Anyone knowledgable about dyslexia? Alongside asd

[purplerainbow]

Ds1 is 9 and has asd, anxiety, and can be very oppositional due to his need for control. When he was younger I noticed he would sometimes read words back words and some letters he would write backwards and was told normal for that age. A few months ago we finally had an assessment from OT which was very eye opening. It showed a weakness in his right hand. He is right handed, writing is appalling and can hardly ever get him to write. He can't hold pen/pencil 'correctly' and puts too much pressure resulting in arm ache. Anyway, he brought some written homework back home (can hardly ever get him to do it normally) and I noticed he had written words incorrectly. Eg for warm he had written 'wraw' and I noticed a lot of b and d the wrong way and random capitals in the writing. On the assessment on 4 pieces of paper he wrote his name and each one he wrote it differently, eg 2 s when there is only 1 s. He also put a 4 instead of an h etc. OT said he has I think it was processing disorder?

When doing maths he was putting letters sometimes instead of numbers. I asked the head about dyslexia expecting to get dismissed and she said 'oh he would def score on it. He would have spikes.' I think she meant he wouldn't be bad enough to get diagnosis? Can you just be 'abit' dyslexic??

Any advice would be fab.

Also wanted to add he can't tell the time properly. He says the numbers move. His reading is great though....

My daughter has ASD and is Dyslexic. She has been properly assessed and has the appropriate support written into her statement.

She also has hyper mobility in her finger joints and wrists which affects for how long she writes, how much she presses on the paper and how she actually creates the letter.

I would have him formally assessed. Look for recommendations of Dyslexia specialists in your local region. Teachers are not qualified to diagnose Dyslexia so if she has highlighted the issue I would follow it through with a specialist.

Is that something I would have to pay for? Head said they can test for it in school but sounds very basic? Doing things with beads?!? OT has been great and said she will mention it to school to get assessment as she said she is not able to diagnose that which is fair enough.

Sorry, are there other signs of hyper mobility? Ds is clumsy and often bangs into door frames, stubs foot, drops things etc etc but OT said it was his special awareness

My dd9 was diagnosed with moderate dyslexia last year. The ep told us there is a spectrum. Her reading is good but her handwriting is def not. Literacy homework takes ages. Not helpful I know, but just having the ep assessment was useful . She can't tell the time on an analogue clock, but can on the tv and pc and phone (digital) Words move about on thepage without her tinted glasses. Hope you get the help you need

Her assessment was over a number of weeks by the ep who works for the group of schools. Didn't have to pay

Is that educational physciAtrist?

If you have assessment via the school you shouldn't have to pay. If you source an independent EP then it will incur a cost.

Hyper mobility is very lax joints. It be generally viewed as something in nothing but it can be quite debilitating for people because of the fatigue involved. An Occupational therapist diagnosed DD again, if you suspect it then ask for a referral to OT via your GP. OT can work with the child and show them strategies and equipment that can help make the tasks easier.
Check out here for information: www.hypermobility.org/help-advice/

The way the head described the year they do seems very basic. So are there variants of tests? Will it be thorough enough?

A proper assessment of any disorder or condition is usually very thorough using accepted tests and practises. Once the proper tests are conducted then the results are analysed and finalised. Check out here for more information: [http://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/parent/frequently-asked-questions]

Fab thank you. It was just the head mentioned a tear one of the TAs would do... Yet OT said the educational physiologist does it?

I just don't want the school fobbing me off as they have done with non help with the asd that's all and I have no experience of dyslexia or what a child should or shouldn't have for a proper diagnosis (or non diagnosis).

It sounds like you need to be aware of the process and procedures that exist to support children within school and the duties/responsibilities of relevant parties. Check out IPSEA, SOSSEN and the local website for your county council for their take on things. (They all differ!)

A TA is not trained or licensed to conduct a Dyslexia assessment. The OT is correct in that the EP does it. They are the qualified experts and it's their report that would stand up in a tribunal if required, not a report from a TA.

Arm yourself with all the information, it's really important that you know your child's rights before being led down a path over a long period of time then realise your child's needs are not being met, should they have those needs.

The test that the TA would do might just be a screening test to see if it's likely that your DS has dyslexia, in which case it would then be followed up by a proper diagnostic test by the Ed Psych.

My DS has recently had the Lucid Rapid Screening Test at school (although done by the SENCO, not a TA) and it showed a moderate risk of dyslexia so he's now on he waiting list to be properly assessed by the Ed Psych.

If I was you, I'd ask the head to clarify which test they're talking about as it doesn't sound as though you've been given very clear information.

Thanks guys. He is in year 5 and I have had problems from foundation stage. They've only just agreed to apply for EHCP, I begged for years but they always said they can cope with him and he wouldn't qualify getting one. He is now partially a school refuser and has dropped down a lot this school year, was always academically a year ahead. So I said I knew parents can apply for EHCP so they do it or I will. So reluctantly they are but they say he probably won't get it. I appreciate that but I want to at least try!

So the screening you are talking about, I guess this is what I'm asking, if ds WAS dyslexic, can you get 'mildly' dyslexic? Or is it you either are or you aren't?

Yes, there are different severities of dyslexia, and it affects different people in different ways.

