Finally got a diagnosis of dyslexia at 10yo. What can we do with it?

[Rooners]

Hi all,

reposting on advice from the SN education board, which is quite quiet - I hope someone can advise.

Finally had ds1 privately assessed and he's 10 and a half.

He was assessed at 6 by the same person who said dyslexia or immaturity and we didn't get a report. School wasn't remotely interested.

Ds continued having issues though performance being pretty average he didn't get any help.

I asked and asked
He failed his 11 plus
finally school senco took it on to test him again and got in the specialist last month who did a prelim test showing an IQ in the top 3-5%

Today he has had a full private assessment again with her and he is dyslexic, though has some pretty good coping strategies it seems - a lot of it has been addressed, somehow, so he has caught up a bit - also borderline dyspraxia and borderline auditory memory weakness.

Slow information processing and clerical function etc

Is school going to be willing to listen to me now? How can we best use this to appeal for a secondary grammar place? and most importantly, how can I make him feel better about himself, because he has been waiting years for a diagnosis - he asks me all the time - and I am grateful that at last it isn't just my fault he has some trouble with stuff (as my family have always said). sad

I just want to help him, and I have spent too many years frustrated at him, and him at himself, and where do we even begin to make things better?

Oh smashing! I will show him asap.

Thankyou, have told his teacher and HT and HT says he will tell the Senco tomorrow when she is in.

Not sure what they can or will do for him, but I feel like they ought to be apologising really for ignoring his needs for 4 years.

It does make me sad for him.

we got to Steve Jobs and ds is ON the FLOOR

Yes, I intend to read up - we have a new HT thank goodness and he is on the ball about a lot of things...I have some hope at last.

I feel so much easier about it knowing we have a dx tbh. I think ds does too.

I hope you dont mind me butting in but im really needing any advice you guys have. My 9yo son is struggling at school. Ive spoken to the senco at school who has had someone in from another school to see him. They say he has mild learning difficulties and auditory memory problems. Hes currently working on a year 1 level with reading and writing. Im pushing for him to be assessed for dyslexia as i think this could be the reasons for his problems. The school does not seem to be that fussed about getting a diagnosis.

Since being back at school after xmas (2days) my sons behaviour at home has been awefull. He says he feels stuipd he cant do the work his peers are doing. He gets so angry with himself he has started smashing up his room then braking down in tears. He really is not stupid hes very clever he just cant put pen to paper and gets so stressed about talking in a group hes physically ill.

i dont know where to turn next. Ive tried talking to the school on numerous occasions and reassure and praise my son constantly.

any advice welcome please

Kezza your poor poor boy

It is good if the school has got someone in to assess him.

But he needs more help.

Ring the BDA and ask their advice, I think that's all I can suggest - we were lucky to know the person who specialises in Dyslexia, and to be able to pay her for a formal assessment but even so, I'm not sure what our school actually will do.

If you click on the link Polter posted, you can go to the home page and ring them. Meanwhile just reassure him that he is very clever and you're doing all you can to get him some help.

And request a meeting with the Senco, his class teacher and if poss the HT - you want a plan for what they are going to do to help him.

He will need some one on one sessions out of class, I imagine, to give him a bit of time to catch up and work on the more difficult issues.

You may find you can get funding for a teacher outside school, as well - maybe a Saturday morning or something.

You do need to pursue it through the school though. the BDA will know what to do.

Thanks im new mums net so will try and set up a new thread soon.

He has been seen by senco no psych assessment that i know of. He gets extra one to one reading time outside of the class room and works mainly with the class ta as his work is different to the rest of the class. While im glad for the extra help hes getting at the moment it seems to be making him feel more excluded from the class and feel worse about himself.

I have brought him some books by henry winkler (aka the fonz) called the worlds greatest underachiever. He is dyslexic and my son finds them histerical as he says this is how he is at school.

The school gave him coloured plastic sheets to put on his reading books but thats all im aware of. Is it worth me trying the drs for help with a diagnosis or does it have to be done through school?

