How can i find out if my son is dyslexic ?

Question

my son is 6 years old and has trouble reading and writing , he has problems with hearing in his left ear i need to find a way of helping him i dont want him to struggle in school because of this . he cant read as well as others his age he really seems to struggle . please answer if u have any ideas xx

Answer 1

First thing, if you haven't done so already speak to his teacher & the SENCO at the school, see if they've observed anything or taken any action.  

If the school hasn't done so already, you can refer him the Educational Psychology Service (EPS) for assessment for dyslexia - ring your Local Authority & ask to speak to the EPS.  You can pay to have him assessed for dyslexia privately but it's the job of the EPS to do that sort of thing.    

You should also ask if the Local Authority if they have a team that deals with hearing impairment - the EPS should be able to tell you this or the Special Educational Needs section.  Since you know he has a hearing problem, I assume you have a report from the Audiology department at your local hospital - if you don't have one, get your GP to refer you - you should inform the school about any hearing impairment he may have & provide a copy of the report as it may have recommendations they'll find useful.  

For independent support & advice on education in your local area you should speak to your local parent partnership:

http://www.parentpartnership.org.uk/

Answer 2

tell the school that he attends that you want him tested, and you will have to sign a permission form that allows them to test him.  I would take him to a pediatrician also, and get a hearing test, and ask the doc for a referral to get him tested independent of the school system, just to get more info.  The sooner he gets interventions to help him with reading and writing, the better.  Do this asap.  Good luck

Answer 3

If the question you want answered, and the only question you have is, "Is my son dyslexic?" then you need to take your son to the doctor. Ideally, this would be a pediatrician who specializes in developmental issues, but a psychiatrist or another pediatrician might be able to diagnose him.

If you want to know:

More specifically, what are the learning difficulties my son really has?

What are some services I can get for my son to help him with his academic progress?

Then you need to make an appointment with your principal or write a letter asking the school to evaluate your son for Special Education. They need to have a meeting with you to consider your request within 20 days. It may be that they have some early interventions that may be more effective than evaluating your son and making him eligible for Special Education. Remember the idea is to help your son, not get a particular support that may or may not be a good fit. If the early interventions don't work, you come back to the table to figure out why, and what to try next.

But the school will not be able to tell you your son is dyslexic. That's a medical diagnosis that they can't give. They may tell you their tests show your son has a Specific Learning Disability in the area of Basic Reading for example, and they have some approaches they can try.

By the way, if you get a medical diagnosis of dyslexia and bring it to the school, your son still doesn't automatically qualify for Special Education. US law requires the team including the family and school district staff to reach a consensus that your son meets the criteria. One of those criteria is that he needs Special Education to benefit from the Free and Appropriate Public Education the school provides.

Answer 4

Maybe he can`t read and write as well as others as he can`t hear instructions properly. It could be his hearing that is causing the other problems. Go see your GP, he will do tests to tell for sure, it will help put your mind at rest, the truth one way or another.

Answer 5

My child also had hearing problems which have now been sorted, but this did lead to him being a year behind everyone else his age, after intense speech therapy for 18 months and grommets, he has almost caught up. I'd suggest your first call would be to your doctors for a referral re his hearing, this will definitely hold him back in learning if not sorted, or a health visitor if you have one? It all follows through really, if he can't here the sounds properly, he can't understand what is being said and therefore will not be able to say them properly either. Hope this helps

Answer 6

Try the tongue twisters link from my website, www.geocities.com/carjug on him.

Sally Shaywitz wrote the best book on dyslexia available, Overcoming Dyslexia . Buy it from Amazon. Now!

Six year old is awfully young for a diagnosis!

Do lots of doctor Seuss books. Have fun, and read the same ones over and over and over and over and over. Son should associate reading with safety and happiness.

Teach letter sounds. Do NOT do the ABC song!

Answer 7

in the US-schools have a Child Study team that evaluates students for eligibility for special education and arranges for thsoe services

this is from mayoclinic.com

Dyslexia diagnosis involves an evaluation of medical, cognitive, sensory-processing, educational and psychological factors. Your doctor may ask about your child's developmental and medical history as well as your family medical history.

Your doctor may also suggest that your child undergo:

Vision, hearing and neurological evaluations. These evaluations can help determine whether another disorder may be causing or contributing to your child's poor reading ability.

A psychological assessment. This can help determine whether social problems, anxiety or depression may be limiting your child's abilities.

An evaluation of educational skills. Your child may take a set of educational tests and have the process and quality of his or her reading skills analyzed by an expert.

Answer 8

I've always had trouble in English. I was always behind and i think I've suffered later on for not getting the help i needed. If you think its dyslexia a doctor could probably test for this, if hes just having trouble understanding and just needs things explaining better then try and have a word with his teacher.

Answer 9

Don't wait much longer since school is almost out for the yr.  Yes, get the physical done & get a referral to an audiologist to test his hearing.  In addition, have your son's school test him for dyslexia.  Is your son an older 6 or younger 6?  He may have started school too early or there may be something that is not clicking right now, since boys mature slower than girls.  

Are you working with him to help his reading & writing skills by taking some time to have him read to you or have him write a short letter to a relative? Ask his teacher for supplemental materials or a source where you can find them, like an educational supply store, & have him practice at home.   Take him places & have him read signs, products, labels, prices, etc. to you.  If the school is using see-say, try finding a phonics program.  Keep working with him & make his practices fun, so he won't end up hating school.  Good luck!!

Answer 10

go see a doctor to find out for sure.

Answer 11

Have him evaluated by a speech pathologist and an audiologist. You can find one at asha.org.

Answer 12

go to the doctors

Answer 13

take him for a formal psychological testing... it will tell if your son is really dyslexic.. if he is... you might want to enrol in a class and learn the Orton Gillingham approach to teaching dyslexics..  I'm a special educator and I have taught many kids using this method.. it works very well... it will take a while for children to pick up.. but if you teach them everyday, they will pick up reading and spelling really soon... Don't just depend on the school do teach your son.. because if he can't catch up, they may just 'let him be.'

Answer 14

Speak to your doctor. He will probably suggest you also speak to your sons class teacher and the Special Educational needs Co-Ordinator (SENCO) at your sons school. The SENCO can run tests themselves for Dyslexia

Good luck

xx

Answer 15

your sons school should be able to help by doing tests to see if he is dyslexic, I had the same with my son. Your doctor should be able to help with his ear. Good luck!

Answer 16

hi my son is 12years old and has been diagnosed dyslexic i was told that children shouldn't be tested until 10 years and above i had to pay  privately for tests. well worth the money told me lots about my son and his needs good luck