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How to Get a Dyslexia Diagnosis for Your Child

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Download our Free How to Get a Dyslexia Diagnosis for Your Child pamphlet here.

Read on to know more about how to get a dyslexia diagnosis for your child.Dyslexia is one of the most common learning disabilities in children and adults. It affects 20 percent of the population and accounts for 80 to 90 percent of those with learning disabilities. As with all learning disabilities, early detection and intervention are crucial. Particularly in stemming further learning difficulties in later life. If you’re worried that your child may have dyslexia, below is a guide on what signs to look out for and how to get a dyslexia diagnosis.

Discover how you can explain ADHD in a way that’s easy for the child to understand, and accurately represents their amazing brain. Check out this Handout: Kid-Friendly Assessment Summary to help kids understand their amazing brains.

What is Dyslexia?

 

The International Dyslexia Association defines dyslexia as a specific and unexpected learning disability that is neurobiological in origin. Individuals with dyslexia primarily have difficulty in phonological processing. Phonology is an underlying skill that facilitates both learning how to decode and spell. Students with dyslexia struggle with isolating the sounds in words, matching sounds with letters, and blending sounds into words. The visual magnocellular system is responsible for timing visual events when reading. In dyslexics, the development of the visual magnocellular system is impaired: development of the magnocellular layers of the dyslexic lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) is abnormal; their motion sensitivity is reduced; many dyslexics show unsteady binocular fixation; hence poor visual localization, particularly on the left side (left neglect). However, this visual phenomenon does not explain dyslexia.

In other words, these students have problems “cracking the code.” This means arbitrary written symbols (called orthography) are not automatically processed as well as their peers who have cracked the code with more automaticity do. As a result, an individual with dyslexia will find it difficult to sound out words and show poor spelling and decoding abilities. 

When left unaddressed, dyslexia can also lead to problems in reading fluency. If you aren’t reading fluently, you will be at risk for having reading comprehension difficulties and will most likely avoid reading since it’s an unpleasant experience. Lack of practice reading means less exposure to vocabulary and reduced learning background knowledge. In short, without proper intervention, dyslexia leads to a foundational literacy issue, which then causes downstream issues. 

For the most part, however, what exactly causes dyslexia is still unknown. We do know there is a genetic link; studies show that children with a family history of dyslexia or other learning disabilities are more susceptible. There are also other risk factors to consider, such as low birth weight, premature birth, and exposure to harmful substances (drugs, nicotine, alcohol) during pregnancy. 

 

Common Signs of Dyslexia

 

Dyslexia can occur at all levels of intelligence. Children who struggle with dyslexia can often excel in other areas of learning and creative thinking. This is arguably one of the reasons why early signs of dyslexia are easy to overlook, especially in bright students. These students can easily compensate for this sometimes “invisible” learning disability, which makes knowing when and how to get a dyslexia diagnosis all the more necessary. 

Typically, dyslexia is detected once a child enters school and starts learning to read. But younger children may also show symptoms that hint at a learning problem. Here are some early signs of dyslexia in children and teens to watch out for from The Mayo Clinic:

Early/Pre-School Years

  • Late talking
  • Slow to learn new words
  • Often reverses and confuses word sounds, especially those that sound alike
  • Difficulty naming letters, numbers, colors, and even recognizing letters in their own name
  • Struggles to learn nursery rhymes, understand rhyming patterns, or play rhyming games

Elementary Years

  • Reads below the expected level for their age (slow or inaccurate reading)
  • Struggles with understanding and processing what they hear
  • Struggles to find the right words or form answers and often opts to substitute words 
  • Difficulty in remembering the sequence of events or things
  • Difficulty in distinguishing similarities and differences in letters and words
  • Unable to sound out the pronunciation of new words and struggles with spelling
  • Takes a long time to complete reading or writing exercises and shies away from reading tasks

Teens and Adults

  • Problems with reading, often leaving out short words or parts of longer words
  • Struggles with spelling and writing
  • Difficulty pronouncing expected or familiar words or names
  • Takes a long time to complete tasks that involve reading and writing or avoids reading activities
  • Struggles with “getting” jokes, puns, or expressions with meanings that are not readily obvious
  • Difficulty grasping a second language and telling or summarizing a story
  • Struggles with memorizing or doing math problems

Dyslexia becomes easier to recognize as a child enters school and starts learning how to read.