Thank you all for your advice and kind words. I wish i could do more for him and often wonder if its my fault

Thanks for all your advice.

i will be going into school tomorrow to see senco, see what they say.

I will also be making notes to take with me so i dont forget to mention anything important.

wish me luck x

I will start one when i get back from school. [Smile]

I too don't know who to appeal about the grammar school placement. However, speaking as a dyslexic who went to a top grammar school many many moons ago, I would be very very cautious about sending a dyslexic child to grammar school.

I left it feeling very very insecure about myself and my academic abilities as I found it very hard to keep up and keep my dyslexia under control. Grammar schools expect an awful lot from children and it could make his feelings about himself a lot worse.

It is far more important to get the right secondary school which can properly support his dyslexia. If the grammar school can support his SEN, then go for it. But could it? Every single subject could be impacted by his dyslexia - and the school would have to support this.

Auditory processing, memory problems and dyspraxia often go hand-in-hand with dyslexia. Together it can make a complex mix of needs for the child.

Dyslexia is often categorised as "mild" "moderate" or "severe". Do you know which one he is?

Two of my DC are severely dyslexic. One only got a dx at 17 and was totally unsupported throughout secondary school (pre-internet days so I didn't know what to do). My youngest has a hard-fought Statement and is in a tiny indie ss which specialises in dyslexia. Now that he is being taught by specialists, the difference in his mental well-being is incredible.

Keep telling your child that being dyslexic has nothing to do with intellect. As a very mature adult, I ended with with a masters degree in history from Cambridge and have spent my entire career working with computers/technology. I know many dyslexics who have had a successful career working in IT.

Good luck!

O/P - Your son sounds 'twice exceptional', IQ in the gifted range with learning difficulties. Maybe contact a charity for gifted children, sorry, I can't remember what they are called right now but google will come up with their website. They specialise in twice exceptional children.

Did the expert who assessed him offer recommendations as to what type of school is best suited to his needs? A nurturing environment is high on that list. I wouldn't go down the grammar school route, but that's just personal.

Kezza - my GP was extremely unhelpful and said that it was an educational matter and not medical so adviced me to go back to the school. I am glad I did not follow her advice. If your child is working at year 1 level yet he is 9 years old, then his dyslexia is significant. Actually, what did the school mean with mild learning difficulties? Please have his hearing (listening) checked.

All the best.

What I meant to say is that a GP can make referral for dyslexia. Please google about dysgraphia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia as these are all co-morbidities.

In the UK, a GP can't refer for dyslexia, as it's not recognised as being a disease and so there's no-one 'medical' specialising in it or testing for it. Same for dysgraphia and dyscalculia unfortunately. The right professional is an 'educational' psychologist, so working privately or linked to school.

Dyspraxia is a bit different because it affects motor function, and dealing with it overlaps into physiotherapy and occupational therapy. They would usually suspect, flag up concerns, then get a paediatrician to confirm it.

General mild-moderate learning disabilities affect everything so a paediatrician will often diagnose them. Autism and ADHD are assessed by child psychiatry and 'clinical'(ie NHS) psychology in some areas. In other places they're dealt with by 'community child health' specialist doctors, or by a neurodevelopmental paediatrician. Occasionally some facets of dyslexia (like auditory or visual processing) are dealt with by an eye or ear specialist, but that's very rare. A hearing test is often asked for anyway.

For all of the medical-type conditions, 'multidisciplinary assessment' is considered ideal, ie Dr, therapies (physio, OT,speech), plus maybe a psychologist and/or education worker.

Thank you Mariastillchristmas. When I have a moment I will go through my notes and see where I got the info of a GP being able to refer for dyslexia. At the time it upset me thinking why on earth my GP didn't do the referral. She also didn't refer for dyspraxia. All the assessments were done privately. And now that we have the statement with specialist school; we are still finding out more issues my child has. Which went undetected by all these different experts - in the UK.

For any parent on here who is finding out their child is dyslexic, including OP and kezza; please read this book 'Overcoming Dyslexia' by Dr Sally Shaywitz .... It is one of the best books on dyslexia and can save you tons of time

All the best