Dyslexia assessment advice please ?

jazzypinkpuppet

Hello, sorry if this is long
I was just wondering if anyone had had their child Privately assessed for Dyslexia? My little boy will be 7 next week and I am almost certain that he is Dyslexic as are his school, he was given a screening in YR, that came back he had tendencies but the SENCO said he was too young really and it was just an indicator. He has an IEP, he does 15 minute 1:1 'beat Dyslexia' sessions everyday and has other group support. The school have been fantastic at giving him the help he needs, but they said they will not have him fully assessed as they do not like to give the children 'labels'. I think this 'label' would help and give me and the teachers a much better idea of his strengths and weaknesses. He is going to be in Y3 in September.
I just wanted some advice from people who had paid for an assessment, was it helpful ? Did the school take it seriously ? Is it worth it or am I wrong to want to do this?
Many thanks in advance
Jules

emsywoo123

Possibly not helpful, (but at least it'll bump the thread for you ) but DD had a private assessment for dyspraxia which has proved enormously helpful, and I would certainly recommend getting your DS assessed ASAP if you can

Savvy_Sue

You might find some other threads on dyslexia assessments if you do a search, but I guess the first question is "do you think your DS is getting as much support as he needs from the school?" If the answer is yes, then it might be worth holding off. It does sound as if they are giving SOME support, which is great, as long as it's appropriate and adequate.

Because there is a (cynical) part of me which thinks that rather than not wanting to 'label' children, they don't want the hassle of a full assessment, in case it comes back with the verdict that he needs a lot more support than they were planning to give, possibly even a full-blown Statement. Although why schools try to avoid statements I'm not quite sure, because I thought - at least in the past - that with a Statement came Funding.

Plus, they may be aware that the waiting lists for assessments can be horrific, and that for all but the most serious problems it's not worth getting yourself on it.

Now, a private assessment wouldn't necessarily get you any further forward: AFAIK the school aren't obliged to act on it, and the LEA certainly aren't. However, if you had had one done, then it would be ammunition should you wish to press the school further. And it would, as you say, help YOU understand his strengths and weaknesses.

You might, come the start of the new school year, want to have a full and frank discussion with the school's SENCO and his class teacher, and check that this 'provisional' diagnosis was being taken into account, that his progress was being effectively monitored, and that support would be increased if required.

Finally, I presume you've checked out information on the Dyslexia websites? I don't know anything about the various ones (I'm sure there's more than one), but that might be helpful.

And finally finally, I do have some sympathy with the school: we have a mild Aspie in the family who would probably be more obviously Aspie if we'd found out sooner and had a 'label' for his behaviour before he was 12. BUT that's a completely different situation, and not necessarily relevant to you - indeed when a child is badly affected by anything like dyslexia, the autistic spectrum or things like that, then I can't help feeling that avoiding a label is a pointless waste of time! As long as it's never used as an excuse (especially for bad behaviour or lack of effort), only as an explanation (this is more difficult for you, I know you've done your best, you have spent enough time on it.)

[Deleted User]

I am in exactly the same position as you, only my son is older and entering Y6. School state he does not need the label and can access support without the "official diagnosis", even in high school. Unfortunately the school are not implementing the recommendations suggested after his initial screening. I am considering paying privately for an assessment that makes it "official" however am wary as I dont know what sway it holds with the school and if it will make them actually support my son in the way he needs.

Sorry it is not a helpful post, but I wish you luck

Mojisola

jazzypinkpuppet wrote: »

I was just wondering if anyone had had their child Privately assessed for Dyslexia?

We found a private assessment very helpful because all the different aspects of reading, writing and comprehension were tested and the areas our son was having specific problems with were identified, as were the areas where he was doing well.

The school's tests hadn't tested things so accurately. It was very hard for the school to ignore the results because they were so specific.

pigpen

you can insist on the school doing an assessment.. it costs money they dont like spending (or claim they dont have to spend) THEY might not like labels but this is not a label it is a diagnosis... if he had a physical problem you would want a diagnosis, dyslexia is just the same.. it is a learning difficulty and needs a diagnosis so the appropriate level of help and understanding can be given.

complain to the special needs dept at the LA and the disability rights people.. and give IPSEA a call, they are fabulous!