 

When and How to Get a Dyslexia Diagnosis

 

Dyslexia becomes easier to spot once a child enters kindergarten or first grade. This is because children with dyslexia often struggle with understanding basic reading skills, so they will noticeably fall behind their peers. 

Your child’s primary teacher will hopefully notify you if he or she is falling behind reading benchmarks. They may suggest an assessment and offer assistance on how to get a dyslexia diagnosis for your child. However, school districts and schools use their own metrics to determine what’s expected in terms of learning literacy. What parents don’t know is that many of these popular metrics are not researched-backed (This is another topic to be discussed at a later point). It is currently thought that developmental dyslexia can be viewed as the result of the effects of single deficits or multiple deficits

A licensed clinical psychologist (ideally, a neuropsychologist) performs the testing for dyslexia on a child. Likewise, a licensed clinical psychologist can also work with a licensed speech language therapist, who can also collect necessary and relevant data (see below).  Meanwhile, an occupational therapist can evaluate fine motor and visual spatial skills.

According to the International Dyslexia Association, dyslexia evaluation should consider the following factors:

Moreover, a child or adult should undergo a neuropsychological evaluation to get a closer look at brain functions. This type of test can measure attention span, memory, and language skills. It can help determine the reasons a child is struggling in school and help you plan an intervention. And like any type of learning issue, clinical psychologists can also rule in or out co-morbity since many learning issues are not “pure” in nature. 

 

Why Diagnosing Dyslexia is Important 

 

When left unchecked, dyslexia and other learning disabilities can persist well into adulthood. Without any support, children with dyslexia can experience frustration and learning blocks that may ultimately hamper their learning growth and development.

In many cases, not knowing how to get a dyslexia diagnosis and ignoring the signs of learning disabilities can lead to moodiness and chronic stress, expose children as targets for bullying, and take a toll on the child’s self-esteem. These outcomes may worsen as a child gets older and cause further mental, academic, and career-related problems.

Having a formal evaluation and diagnosis also allows your child to qualify for their school’s special services and Individualized Education Program or IEP. In the United States, all students are eligible for IEPs.  Entering your child into a specialized program gives you access to accommodations and modifications in your child’s academic path and goals.

Modifications make changes to what your child is taught in school and adjust expectations in what he is supposed to achieve. An example of this would be giving a different set of homework or grading using a different standard. Modifications are made on the child’s IEP. 

Meanwhile, accommodations are steps taken by the school to allow children with dyslexia to keep pace with their peers. This may include:

  • Access to taped lectures and audio versions of learning materials
  • Use of text-to-speech software to help with writing
  • Extra time on tests and writing and reading exercises
  • No foreign language requirement
  • Access to vocabulary lists and new concepts ahead of time
  • Alternative books with similar content in the student’s reading level
  • Read-aloud exemptions
  • Grading students on mastery of content instead of spelling or reading fluency

How to Best Teach a Child with Dyslexia

 

Finding out how to get a dyslexia diagnosis is only the first step in providing support for your child. Hence, your next goal should focus on finding out the best and most effective way for your child to learn.

But before anything else, it is important to understand that dyslexia is neither a disease nor a physical condition. It is a lifelong learning disability, which a timely diagnosis and the right intervention and teaching approach can successfully manage and correct. 

Because dyslexia affects not only a child’s ability to read but also write and spell, it requires a multisensory structured language education (MSLE) approach. 

One of the pioneers of this type of teaching method is the Orton-Gillingham approach. Its goal is to create a multisensory learning environment for individuals struggling with reading, writing, spelling, or a combination of all three. The Orton-Gillingham Approach uses sight, hearing, touch, and awareness of motion to assist the child in improving reading and other literacy skills.

