Should I Get a Dyslexia Diagnosis?
The Answer is Both Yes and No!
There’s a lot of confusion surrounding dyslexia diagnoses—who can diagnose, how to get treatment, and what a diagnosis really means. Let’s break it down.
What Is Dyslexia?
The term dyslexia is a medical one, derived from the Greek words dys (difficulty) and lexia (language or reading). Because of this, many people assume that a medical doctor or pediatrician can diagnose dyslexia. If only it were that simple!
The Truth About Dyslexia Diagnoses
There is no single test for dyslexia. A “diagnosis” is simply the professional opinion of a qualified expert, and this opinion can vary depending on the individual conducting the evaluation.
It’s important to note that getting a formal dyslexia diagnosis from a licensed psychologist or neurologist will not automatically ensure your child gets the help they need in a public school. Many public schools lack dyslexia-trained staff or specific dyslexia programs. Even with a formal diagnosis, your child may not receive targeted interventions.
So, Should You Get a Formal Diagnosis?
The answer depends on your goals. A formal diagnosis can be beneficial in certain situations:
Benefits of a Formal Diagnosis:
1. Accommodations in College or the Workplace: A diagnosis can qualify your child for accommodations or protections under laws such as the ADA.
2. Public School Documentation: A diagnosis may support your child’s eligibility for an IEP (Individualized Education Plan) or a 504 Plan.
3. Access to Public Services: A diagnosis can help your child qualify for vocational training, disability payments, or other services.
4. Detailed Insights: It can provide clarity about your child’s challenges and offer recommendations for specific interventions.
Challenges of a Formal Diagnosis:
• Cost: Psychological evaluations can be expensive, and not all professionals accept insurance.
• Uncertain Outcomes: Some psychologists may not explicitly use the term dyslexia in their diagnosis, instead opting for broader terms like learning disability.
• Limited School Impact: Even with a formal diagnosis, many public schools lack the resources to provide specialized dyslexia therapy.
Before pursuing an evaluation, confirm with the psychologist whether they will explicitly diagnose dyslexia if it’s present. Otherwise, you may spend significant money on an evaluation only to receive a generic diagnosis.
What’s Involved in a Dyslexia Evaluation?
Diagnosing dyslexia involves gathering information from multiple sources. There’s no single test; instead, the process typically includes:
1. Background Information: A review of your child’s developmental, educational, and medical history, including any family history of learning challenges.
2. Home and School Observations: Feedback from teachers and family, often through questionnaires.
3. Vision, Hearing, and Neurological Tests: To rule out other potential causes of reading difficulties.
4. Psychological Testing: Assessment of mental health factors, such as anxiety or depression, that could impact learning.
5. Reading and Academic Skills Testing: Evaluation of reading, decoding, fluency, comprehension, and other academic skills.
According to the International Dyslexia Association, a thorough evaluation should include:
• Oral language skills
• Word recognition (reading accuracy)
• Decoding (reading unfamiliar words)
• Spelling
• Phonological processing
• Automaticity and fluency
• Vocabulary knowledge
The evaluation should also provide a framework of your child’s strengths and weaknesses, along with recommendations for intervention planning.
A Final Note
A formal diagnosis can provide useful insights, but it won’t tell you what you already know:
Your child is…
• Kind
• Creative
• Resilient
• Compassionate
• Smart
• Unique
Your child is more than dyslexia. They are your everything.