steven Spielberg, Jamie Oliver and Richard Branson who talked about their own dyslexia and experiences of school. Her school have done NOTHING since her diagnosis and we're moving her to an independent school with excellent provision for dyslexic students. However, the diagnosis itself has been hugely beneficial to her. She is so much more chilled out and has got her spark back. She now says that she feels like she's meant to be dyslexic and that it makes her different in a good way, which despite its many challenges, I think it really does! Good luck

I think this is fantastic and how it should be! As the dyslexic Einstein said, If you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will go through life thinking it is stupid!