My nearly 7yo DD still can't read but is otherwise very bright - is she dyslexic?

Mics_chick

My 6yo DD turns 7 at the beginning of next month and she still can't read.

She has shown some progress over the last school year coz she now recognises most letters (lower & upper case) by their sound rather than their name but still struggles with some sounds.

I have always wondered if she is dyslexic coz in other ways she is a bright observant child but the school is quite dismissive about it and it worries me.

Probably coz my older sister was always in the remedial class at school and labelled as "a bit slow" but was diagnosed as dyslexic as an adult and now is an avid novel reader like every other female in the family

I don't think my sister was as bright as my DD is coz she was late developing in lots of other areas which my DD wasn't, but I think she would have had a much easier school-life if she hadn't been in the "thickos" class.

It's just that sometimes I getting really upset thinking that my DD might have a similar school experience as my poor sis

If you have a dyslexic child how old were they when they were diagnosed?
How long did it take and was it an easy process?
Do they get any extra help now?
Most importantly for me, did it affect their confidence or liking for school?

hazybubbles

It is very important if you suspect dyslexia for a child to be assessed as early as possible so they get the support they need. The school should NOT be dismissing this as inevitably as the other children progress in reading as writing and more written tasks are set your daughter will get left behind.
If this happens then of course it will affect her confidence and enjoyment for school as in a way she will be being isolated and marked as different from the other children.

It is very important that she gets her specific difficulties identified before she gets to secondary school, because as so many of the assessments are literacy based or rely on literacy to assess other skills.

Please be insistant with the school. Put your concerns in writing, arrange a meeting with the head teacher if necessary or write to the governers.

alwaysonthego_2

I wouldn't be too worried as some European children don't start learning to read until they are seven and they have better literacy skills than we do.

Possibly could it be related to speech and would she benefit from speech therapy?

Molly41

If you have concerns I would be pushing for dyslexia assessment now. I have always had concerns about my DD now 17 but she was so bright and managed very well until she started her GCSEs. In fact if she had had had support earlier on she might not have had the melt down that she suffered at 15. My DD reading and writing was always way behind her verbal reasoning and we actually had her IQ tested at 15 as I couldnt bear to see her spiralling down and being put in the lower sets. She was getting so bored that her behaviour became really difficult to manage and she started absconding from school. The psychologist also tested her for dyslexia and it became very clear that she was extremely bright but also very dyslexic. I went to The school with this information and we were able to get her into higher functioning classes and she got a reader and use of a word processor. She did really well in her GCSE's. The point is at various points throughout her primary education I had concerns but was fobbed off but my instincts were correct. I just wish i had the courage of my convictions then. After that I had all my children tested for dyslexia and it showed that my DS1 also had some traits and that my two younger boys were borderline and will be retested. I asked around my extended family and my aunt and cousin also have it so there is a familial link. Of course there will be some people who scoff and say it doesnt exist its just an excuse. I never let it be an excuse but it is an explanation and that helps us find strategies for coping with it and overcoming obstacles. The other big issue for my DD is that her organisational abilities are atrocious but thats another story altogether but is also related to being dyslexic. Good luck!

I also want to say it was not an easy process for us and we paid for a private assessment but i do know that the British dyslexia Association have a list of affiliated people who can test. Some SENCOs are not qualified to test/ diagnose.

skypie123_2

My son is Dyspraxic but also has a little bit of everything under the Autistic umbrella. He never met any of his milestones but I wasn't worried. When he started school he was diagnosed. He is bright as a button but won't be doing his school SATs scores any good. I am not bothered about that one bit though.
As Alwatysonthego says they don't even bother starting official schooling in Germany or France until 7 as they are 'allowed' to be children over there and neither nation is known as 'thick' exactly.
Please though, if you are worried ask for assessment but I would say she will be ok. She will get there in her own sweet time. As long as she is happy thats all that really matters. But if you are worried or it is stressing her out then ask for some assessments at school and also via your GP and see if anything comes up
xxxx

Mojisola

The problem with comparing her development to children in some European countries is that they don't expect the children to be reading and our system does. If she falls behind her year group she will end up with the slow learners and, as she is otherwise bright, this will be very detrimental to her.

A thorough dyslexic assessment will test different areas of ability and will show exactly what she is having problems with. This may be more extensive than the tests the school will run. It may be worth paying for an assessment by one of the dyslexia organisations.

kezlou

Hi there:)

Currently in the UK, children cannot be assessed till at least 7yrs old for dyslexia.
My eldest is in Y5 and has been diagnosed with having mild dyslexia but as he can read write and cope with the work to him, he has not been "officially diagnosed".
My eldest was like your daughter and his reading was poor and now at age 9 he's reading adult novels. He's currently reading Lord of The Rings, three years ago he could barely read.
My youngest is 6yrs old quite dyslexic and has learning difficulties but is very intelligent and bright for his age.

