Anyone out there can refer me to a child psychiatrist that can diagnose dsylexia? I live in Pembroke Pines, FL

Question

Looking for a child psychiatrist that tests and diagnoses dsylexia in the pembroke pines, florida area. Everywhere I look I can not find a professional that can test my child. I want professional testing that I can take to the school district when he enters public school in the fall of 2008. He is 9 years old.

Answer 1

talk to the your son's teacher and the school pyschologist.  be sure to include the child and his pediatrician in the coversations.

Answer 2

Actually, in the US, the school would have 20 days to meet (possibly with you) and make a decision as to whether to test your son. If you consent to assessments, they have 60 days from the receipt of the signed consent to complete their assessments and convene an Eligibility meeting. In some states, they have another 30 days--if they find your son eligible for Special Education--to write an Individualized Educational Program (IEP).

But let's talk about the difference between what a psychiatrist does and what the school would do. A psychiatrist or medical doctor (you might also try a pediatrician that specializes in child and adolescent development) can diagnose dyslexia. The school system cannot.

Even if you bring the doctor's report to the school, they will still need to assess him. The diagnosis of dyslexia does not tell the school whether your son qualifies for Special Education. By law, they cannot make that decision based on a single source. They need to know the pattern of cognitive (call it IQ) and academic achievement scores. They need to know how your son's disability affects his schoolwork. And they need to observe him in a classroom setting that gives him difficulty--a class in which he struggles.

They are required by federal law to pull information from a variety of sources, then sit down with people who are familiar with your son in school, you, the school administrator or someone the administration designates to represent the school district, and someone who can interpret the results of the testing. The results of the tests and the classroom observation are shared and interpreted. There will be an opportunity to ask and answer questions.

As a team, y'all decide whether he meets the criteria for Specific Learning Disability (SLD), or some other eligibility category. SLD really just means that in one or more specific academic areas (like arithmetic, for example), your son does not seem to be performing at the level of his cognitive potential. This is because of a disability, and not for some other reason (like if he doesn't speak English, for example). It will not name a specific learning disability like dyslexia, but the assessment reports will give specific recommendations for supporting your son's work and planning his education.

If y'all agree that he does have a disability that affects his schoolwork, and that he needs special education, you'll be asked to sign a consent for the initial provision of special education. Then, an IEP will be developed, possibly in a separate meeting. Otherwise, it gets to be a very long day!

If I were you, I would first approach the private school to ask for their cooperation in an evaluation for Special Education. Then, write or visit the public elementary school where your student would attend based on where he lives and what grade he's in now. Request an evaluation for special education.

If your son is found eligible, the school will offer y'all FAPE: a Free and Appropriate Public Education. You can turn them down for now, and continue to educate at the private school. The private school is not required to develop or implement an IEP. The public school is required to offer you FAPE every year until your son re-enrolls or ages out.

If it is more than three years before you do enroll in public school, the school will have to evaluate your son again.

Alternately, you could wait until he has enrolled at the public school. A month or two is usually enough for teachers to get to know him. They would then be able to help make informed decisions about his education.

Answer 3

There are excellent testings done out at Nova Southeastern University on University Dr. in Davie.  We had our 10 year old tested since she was already a patient at the Binocular clinic and they do all sorts of examinations--give them a call, they are wonderful with kids!!!!!  Below is a link to their clinic...

http://www.nova.edu/spacc/

Answer 4

Why not allow the school district to test him for free?  To test him, all you have to do is request an evaluation in writing.  They have 90 days to complete it and you can request the evaluation before he goes to school.   If you don't like what they have to say then you can pay for additional testing.  Either way, you still have to go through all the meetings, steps and school testing.  A school district must administer tests of their own, too.  Anything you provide may just be duplicating their FREE tests.