Dsylexia assessment

[ReadingStruggles]

My recently turned 7 year old DD struggles with her reading and having done a bit of googling, there is a chance she might be dyslexic.

I would like to get her assessed privately so that if it is the case, we can get some strategies in place, and if not, we can rule it out.

I've been recommended a couple of places which range from £250 to 500. I'm not sure what i should be looking for. What is reasonable? what qualifications are needed? should i ask the school first? am i being too hasty? She is the third child and her older siblings were much more advanced at this age.

i'm in the west midlands.

thanks

My DD7s school suggested that she might be dyslexic and asked us to take her to a behavioural optometrist. She hasn't had the appointment yet so i don't know what it will be like

What have the school said? Do they agree with you? I’ve always thought one of my DDs was dyslexic, I am, it runs in both mine and DHs families. She was flagged in year 2 but covid hit. She’s in year five now and it’s like a switch has been flicked she is so much better, still behind but a massive progress. We spoke to the school SENCO and they have said they don’t think she’s dyslexic at all.

Ask the school if they can recommend someone if you really want to get her tested.

Some local authorities still assess for dyslexia, mine does. But it is very expensive and takes a big chunk out of my SEND budget! You have to think, do I need a diagnosis or do I need dyslexia friendly support to be put in place?

I second speaking to the SENCO if you haven’t already.

Rather than an assessment by a dyslexia assessor, if you can afford it, I would look at a full ed psych assessment.

Unfortunately, in the current climate with funding and pressure on EP time, it isn’t common for assessments via schools or LAs outwith the EHCNA process unless the difficulties are severe or causing significant disruption.

We used the Helen Arkell Centre in Oxford and as my DC is ‘complicated’ we had to have an ed psych assessment. This was actually really helpful as they recommended an OT assessment, which was completed via the NHS (only a 5 month waiting list at the time in our area) and resulted in a dyspraxia/DCD diagnosis to go alongside the dyslexia.