Reading together often and consistently is crucial in bolstering a child with dyslexia's confidence and reading skills.

 

How to Support a Child with Dyslexia at Home

 

While schools play a big role in a child’s success over dyslexia, at-home learning and support are just as important. Some of the most important steps you can take as a parent are:

Staying on top of your child’s IEP. Knowing how to get a dyslexia diagnosis and making sure your child receives a school’s IEP is crucial. But your job doesn’t stop there. It is just as important to keep communication lines open with your child’s educators. This is key to ensure the student is making progress and to figure out how you may be able to provide more help.

Reading with your child as often and as consistently as possible. It may be a challenge to get children to hunker down and finish a book, so pick fun reading materials like comic books, graphic novels, or choose-your-own-adventure books that make reading less of a chore. Emphasize on teaching phonics, and allow your child to practice reading without the pressure of being criticized or graded.

Taking advantage of technology. These days, there is an app or software for everything. Including dyslexia learning needs. Think text-to-speech, reading assistant apps, and spell-checkers.

Seeking the help of professionals. Finding a professional with Orton-Gillingham training (at least 40 hours worth), or even a speech-language pathologist with training in literacy, is the best way to provide further support for your child. For your child to succeed, it’s crucial to work with a professional that has a keen understanding of his or her needs and delivers a custom teaching approach. 

Brooklyn Letters is a New York-based private speech-language therapy and tutoring company fully committed to providing fun, individualized, and dynamic tutoring, coaching, and therapy sessions for children and teens. We treat all kinds of speech and language delays and learning difficulties, specializing in evaluating and treating babies through adolescents.

Our services include:

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Do you want to learn more about dyslexia? 

Here is a roundtable NYC discussion on dyslexia presented by a neuropsychologist, an educational attorney, a special needs advocate, and a head of a school specializing in teaching dyslexia. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QV1Gl2JUM6c&t=2s

Queens Letters offers in-home and online literacy (Orton-Gillingham Approach), math tutoring services, and speech, language, and feeding therapies in the New York City metro area seven days a week.
Get in touch with Brooklyn Letters at:

Phone: (347) -394-3485

Text: 917-426-8880

Email: [email protected]

We are ready to help you right now!

Top 3 Homeschooling Tips for Parents Who Want to Keep Their Child Engaged

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Keep these homeschooling tips for parents in mind to ease your transition into this new type of learning.

As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to change the way today’s students learn, more and more parents are now looking at homeschooling their children for the coming school year. Likewise, school districts are shifting to blended and distance learning in lieu of in-person classes. This new method will follow the school’s regular curriculum and recreate classroom settings online as best as possible.

These changes aim to ensure the pandemic that forced most of the world to retreat into the safety of our own homes does not derail education.

But while studying at home can ease concerns on safety, it can also be challenging. Even more so for parents who did not plan on becoming their children’s primary educators.

And like many challenges, the biggest hurdle seems to be knowing where and how to start. From finding the right curriculum to setting up a learning space, the process can be overwhelming for parents. Particularly those dipping their toes on homeschooling for the first time.

To help ease you into this transition, we have rounded up some of our top distance learning and homeschooling tips for parents.

 

1. Create a suitable learning space

You don’t need to recreate a classroom inside your home, but having a designated learning space is key. This helps your child to focus on and embrace the idea of studying at home better.

Having a space that fuels their creativity and learning materials within reach will encourage them to concentrate and participate more.

Similarly, it’s important to have a daily schedule to guide your child through the day. This will recreate the structure they had in schools and help them ease into this new type of learning. 

However, it’s also necessary to keep your child’s routine flexible and loosen up your expectations. Let your kids share control over their schedule, and include them in decision-making. Make sure to have room for playtime, breaks, and, if possible, outdoor activities.