So for now, try and relex and see how she goes from now till her next school year. If they is no improvement at all, ask to speak to the dylexia tutor to discuss your DD's needs, we have special needs tutor on site at my children's school 2-4 times a week. At the same time arrange for an appointment to speak to the SENCO officer (special educational needs coordinator officer), that way the special needs tutor and SENCO know about your concerns.

The main thing is try not worry and stress in front of your DD as your feelings could pass onto her.

HIH

vixarooni

When i was a little girl there were story books that had a tape with them of a person reading the story, it really helped to improve my reading and pronounciation of words. It might be worth a try?

Dustykitten

OP my only bit of advise would be go with your gut instint. Mothers tend to be right. Good luck.

One thing a friend took her DD to the optition as she was way behind with reading in Yr1 and 2, she is also youngest in the class being an end of August birthday. They gave her glasses (but she wasn't long or short sighted) to help and she had a tutor at home for an hour a week. She had improved greatly.

alwayspuzzled

I would also advise go with your own instinct. I was lucky to start my schooling at a school who identified my dyslexia and gave me the support I needed at an early age to learn by different methods. I went to the local grammer secondary and never struggled. My little sister however had a completely different experience. New school insisted it was impossible to diagnose till secondary, so mom paid for private assesment and lessons, then secondary insisted that sis not dyslexic "just lazy and below average intellegance", if she asked questions in class they labled her as a trouble maker and they pushed her into the bottom sets where she stagnated and eventually started wagging off and ended up not even sitting her GCSEs. Now shes 28 and although she reads well she still struggles massively with spelling, number streams etc and it deffo effects her everyday life.

jellyhead

I help out in a year 2 class. One girl who has just been diagnosed with dyslexia is having special glasses made, they will have coloured lenses - probably yellow or pink but she can't remember, bless her

Another girl uses a coloured acetate (plastic sheet) to put over whatever she is reading, and that seems to help, or at least she says it does.

The coloured background (pastel colours usually) seem to stop the letters or words 'dancing about on the page' for some dyslexic children.

The teacher uses pastel coloured backgrounds on the whiteboard in class, to be dyslexia friendly, and when she photocopies things she uses pastel coloured paper for the 2 dyslexic children, and the 3 who have special needs, who may or may not be dyslexic.

I don't know how you go about getting a diagnosis, but I asked the TA about it today and she says the girl with the acetates is not diagnosed, but her mum said she wanted school to try them with her. Before asking about this you might want to try using different backgrounds on the computer and seeing if your daughter can read easier. The girl whose glasses are on order was diagnosed privately I think, although I could be wrong. The teacher has said to me before that her 6 and 7 year olds are too young to be assessed, or that the authority will not assess them so young.

Any help they are given seems to have come from the teacher and TA. I used a picture of a bed today, that one of the girls had on her desk to remind her which way b and d go. It was the teacher's idea to photocopy that picture and provide it to the children who struggle.

I did notice today, however (because we're on the special needs topic on my college course so I was paying attention to it), that lots of children are still getting some letters or numbers the wrong way around, and they are not dyslexic, just a bit slower to grasp it, because there are so many letters, symbols, numbers etc. and 6 years old is still young, in my opinion. There's a 'oh, they'll catch up' attitude to key stage 1 it seems, and in many cases it's probably true.

Still, if this was my child I'd want them to have every bit of help possible, to help make them happier, more confident, etc.

My children aren't dyslexic so I know nothing about the assessment process or when they will start testing. Hopefully someone with experience will be along to give you details.

My eldest is at high school now and I finally realised I would have to stamp my feet and demand help for him (because nobody can read his writing so his grades are falling - his english grade is lower than it was 3 years ago!) so I've done it, and last week it was agreed that he can type his work instead of handwriting it. I am now kicking myself for not being a pushy parent a year or two ago. It's worth finding out more about, even if they say your daughter is not dyslexic, it's worth a try if you think she might be.

My brother wasn't diagnosed with dyslexia until he was 15, and he wishes he'd been diagnosed earlier. He had help eventually, he went to a special needs school for a course for 16-18 year olds and he learned to read there. I think it's best to get the help as early as possible though, because when a child's ability is higher than what they can produce it's frustrating for them.

Good luck!