How To Talk About Dyslexia
How To Talk About Dyslexia
Blog Article
Pediatric Dyslexia Evaluation
Pediatricians are uniquely positioned to identify and respond to early warning signs of dyslexia. They can help to elicit family history and recognize assessments performed in schools that indicate risk or diagnosis.
They can also serve as vocal advocates in national conversations about how to support children at risk of dyslexia. Read on for tips about how to make the best use of your child’s evaluation.
Diagnostic Criteria
A good dyslexia evaluation should include a variety of assessments that measure different aspects of reading, including accuracy and fluency. It should also assess a student's executive function skills, which are crucial to the success of any reading intervention program.
A team of professionals should perform the assessment, including a school psychologist; a learning specialist or special education teacher; a speech-language pathologist; and a social worker, if needed. In addition, it's important to consider the history of reading difficulties in the child's family and to look for any medical conditions that may contribute to the reading problems, such as hearing impairments.
The team should agree on the definition and diagnostic criteria of dyslexia, so that the student can qualify for services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. However, the team should not wait for a diagnosis before providing support and interventions. This could delay the child's progress. It is also important to remember that children are dynamic beings, and a prognosis for dyslexia should not be considered final, especially early on.
Diagnosis
As a pediatrician, you should be ready to connect your patients with specialists who can test for dyslexia. Early identification is key to preventing the adverse effects of reading failure (including low self-esteem, social isolation and poor job performance).
A diagnosis of dyslexia falls under the Specific Learning Disability category and requires that students are administered various tests measuring different components of reading, including word recognition. These tests should measure both accuracy and speed.
The evaluator will also look for other factors that could be causing your child's difficulty, such as ADHD or dyslexia overview anxiety. Having a formal diagnosis is important because it qualifies your child to receive special education services and accommodations at school through an Individualized Education Program or IEP.
Dyslexia is a lifelong condition, so it is crucial that children get diagnosed and treated as soon as possible. This will help them avoid years of frustration and disappointment. Once your child has a formal diagnosis, you will need to stay on top of his IEP and advocate fiercely for him.
Treatment
Pediatricians play a key role in helping to identify dyslexia, and in helping children with dyslexia to find appropriate treatment. The first step in a dyslexia evaluation involves gathering information, including questionnaires about the child's reading performance and other academic abilities. The evaluator then administers tests that measure phonological awareness, rapid naming, spelling, reading comprehension, writing, math and attention. These tests provide percentage rankings of the child's performance and indicate whether it is significantly below average.
Kids with dyslexia need help learning to recognize word sounds and connect them with letters. Often, this means working with psychologists, teachers and speech-language pathologists who specialize in learning disabilities. These specialists might also employ multisensory teaching techniques, which use different senses to help kids learn. Federal laws entitle kids with dyslexia to special help in schools, such as specialized instruction and accommodations like extra time for tests and copies of teachers' notes.
Referrals
The diagnosis of dyslexia is a clinical decision that requires a thoughtful synthesis of history, observation and psychometric assessment. It is not a quick or easy process.
A pediatric dyslexia evaluation can be conducted in either a school or a clinical setting. It typically involves a team of experts including a psychologist, school psychologist, speech-language pathologist, neurologist and/or educational specialist.
It is important that parents provide the examiner with a thorough case history, including information about family literacy, prenatal and birth complications, language development and learning difficulties. Parents should also be asked about whether there is a family history of dyslexia.
Dyslexia is a Specific Learning Disability, and federal laws entitle kids with these disabilities to special help in schools. This includes specialized instruction, accommodations and modifications such as extra time on tests or for homework. Pediatricians can play a vital role in early identification and referral to these professionals. They are well positioned to recognize risk factors for dyslexia and can help advocate for their patients.