 

2. Make learning more fun with activities

Bombarding your child with tons of schoolwork will do more harm than good. Whether your child is entirely homeschooled or part of your local school’s distance learning program, it’s important to keep things balanced with fun activities. This is especially true in making sure boredom doesn’t get in the way of your child’s online studies.

One of the most important homeschooling tips for parents is understanding and being aware of how your child learns best. That way, you can tailor activities in a manner that will be easier for them to grasp. (And you will know which things will easily distract them.) A multimodality approach takes advantage of learning by using visual, audio, kinesthetic, and motion to help students learn.

For young children, adding sensory play in their daily activities will boost curiosity, improve motor skills, cognitive function, and problem-solving skills. Include crafting activities and give them simple tasks to complete independently. Doing so will give your child a sense of accomplishment and boost their confidence.

If you have a teen, introduce practical applications of their lessons. It can be tricky to ward off boredom and distractions (such as video games and social media) when you have a teen, so shake up their routine from time to time.

One way to do this is by challenging your child. Introduce activities that stretch their imagination and encourage academic and personal growth. Whether it is through simple experiments or tasks that teach essential life skills. What matters is you allow them to have first-hand experience by showing them how concepts apply to real-life situations.

Homeschooling is a good opportunity for your child to dive into passion projects and pursue their interests.

 

3. Encourage your child to pursue a passion project

One of the best homeschooling tips for parents is to allow your child to pursue their interests. Especially the ones that may not fit in their regular school curriculum.

Passion projects can be particularly empowering for your child. They take the lead in deciding which project to do, how they want to present it, and which direction they want to go.

For tech-savvy teens, this can be learning how to code, build an app, or starting a blog or YouTube channel.

For younger kids, passion projects can be a great way to encourage their curiosity and sense of discovery. They can choose to learn an instrument, start a little vegetable garden, or create an illustrated guide on the life cycle of their favorite animal.

 

Homeschooling Support for Kids and Parents

Distance learning is set to become one of the primary teaching methods when students return in the fall. But like homeschooling, its main concern is how to keep students engaged. It is no wonder most guides and homeschooling tips for parents give focus on techniques and activities that will keep children interested in their studies.

As both teaching methods rely on independent studying, it can be challenging for parents to make sure their children stay focused. As such, it may result in students falling behind their peers when it comes to academics.

Luckily, this doesn’t mean distance learning or homeschooling cannot be successful. Research shows that independent or virtual learning tends to be more effective when a child has a guide or mentor on hand. 

Having a facilitator is key in redirecting focus, tracking progress, and supplementing gaps that may cause a child to fall behind. And one of the ways to ensure your child is getting the support they need is by providing them the help of a private tutor.

Themba Tutors and Brooklyn Letters are New York-based private tutoring companies. They are fully committed to providing fun, individualized, and dynamic tutoring, coaching, and therapy sessions for children and teens.

Composed of traveling learning specialists, academic tutors, and executive function coaches that work one-on-one with students of all ages, they provide multidisciplinary and personalized services.

Brooklyn Letters offers in-home and online literacy (Orton-Gillingham Approach) and math tutoring services as well as speech, language, and feeding therapies in the New York City metro area seven days a week.

Themba Tutors provides in-home services in New York City, Nassau and Suffolk Counties, Long Island, Westchester County, Fairfield County, Connecticut, and sections of New Jersey.

 

For more information, contact:

Themba Tutors

(917) 382-8641 / (201) 831-9848

[email protected]

https://thembatutors.com/

 

Brooklyn Letters

(347) 394-3485

(917) 426-8880

Text: 917-426-8880

[email protected]

https://brooklynletters.com/

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Want to know more homeschooling tips from the experts? Here are some videos we recommend!

Watch this video as Brooklyn Letters director and homeschooling mom Nicole interviews Brooklyn Letters reading specialist Joana on how to make online classes a success!

 

Looking for online resources and websites you can use for your child’s homeschool and online classes? Here are Brooklyn Letters speech language pathologist Amy’s recommendations!