My middle son has severe dyslexia and for him, having a diagnosis meant he gets extra help at school, extra time for exams, a reader/writer for SATs and exams if he feels he requires them.. there is so much more than the name.

The school are in effect saying they think all illnesses and disabilities should be ignored.. what if it was something life threatening? Would they take the same stupid damaging stance then? No parent WANTS their child to have a label but if it helps them get through life and means you can then access support to improve things for them then you get that label!

emsywoo123

pigpen wrote: »

No parent WANTS their child to have a label but if it helps them get through life and means you can then access support to improve things for them then you get that label!

I'm going to get this printed on a T-Shirt Piggers. And wear it daily.

mirrorimage0

i fount it also depends on the borough that you are in, my local borough will not test for dyslexia (althoughi am still fighting this) but my son who is going into yr 5 next term (he is 9) has had senco and the educational phsycologist involved, having certain testing done to asses his needs.

he now finally goes out everyday with the senco and does certain work, as well as his toe to toe book. he also has an alpha smart computer in the classroom to help him. coloured sheets to help with his reading and several other bits and bobs, they have also purchased some new reading materials for this so he has access to age appropriate books but that he can read and learn from instead of just keeping him on the younger books .

i have regular meetings now with his senco and we have worksheets to co inside with what he is doing at school.

it can be a long struggle waiting for appointments etc but keep going. even when i offered to pay for his testing in dyslexia i was told its not worth it for school related issues as they are not allowed extra funding for it anyway,

anyway our battle continues but i hope yours improves quickly

thegirlintheattic

If you believe that the school is supporting him adequately then hold off on the assessment. There are three levels -> School Action, School Action + and Statementing. Your son will get support from the school at the first two levels, only if that support is failing him would and assessment and so statement be useful for the school and your son.

On the other hand, I wasn't diagnosed with a SpLD till I was 22, maybe if my parents had had a private assessment I would have got help sooner but it hasn't done me much harm.

jazzypinkpuppet

Thankyou for all of your replies. It is really helpful to hear your experiences.
Whilst to me it seems he is having has good support from the school, especially compared to some of my friends children at other schools . I don't know if there is more that we could do for him, I feel so out of my depth with this whole situation, my older daughter has sailed through school without a single problem. But everyday is a struggle with my little boy and it seems as he gets older he is getting more frustrated because he knows he is struggling, he cries because he is still on YR books whilst his friends are reading whatever they like or that he never scores more than 1 or 2 in his spellings even though he practices every day and tries so hard but he just can't remember how to spell them when it is the test. He just seems to have no confidence, despite us constantly telling him he is clever and amazing, he doesn't believe us and it breaks my heart.
I think I will wait until September and ask to meet with his new teacher and the Senco and see what they say.
Thankyou again

Mojisola

jazzypinkpuppet wrote: »

Thankyou for all of your replies. It is really helpful to hear your experiences.
Whilst to me it seems he is having has good support from the school, especially compared to some of my friends children at other schools . I don't know if there is more that we could do for him, I feel so out of my depth with this whole situation, my older daughter has sailed through school without a single problem. But everyday is a struggle with my little boy and it seems as he gets older he is getting more frustrated because he knows he is struggling, he cries because he is still on YR books whilst his friends are reading whatever they like or that he never scores more than 1 or 2 in his spellings even though he practices every day and tries so hard but he just can't remember how to spell them when it is the test. He just seems to have no confidence, despite us constantly telling him he is clever and amazing, he doesn't believe us and it breaks my heart.
I think I will wait until September and ask to meet with his new teacher and the Senco and see what they say.
Thankyou again

Please don't let this go on for too long. Feeling like that really affected my son badly.

The school wouldn't make a child in a wheelchair try to walk and they shouldn't be making a dyslexic try to do something that his brain isn't capable of doing.

The dyslexic organisations offer a range of ways of learning that are in tune with the way dyslexic brains work. He will find ways of being successful using appropriate methods.

My son went to Saturday morning classes run by a local dyslexia organisation. He said he learnt more in those two hours than he did all week at school.