How do I get a diagnois of dyslexia for my 10 year old daughter who is due to leave junior school this year ?

[maxxiegirl76]

My daughters school Senco keeps telling me she has not got dyslexia cos she can read write and spell n I have argued non stop cos her GP says there r several forms of dyslexia. My daughter has just reached Level 2 at school and she's in year 6 due to her having a real bad concentration problem and she can't understand what she has written or read. She has been seen by a speech therapist who says its clear she doest understand language. My daughter can't concentrate understand n zones out and has told me that at times the words move. I am at my wits end as she is struggling really bad and feels thick.

[maxxiegirl76]

I meant doesn't understand language

[Hidden]

Level 2 is what is expected by the end of Y2; so if these are literacy levels then they are below average; which is often the case for those with Dyslexia though it sounds like your daughter has a complex profile that will need investigating; there may be a difficulty with speech and language so hopefully the speech therapist can refer on? Also perhaps a doctor could investigate your child's concentration difficulties as this seems to be an over-riding problem just in case it is related to ADHD? If you want a Dyslexia based assessment then you can contact Dyslexia Action or, for a list of practitioners in your area BDA or Patoss. These professionals are also likely to be able to screen for other difficulties. I hope this answer is helpful to you and can understand you wanting to know exactly what is causing her difficulties.

[maxxiegirl76 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you for your advice. I have checked and my daughter is at level 2 for everything at school apart from music she's just gone onto level 3. My daughter has been assessed by an occupational therapist and av just got the results she's got reduced proprioceptive awareness,she's got average bilateral skills and even tho she can write she can't write fluent (whatever that means). She's also got mild difficulties in visual discrimination and closure so I am going to keep on fighting for her. I have been back to the doctors and her Gp is going to refer her again about her concentration cos she's had this problem since she was 2. Once again thank you.

[Sue8]

the words move??? This is Irlens syndrome and is usually part and parcel of dyslexia. look at irlenscentralengland.co.uk

[maxxiegirl76 in reply to Sue8]

Yes she only says it happens now and again but I have looked at the irlen syndrome and I have to admit she ticks nrly all the boxes. Thank you for giving me that link.

[Hidden]

What a difficult situation for you to be in. Please keep fighting to get her an assessment. Has the Senco mentioned an assessment by an educational psychologist? They may refuse, but if she is not making progress on their current teaching then she needs to be assessed. If they really refuse you can apply for an assessment as a parent. Contact your local parent partnership who will have the contact details for the Local Ed Psych team who you can speak to on teh phone to give you some guidance. Hopefully is the secondary school your daughter going to helpful for special needs? Maybe you could speak to them to kick start some help for when she moves. It is within their interest to be able to have as much in place in preparation for the new intake.

I hope you get some help. Dyslexia Action's assessments are great, although expensive. Unfortunatly, my son's school still ignored the assessment, as they would not accept a non-LEA one, but refused to get him assessed (He performed as average)

In the meantime, please try to find some things your daughter can do that she enjoys and can do well at. She needs to know she is clever but just not able to learn how she is being taught.

Best wishes

[maxxiegirl76 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you for what you have wrote to me. I have done nothing but argue with her senco but she dismisses everything I say. She told me that my daughter didn't meet the needs when she was assessed by QUEST but I found out that the school had lied to me cos I spoke to a woman at quest n my daughter has never been referred or assessed by them. The senco says my daughter isn't struggling yet she put her on the special needs register and she's also on a school action plan plus and tbh my daughter is making the progress that is expected. I can't win and it really winds me up. I have 4 children and they r all different at there learning but to watch my daughter suffer becaus of the sencos incompetence breaks my heart. I have done the LEA form and I have to wait now to see if she can be properly assessed. Thank you for your advice.

[maxxiegirl76 in reply to maxxiegirl76]

I meant my daughter is Not making the progress expected.

[Hidden]

Sorry in my previous reply I forgot to mention about Irlen Syndrome regarding words moving. Coloured overlays often can prove very beneficial; Irlen syndrome can occur across the population but always seems to be more severe in those with Dyslexia.