Dyslexia diagnosis at 16 - worth it?

[Strugglingtodomybest]

My DS, who has just started at college, was "diagnosed" as dyslexic at secondary school. He had extra time in exams and was offered a scribe or a laptop (both of which he turned down, sigh).

Can anyone advise me whether or not it is worth me paying now for a proper/official diagnosis?

A formal diagnosis will help if DS wants to attend university. It will also protect him in the workplace.

Posted too soon. A proper assessment will also highlight specific areas of weakness that need support, some of these may not be obvious without formal testing,

Thanks for answering Thatsnotmycar. I'll start looking into for him then.

Hi,

Yes please do!!!

I wasn't diagnosed with dyslexia until I was at uni and it honestly really effected me. I it also highlighted dyspraxia too.... over 15 years later and only now I am understanding how it effects me 😉 so please do the more support, understanding the better

That's interesting sof0301, as I said to DH yesterday that I suspect there may be more than dsylexia going on!

There is a strong link between dyslexia and dyspraxia/developmental co-ordination disorder. And it's not just about balance either honestly if I give people the dyspraxia leaflet they are like ohh this is you.

My son (10) has just been diagnosed with severe dyslexia, dyscalculia and developmental co-ordination disorder... I'm glad I pushed for him as its often hidden. Most people tend to mask and hide needs and then become overwhelmed.

I'm back. I got the full diagnostic dyslexia test done (£400!) and let his college know (he's in year 12) so that he can get extra time etc and this is what I have had back:

Unfortunately, we are now unable to offer an appointment as we use the same battery of tests that he has already completed, and to re-test so soon would compromise the integrity of the tests. The other issue we have is we are not allowed to accept external reports to use as evidence – this is a very strict ruling from JCQ, and I have queried this on a few occasions and have always been given the same response “A dyslexia diagnostic assessment cannot be used to award 25% extra time. The test results from the dyslexia diagnostic assessment could not be recorded within Part 2 of Form 8.
To do so would be centre malpractice and a breach of the published JCQ regulations.”
To give more clarity, Form 8s are the forms we have to complete to send to awarding bodies to record processing scores etc – and these can only be completed by assessors appointed by the head of centre, which is why we cannot use an external one.

What the hell is going on??? Can anyone shed any light on this for me?

You can see the JCQ guidance here. The college is right that the diagnostic assessment isn’t enough on it’s own and a Form 8 is needed. It is correct the assessor needs a working relationship with the school, although they don’t necessarily need to be appointed by the centre.

However, they could retest using different tests.

Yes! Definitely!
I didn't get my diagnosis until I was 22 and it helped so much with my finals and my post grad.
I worked it out much earlier (15) but had had so many years of being told I wasn't trying or just made excuses that I didn't sort it as I thought I wouldn't be believed. I look back and just wonder what sort of impact the support would have had on all my earlier education.
I got a laptop with software on to support my needs, meetings with an dyslexia support tutor and additional time in exams. It was so great to get this help.
Can he not get the test funded through school? I don't know how it works for his age.