Should i push for dyslexia assessment?

[Himalaya]

Have a meeting with the SENCO today as part of parents evening.

DS in Year 4 is informally recognised as dyslexic by the school. Has had an IEP, and is under the SENCO.

I think the school are doing quite well by him - small reading/writing groups with specialist TA, Read Write Inc. etc... he also sees a tutor and he is making progress

Last time i saw the SENCO she said there is no point pushing for a diagnosis as there is no money attached to it, and the school would not do anything different from what they are already doing if he was officially diagnosed.

On one hand this seems reasonable, but on the other it feels a bit slapdash. Is it worth going for an assessment, will i have to do it privately? does having an official diagnosis change anything?

No, a dyslexia assessment won't help you. School are doing everything school can do for him - Read, Write, Inc is what will be recommended by the EP.

However, luckily there's lots you can do.

1. Digestive system.

He could have 'leaky gut' which is causing memory issues and slow processing.
Read the GAPS diet. I seriously recommend going gluten free - it has made a huge difference to my DD.

2. Auditory problems.

He almost certainly has auditory problems. Not hearing problems which an audiologist will pick up, but other more subtle stuff.

Do the GIBSON Test for a quick cheap simple auditory test.

If he fails the auditory processing part of the test I have loads of recommendations. (PM me the results if you want)

3. Vision problems

He might have vision problems. Again not stuff an optician will pick up, but stuff a behaviour optometrist will.

4. Neuro Development Problems.

He probably has retained reflexes which can also be cured.

I've written all of this up a bit more fully here

Himalaya

Developmental Dyslexia is a man made problem, about having cognitive difficulties using a man made communication system, the visual notation of speech. There are three cognitive subtypes of dyslexia auditory, visual, and attentional. Which means that an auditory processing disorder, a visual processing disorder, an attention disorder, or any combination of these issues can cause the dyslexic symptom. The age of maturation is 7/8 years of age by which time nearly all developmental issues will not be grown out of, and the issues become a clinically diagnosable cognitive life long disability.
So you will probably require a GP referral to one of the specialists who are able to assess and diagnose which ever cognitive deficits your DS may have as the underlying cause of his dyslexic symptom.
Most of the underlying causes of developmental dyslexia have genetic origin, so there may be some family history of the possible underlying causes, which may also provide some insight as to how your DS may be best be able to cope with his issues. There are no known cures for these underlying conditions, although there can be some forms of help and support.
You could have a look at the CiteULike Developmental Dyslexia Research paper collection
My own online Dyslexia related research paper collections at PubMed
and may be my new links list which i call my Key References which explain the various types of dyslexia (developmental and acquired), the reading processes, and some of the issues which can cause the dyslexic symptom