How can I tell if my 6 year old daughter is dyslexic???

Question

She has trouble reading. Her writing is jumbled up sometimes backwards or spelling things as they sound. She is also left handed and likes to start writing from the right side of the page. Her school say they want to leave it until she is 7 years old to test her (down to funding I think). Her Dad is very dyslexic and all of his side of the family are.

Answer 1

Well, you should know that 10 out of every 1 persons are dyslexic.

Answer 2

Stay on top of it - especially if it tends to run in the family. The school actually may not be putting you off. Most children when they are first learning to read and right have difficulty with the direction that letters and symbols should go so they do typically give them through the first grade to work some of that out. Also, if your daughter is left handed look at what she is doing because its logical to her. People who are right handed can see what they are writing as it is being written because their hand doesn't cover the writing as it crosses the page; its just the reverse for left handed people. They are constantly having to lift their hand as they go along to see under it to check what they've written so a young child's natural way of dealing with this is to try to write from right to left. Be patient with her and if it appears that it is continuing to be a problem approach the school again. My best friends son was horribly dyslexic as a young child but the programs they have in the schools these days are much better than in the past. He was not only able to get past the problem and do well through highschool; he is now majoring in chemistry and is carrying a 3.79 our of 4.0 in college.

Answer 3

The most common reason why the school wants to wait is because the tests used by the diagnosticians are NOT sensitive enough for kids under 7.

However, this is a hold-over from before the 2004 re-authorization of the laws regarding how kids qualify.

Now, if she responds better to dyslexia methods of instruction, she qualifies as SLD.

Other reasons for holding off on testing are against the law, but do occur -- funding issues, lack of special ed staff to teach her and they don't want to hire more people, so many kids already in special ed that NCLB will remove AYP approval from the school if they add more, etc.

You are well within your rights to DEMAND they test her, and hold the intake meeting. If you are not happy with the diagnostician's report, you can demand an independent evaluation from a diagnostician not directly affiliated with the schools.

If there is only one website you ever look at for this, this is the one:
http://www.wrightslaw.com/

On this site, here is some information related to your immediate concerns (while you are still learning to navigate the site):

Getting a parent advocate (a volunteer parent from your state familiar with how things work there, who best can help you navigate the system):
http://www.yellowpagesforkids.com/

Knowing your own information well enough to be an active, participating member of your child's educational team--every article on the list is highly valuable:
http://www.wrightslaw.com/info/advo.index.htm

Item 4 on this link explains the changes in SLD qualification -- which DIRECTLY IMPACTS YOUR DAUGHTER'S SITUATION.
http://www.wrightslaw.com/idea/osep/eval.reeval.pdf


Other links of value:
Learn the new 2004 reauthorization of IDEA, to boost your daughter's program once she is in:
http://www.wrightslaw.com/idea/art/10.tips.steedman.htm

Includes information on selecting independent evaluators:
http://www.wrightslaw.com/info/tests.evals.crabtree.htm

Answer 4

Dyslexia is a condition which causes difficulty with reading and writing and literally means "difficulty with the lexicon" in Greek. Today, it is thought to be a neurological disorder with biochemical and genetic markers, although there is some dispute over this claim. People are diagnosed as dyslexic when their reading problems cannot be explained by a lack of intellectual ability, inadequate instruction, or sensory problems such as poor eyesight.

for all the details about Dyslexia check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dyslexic

Answer 5

I teach Kindergarten and writing backwards at 6 yrs is very common. I even asked the optometrist about this and he explained that a child's vision is not fully developed and cannot yet perceive differences in direction. Also, writing from the right, if she is left handed, is not that uncommon either. I think your school is right but if it makes you feel better take her to the eye doctor. A llittle peace of mind is worth it.

Answer 6

dyslexis is no a diseys ,you dont have to do to the doctor lol :)

here is some ways you can tell but ask a teacher at a local primary school to get him or her "skreaned".

1.) can she right yet,if so does she right d in stead of b and the other way around ?

2.) does she no left and right yet? ask her to go to the left of the room and see if she gos the right or wrong way?

3.) does she say things wrong like in stead of solt she says suger?or in stead of mum she says dad(iv neaver said dad instead of mum but you neaver no.

4.) play a game and ask her to hope on here left leg ?if she does the wrong leg but you no she has been tort left and right she might be dyslexic?

Answer 7

I don't know all the signs of dyslexia, but what I CAN say to you is... don't wait till she's 7, don't wait any longer than you have to. My son has a learning disability and I got the run around at the school till I got so fed up and upset they had no choice but to do something about it. I was letting them know about my concerns since kindergarden, they kept telling me he was fine (I thought I was losing my mind, that it was my imagination)... He was in 3rd grade till a teacher sided with me and had him tested.

Trust me, DON'T WAIT! Do what you have to do and make sure they test her ASAP

If she doesn't have a disability, then FANTASTIC..but if she does, then she needs help NOW

Good Luck :)

Answer 8

well you need to find an educational psychologist, they will basically do some simple tests on your daughter (stuff like: 'which one matches?') they will then be able to tell you if your daughter has any learning difficulties. If you live in the UK try looking for an organisation called the dyselxia Institute (DI) I don't know if they are anywhere else in the world.

Answer 9

There's an online test you can do, but I think she may be a little young to even understand it. Get as much information as you can from the internet. There are loads of associations dedicated to dyslexia, and they all have great websites.

Answer 10

Take her to a doctor who can do all the necessary tests on her. The sooner that her condition is known, the sooner intervention can be done.