Why wait until a child is 7 years old to assess for Dyslexia?
Many assessors prefer to wait until children have several years of formalised teaching before assessing for dyslexia. Assessing children younger than 7 years of age can be difficult, as some of the diagnostic tests are not standardised to under that. Additionally, some of the skills I am assessing have not yet been taught.
Therefore I would be assessing a child for skills that have not been learnt. As well as testing cognitive – verbal and non-verbal skills, processing, memory and sequencing abilities – an important part of the dyslexia assessment is the testing of reading, writing and spelling skills. A child needs to be able to access these tests and at least be able to read and write a sentence. If a child cannot access the literacy skills tests then a standardised score cannot be achieved. In instances such as this, the only evidence of difficulty can be from observation and the ability of the specialist assessor to take a qualitative view of some skills and behaviours associated with dyslexia. The process of being assessed for dyslexia should be a positive and encouraging one. If the child cannot access the literacy tests then it can be a demoralising and negative experience. Therefore it is better to wait until child has reached 7 years of age and has had some formalised teaching to develop literacy skills, which can then be assessed and reported on with standardised scores, as well as accurate reading and spelling ages.
80% of dyslexic students leave school without a diagnosis and the outcomes for this large group are not always successful. Early diagnosis of dyslexia from the age of 7 upwards, and certainly whilst at Primary School preferably, provides far more positive outcomes. Dyslexia can create brilliantly creative minds that look at the world differently and give us many artists, entrepreneurs and academics. Stephen Hawking (Relativity Theory and Quantum Mechanics) was dyslexic. For many more examples of famous people with dyslexia, why not visit our Famous People with Dyslexia page?
I am a a member of the British Dyslexia Association and PATOSS (Professional Association of Teachers with Specific Learning Difficulties). I provide COVID safe dyslexia assessments for children between the ages of 7 and 14 years of age from my home in Bishop’s Stortford, on the Herts & Essex border and within easy reach of London, Cambridge, Kent, Suffolk, Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire.
Contact me today to find out availability for your child’s COVID safe dyslexia assessment if you have any concerns about your child.