Has anyone had problems getting their kid tested for dyslexia?

Mics_chick

I know me and my OH aren't experts but from the research we've done we really believe that our 7yo DD has dyslexia.

She only managed to consistently remember most of the phonic sounds last year (in Y2).
She now knows some of the letter names too but not all of them.

When we've tried to get her to read to us she can phonetically sound the letters in a 3-letter word but by the time you've got to the last one she's forgotten the previous 2 sounds. So she can only successfully sound out the word if we repeat the 3 sounds for her and this never seems to improve.

I've suffered from PND since my son was born 5yrs ago and my OH has suffered with anxiety and depression for the last 2/3yrs. We've only been able to get ourselves more "together" in the last few months - everyday living was a huge struggle for us both before that
I know that because of this we've not done everything we could've for our DD coz we've only tried to help her sporadically and we've not pushed the possibility of dyslexia with the school.

I know that I've mentioned the possibility of dyslexia at parents' evenings in Y1 and Y2. The teacher has said that they would look into it but we've not heard anything more. I feel now that I've not pushed it more coz I've not felt up to it.

We asked the school to assess her at a meeting with the headteacher about 3 weeks ago but when I think about it I feel mad that we've had to ask...

Has anyone else had to push to get their child assessed for dyslexia?

Indie_Kid

Has school said that they believe there's a problem with your DD?

bonnarwumin

i thought my son was dyslexic from Y4! but was classed as an over anxious Mother! i took my son to the optician for an eye test when he was in S1 (Y8) and mentioned this! The optician referred my son to the local hospital and they confirmed that he had Meres Erlen Syndrome and prescribed coloured overlays that he used when reading! i then informed his school of this and they did a Dysexia screening test, this comfirmed his dyslexia! When he sat his exams in S4 & 5 (Y11 & 12) he received extra time and was allowed to use a laptop! his reading and wriring (typing) improved immensely. he is now 21 and runs his own plastering business! so it may be worth taking your daughter to an optician and mentioning this!
Good luck.

Mics_chick

sh1305 wrote: »

Has school said that they believe there's a problem with your DD?

Not recently no but when she first started they tried to say that she might be autistic without actually mentioning the word iyswim.
They asked if we had noticed certain symptoms - I can't remember them all now but I can remember that we hadn't seen any of the symptoms they mentioned.

They thought this coz she liked to count all the fairies painted on the classroom walls before she settled down but she loved fairies and still does. Also she had a short attention span, didn't mix well with her peers and often seemed to be in a world of her own. But she has been assessed by the Educational Psychologist twice and she's not suggested autism at all. The only thing that has ever been mentioned is petit mal seizures but this was discounted by our GP as we've never seen any signs of this ourselves. I think these "seizures" are occasions when she's "zoned out" which I believe can be a possible symptom of dyslexia.

We've asked for her to be assessed coz she seems a bright child to us so it doesn't make sense that she still can't read after 3 years of school

Mics_chick

bonnarwumin wrote: »

i thought my son was dyslexic from Y4! but was classed as an over anxious Mother! i took my son to the optician for an eye test when he was in S1 (Y8) and mentioned this! The optician referred my son to the local hospital and they confirmed that he had Meres Erlen Syndrome and prescribed coloured overlays that he used when reading! i then informed his school of this and they did a Dysexia screening test, this comfirmed his dyslexia! When he sat his exams in S4 & 5 (Y11 & 12) he received extra time and was allowed to use a laptop! his reading and wriring (typing) improved immensely. he is now 21 and runs his own plastering business! so it may be worth taking your daughter to an optician and mentioning this!
Good luck.

My DD has worn glasses since she was 4 and has 6 monthly checks so wouldn't the optician pick this up if it was a problem?

Indie_Kid

Mics_chick wrote: »

My DD has worn glasses since she was 4 and has 6 monthly checks so wouldn't the optician pick this up if it was a problem?

I've been wearing glasses since I was about 18 months old - I'm now 21. Irlens was never picked up by the opticians or eye infirmary. I only know I have Irlens because there was screening at college. I was then given a test to see what colour suited me best. I'm now due to have another test done soon.

(I'm not Dyslexia, btw)

mirrorimage0

yes im having that trouble at school now,

my son is 8 and really struggles, he has trouble sounding out words and then saying them as a whole, he will say them back to front, he writes some of his numbers back to front and a lot of his letters, every teacher he has said as said they are pretty certain he has it but trying to get the school to have him tested is a nightmare as they say this will only prove he has a problem not get them extra funding to help it,

he is in with the school action plus program, every school will have the senco so ask about it and get your child extra help that way, i am waiting for my next appointment for them to tell me when they will be doing some tests for him although this is not the main duslexia test. but hopefully this will give us a better understaing of what he does need.

we also help him by doing the toe to toe book with him regulary i have tried with the coloured overlays too but feel he was too young at the time to concentrate properly with as every day he said a different colour worked lol so will be giving them a go again soon.

not sure what else to suggest to you. x hth

nuttywoman

Things have`nt changed then from when my son ( now 24 ) was at school . We tried to get him tested but no luck , we were even told we were comparing him to his sister !! It was only when he went to college he was tested and got all the help available !!

Indie_Kid

mirrorimage0 wrote: »

i have tried with the coloured overlays too but feel he was too young at the time to concentrate properly with as every day he said a different colour worked lol so will be giving them a go again soon.

I've found this too. Any colour other than white works fine for me. Good thing - the test I had done came back as grey. Grey paper is difficult to get hold. (and costs a fortune)

vodooelephant

Mics_chick wrote: »

I know me and my OH aren't experts but from the research we've done we really believe that our 7yo DD has dyslexia.

My dyslexia wasnt picked up until i was 17 nd doing my Alevels... I was 'bright' and it was ignored until my tutor read an essay i had hand written, and sent me for testing.

You can get a private test done if you really want to - I found reading in blue or green of a whote board really hard (so i asked the teacher to wtite in black red -most did) and get a coloured sheet to help with reading... stops words wandering around

You can find lots of usefull info on how to improve things for you DD without the need for a digagnosis...

On exams i got an extra 15 minutes per hour - great for my 4 hr psyc exam.... I think that extra hr pushed me up a grde or too

brians_daughter

well, my son has been tested twice at school and the test keeps coming back saying he hasnt got dyslexia.. They say he cant be as his reading is so advanced, but yet when it comes to writting he gets very muddled up...sometimes even writting in mirror writting.. he also gets his 6's and 9's mixed up too as well as very poor handwritting.

SO i cant offer any real advice but will be keeping a v close eye on this thread , and good luck! All i can say is I would call the school again to push the issue of getting your child tested, and if you have no luck i would ask the school for a contact in the local education dept as you want their imput... that may spur them into action.. it did with my sons school