Around 10% of the population are believed to be dyslexic. Dyslexia affects how the brain interprets information it sees and hears. It can make it harder for your child to process and remember things, which can then affect their reading and writing skills. Dyslexia can also affect other areas such as communication skills, relationship forming, co-ordination, self-esteem, and your child’s confidence. However, with the right support, the strengths and talents of dyslexic people can really shine.
As a parent or carer it is important to understand that dyslexia is and how it can affect your child. The British Dyslexia Association has several checklists and advice on where to find this information.
Signs of Dyslexia
Dyslexia is regularly picked up on during primary school, yet formal diagnosis is difficult in young children as they often develop their own ways of working things out.
Most people think that dyslexia affect just reading and writing, but there are many areas that can be affected such as coordination, organisation, and memory.
In Early Years education, the indicators that are often identified are:
In Primary School, children develop in some areas but are develop less in others. Features suggesting dyslexia at this age include difficulties with the following:
In Secondary school, in addition to the indicators above, young people with dyslexia may display the following:
If you think that your child might have dyslexia, the first thing you should do is speak to their teacher or the school's Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCo) to discuss your concerns. For more information, click here.
Testing
The SENCo may decide to carry out screening tests or checklists to find out more about your child's areas of strength and difficulties are in order to see how best they can be supported in the classroom. This support is called Special Educational Needs Support. Making a formal diagnosis of dyslexia can take some time because it can only be made through a diagnostic assessment carried out by a certified dyslexia assessor. However, a school doesn't need a formal diagnosis to put support in place for your child and shouldn't delay in providing appropriate support and/or interventions.
There are several tools available through the British Dyslexia Association about how you can support your child during this process which are available here. For information about your local dyslexia association, click here.
Links
NHS Conditions - Dyslexia
British Dyslexia Association
The Dyslexia Association