Have the school actually done anything following agreement? Do you trust them to? DS2's school wouldn't - they would try and fob me off and delay.

Make sure the application actually goes in. It is best to do it yourself to keep control of the deadline even if your school independently decide to apply.

You should expect that you will be turned down for EHCP. This is standard practice and does not mean that he does not need one. The LA will need evidence that the school is doing all it could. You will need to provide evidence of impact on accessing the curriculum and lack of expected progress either social/communication or academic or most probably both.

But, importantly, you will have the right of Appeal against Refusal. You don't have this unless you actually apply for Assessment.

After refusal the LA may send in an EP to carry out assessment. They will probably not do this until you lodge an Appeal against Refusal to Assess. But once you do they will want the EP to carry out assessment to provide evidence for their legal defence of Refusal.

The LA will probably instruct the EP to only do observation. Don't let them. In your Reasons for Appeal express your concerns about dyslexia and possible gap between ability and attainment, working memory and processing speed. Specifically say that these need assessment . The LA EP will want to do these tests rather than an indi EP in order to maintain control over suggested (i.e. within school remit) intervention.

I did not put in an application for DS1 until the summer term of year 5 but this was too late. He had an indi EP report diagnosing dyslexia but he didn't have an ASD diagnosis at that point. He failed secondary transition to local mainstream and was placed in indi OOC specialist school following tribunal.

Sorry to sound bossy but things can go 'wrong' really quickly - far faster than the LA system works once you factor in all the obviously avoidable delay.

As far as I'm aware nothing has been done since I mentioned dyslexia last month. He attendance board were there last wed 'observing' him due to his school refusal of late. Although he has been in the last 2 weeks all the time just late a few days. They Are 'awaiting paperwork' is all I get from the school. I have a meeting of Friday at school wih Camhs, and the asd co ordinator regarding r wether therapy is appropriate at the moment as he is having drama therapy. Although the drama therapy ends in 6 weeks anyway!! It's so frustrating and coping with his meltdowns get harder as he gets stronger and older and in October I have to Apple his secondary school. The school tell me he has more help than anyone else in the school. He has anger management once a week ( had this for a year) he has 'thrive' a nutute type thing. He doesn't have an ina, it's a large school. He has lunch breaks inside due to his behaviour outside (he gets aggressive and hyper outside, doesn't like people in his space and has big issues with games and rule going his way. I feel like I'm failing him at the moment. I have just bought 2 books that were recommended on here to try to wade through.

What transition plans have the school put in place?

DS1 was very difficult to get into school whilst at primary but never attended secondary, despite visiting. Just point blank could not be persuaded to go. The SENCO said physically dragging him would be counter-productive and so we never had to deal with attendance. His GP signed him off and he had LA EOTAS provision of 5 hours a week until the hearing in May. He was at home for 9 months.

This should obviouslybe avoided. DS1 is out of school again and has been for the last year.

'Failure' or overload is the ultimate evidence that DC can't access the curriculum but it costs the child and the whole family a great deal.

Do you mean transition to secondary? He doesn't go until next year. I don't know what they do transition wise as haven't been told yet but I know there are certain things they do. I'm trying not to think about that at the moment to be honest, trying to make sure he's in primary as much as poss! Today was hard going, he wanted to go in but was crying as all his clothes were irritating him. Not a new thing. Got him in eventually

Yes - transition to secondary. ime you really need to think ahead at the moment. Sorry.

In my LA things have now changed but where I used to live, DS with a statement/EHCP got secondary placement sorted out during year 5 - they went 'first' and didn't have to follow the whole 'name 4 schools and wait to hear'. Parents visited m/s schools to select the best fit for their DC despite not being catchment/poor eligibility criteria. Then having chosen, there would be plenty of time in year 6 for a bespoke transition plan. Transition assumes knowing which school the child is transitioning to.

This is more of an ASD thing than a dyslexia thing iykwim.

It's not what the school usually do but what they are doing for your DS.

Does DS have SPD? DS1 had assessment by a sensory integration OT. He has major tactile sensitivity - not the only one - hence seamless socks. Google therapressure.

I agred you do need to think ahead, I applied for a statement in the January of year 5 and it took 18 months so was in the nick of time for starting secondary school. If you want a place in specialist units (ASD or dyslexia) in mainstream schools here the application has to be made summer term of year 5. My DD who is dyslexic but no other SNs is in Year 5 now, I won't be applying for EHCP for her anytime soon but I am looking in detail at what provision our local secondary schools can make for her as the application date cones round quickly.

Iv begged for statement for years. So it's not for the want of trying. They say they are now applying, but all I have done is 'aspirations' form at the beginning. So I AM thinking about it, I have been for years.

He hasbt been officially diagnosed with spd but it is him to a T.

Sorry, I didn't mean to imply you weren't thinking about it at all, that was badly worded, especially as I was in the same boat, thought about it and asked at school for many years before doing it myself in year 5. What I mean is that time really is of the essence now, so give the school a short deadline to get the application in (maybe another week), then if it doesn't happen, take control and do it yourself. In the meantime start seriously investigating secondary school options, make appointments to see SENCOs and start making a shortlist. Once you get past the Easter holidays in year 5 time starts whizzing towards the secondary application deadline day.