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Could dd have dyslexia?

3 replies

FreddoBaggyMac · 31/01/2013 13:31

Hi. I have been concerned about DD's skills in literacy for a while now, she's 8 years old and in Y4. I'm particularly concerned about her spelling and the fact that she still often reverses bs and ds. She has a spelling test every week at school and normally does well, but only because she practices the words literally hundreds of times for a week beforehand. Her general spelling is not good at all. Also she still struggles to tell left from right. her reading on the other hand seems OK, and she's good at maths.

I mentioned my concerns at the last parent's evening but her teacher didn't seem overly concerned (mainly due to her good spelling test marks).

Should I be concerned that, at 8, she is still reversing letters and getting basic spellings wrong? If so, what's the best thing to do about it?

Many thanks.

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Niceweather · 02/02/2013 07:39

Sounds like it could be dyslexia (although I am not an expert). Sounds similar to my son who can also get spellings in a test right but not in his writing. It's easier when you are not also having to worry about capitals, punctuation, layout, neatness, vocabulary, making sense, structure and content! He is also a good reader although subtle problems are still there (skipping words and lines, misreading words etc). He passed a school Literary Assessment test. He doesn't know left from right either and was very slow to make up his mind that he was right handed when he was a baby. You could try contacting your local dyslexia association and read up as much as possible - there are loads of books out there. It might be worth paying for an assessment if you can afford it but it may not be a magic wand to extra help if your DD is not far enough behind to qualify. Secondary schools are usually more on the ball. There are spelling programs out there like Word Shark, Word Wasp and Alpha to Omega.

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wonderfultykes · 02/02/2013 18:18

Is she disorganised? Get panicky when she's lost something? Good and bad days? Get weepy for slightest reason sometimes?? Seems on another planet sometimes and timekeeping haywire?? My DD, y3 just been diagnosed. Great Reading age of 11 but spelling age of 8. B and d mixes up, tow not two etc. could learn spellings for a test but come next week they'd gone again. Likewise tables.

I would read up dyslexia action or Heken Arkell and consider a test, again, if you can afford it. Alpha to omega has teachers and studen book but activity cd to go with is extortionate. Nessy spelling CD is great fun.

We have also had eye test at institute of optometry and found DD has visual stress and benefits hugely from coloured overlay.

Good luck!

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FreddoBaggyMac · 03/02/2013 08:45

Thanks both of you, very helpful indeed. I will look up all of the resources you've mentioned. Thanks again.

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