Dyslexia help please for my DS (10)

angie_baby

Hi all,

Looking for advice really. DS has just been confirmed as dyslexic and I'm looking for ways I can help him. He also has ASD.

I've already booked him in for an eye test and another to see if coloured sheets will help. I've also spoken to the people at DORE. I'm waiting to talk to dyslexia action tomorrow hopefully.

So any parents have any advice please?

Thank You

spottybutterfly

I'm not a parent but I have irlen syndrome (the thing where coloured overlays help reading) myself. Something I find helps with reading is using either my finger or a ruler to follow each line of the text. Or even better a piece of paper as the blank paper can block out the rest of the page which when seen can be distracting.

Also I know your son is only 10 at the moment but as he gets older he might start using microsoft word, or similer. The background colour of the page can be adjusted to make it easier on the eyes/ have less irlen symptoms.

Mrs_pbradley936

Go to the library and get yourself a copy of this book:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Reading-Reflex-Foolproof-Method-Teaching/dp/0140280383

If you find it helpful then buy it. If not it has not cost you anything.

Lots of dyslexic children have been helped by the method outlined in the book. If I can find a link I will post it on here.

Mrs_pbradley936

Yes here we are:
http://www.phono-graphix.com/Research.html have a look through those.

MadDogWoman_2

Hi,

This system helped my husband go from no reading age at all to age 12 in 12 months. It improved his confidence, which means he can now read a bedtime story to our daughter

http://www.idlsystem.co.uk/

MDW

peachyprice

Our library have started ordering in 'Dyslexia friendly' childrens books (they may have adults too, I haven't asked) They're printed on a different colour paper, much more creamy than usual, with wider line spacing. They're all stickered as such. It might be worth asking your library service if they have them yet or will be getting them.

Seanymph

There are many organisations to help - the indigo project in Norwich (which is nearest me) - have a look and get some specialist help, because this isn't your load alone to solve, there is lots of help available.

How are the school supporting?

Everyone focuses on reading, but for my daughter it affects her personal organisation, memory (short term) and daily coping stuff too - which affects her more to be honest than the reading.

mikeouk

I went through my entire school years before being diagnosed as dyslexic at the age of 16. Personally it was a great relief to realise I wasn't actually thick. I'd grown up thinking I was and it effected my confidance in myself.
My advice would be to not get too hung up on helping him directly with his dyslexia (leave that to the experts), best thing you can do as a parent is try to convince him, he isn't stupid and find other things he is good at and encourage him with them. Sport, art, acting are all things a lot of famous dyslexics have excelled in. If you can identify his niche and focus on it, he will grow into a far more confidant and happy adult.

travelgran

Make sure you communicate with the existing school Senco and the one at the new school if he moves to secondary next year. As a start Just ask what their usual provision is and take it from there.

angie_baby

Thanks for the advice and links guys. The school as of next week will be doing 3 lessons extra in phonics, something that I think we will need to talk about because he still isn't getting it. We will see how it goes.
He also has a full time statement and we are hoping to get a teacher in for an hour a week one on one but my LA is so slow, one of the reasons I will do anything to get the ball rolling even if I have to go down the private route.
I don't want to make this a huge thing for DS but I do want to get all the help and support I can for him as it is year 6 and this is holding him back in subjects he is good at like math and science.
The secondary school that he will hopefully get into has a specialist unit so that's good for then.
Will be visiting my local library on the way to school today to see if they have any books for DS.

InsideInsurance

Not sure the relevance of a atrial septal defect to dyslexia but sorry to hear of both anyway.

Dyslexia like most conditions is a range and not everyone has the same level of issues as others. I was diagnosed as dyslexic as a child but declined to have the special treatments offered (eg extra exam time) because I always finished anything other than english & history a long time before the time was up anyway.

Some find their place in non-academic subjects as suggested where as others of us do find our place in the sciences. I do business consultancy now which is fine as rarely do I have to write anything more than bullet points and I always have someone else to double check my understanding of what I've read and what I've written.

The fact I am colourblind is actually a bigger issue for me as it is standard practice to have colour coded (Red Amber Green - RAG) reports and if someone just shades the cell rather than putting the letter in it I cant tell if its going brilliantly well or terribly badly