FAQS

 

WHAT ARE THE SIGNS OF DYSLEXIA?

Your child may have difficulty with some or all of the following: deciphering words when reading, remembering what they have read, reading fluency, organising their thoughts in the written form, writing speed, spelling, developing phonic skills, processing speed and memory.

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WHEN WOULD YOU RECOMMEND HAVING A FULL DIAGNOSTIC DYSLEXIA ASSESSMENT?A full diagnostic dyslexia assessment is recommended when a child’s difficulties are having a negative impact on their learning and potentially, their self-esteem. An assessment can help parents to understand more about their child as a learner and how to help their child to make progress and develop confidence. Signs of dyslexia can be seen in younger children such as poor auditory skills, difficulty with learning letters and with writing letters and numbers backwards. However, many young children without dyslexia will also exhibit these symptoms so it is hard to be completely sure that they are due to dyslexia. If a child aged seven is still having these difficulties, a clearer diagnostic decision can be made.

 

WHERE CAN THE ASSESSMENT BE CARRIED OUT AND WHAT DOES THE ASSESSMENT SESSION INVOLVE?

I carry out assessments at your home during the week or at weekends. Some schools will  authorise an absence for the child to do the assessments out of school during the school day. It is important for your child to feel comfortable and be able to concentrate. The assessment itself takes approximately 3-4 hours with breaks as required. The assessment will test reading accuracy, reading speed, reading comprehension, writing, spelling, phonological skills, processing speed, memory, verbal ability and visual ability.

 

WHAT INFORMATION DO YOU NEED AND HOW WILL YOU KEEP THIS INFORMATION SAFE?

To carry out the assessments I will need access to personal information (full name of adult and child, child’s date of birth, contact address and phone number.) Sensitive personal data will also be collected, for example: why your child requires an assessment, any relevant previous assessments and information about special educational needs. I will send forms for you and the school to complete. Please note that any paper copies of your child’s confidential information will be stored securely and electronic copies, including reports, will be password protected in accordance with GDPR. The report will be sent to the parent who can share it as appropriate. Prior to the full diagnostic assessment, your child must have had a sight test within the last 12 months.