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Dylsexia is not a problem of seeing numbers/letters backward or out of position. It is a language based reading disorder that is a result of a poor phonological system. Often dyslexics show reversals, not because of a faulty visual system, but because of difficulties in processing, sequencing etc. While the reversals can be a red flag, it is only one symptom. And yes, some of your son's reading scores are fine - but he shows some vulnerabilities that indicate there may be a problem that is masked due to his intellect.

You are noticing issues around reading. He is noticing the same. He has some very weak scores in comparison to his stellar intellect.

Follow your instincts - yes you need to get a second opinion. His rapid naming scores are quite low - This is a HUGE red flag. Your instincts (and mine) could be wrong - and I hope that they are. But, I would press to get more information.

Here's another website that you may find helpful: http://www.childrenofthecode.org/

Thanks for sharing all this information Mich!

Hi Athca,

I agree that you should get a second opinion about the reading/writing problems and possible dyslexia.

I am also from Ontario/Quebec, and I think in our area speech therapists, not psychologists, are often the best resource for testing for and treating dyslexia. My son, in grade 1, just turned 7, has alot of the same issues as yours (trouble learning to read, low rapid naming scores, reversals and sequencing problems, difficulty writing legibly). We are working with a speech therapist for the reading and spelling and an OT for the writing.

Yay another fellow Canadian!!



I thought the same thing and wish that was the case where I am - We went to a speech therapist first for the writing trouble (after a private tutor last year). They tested his reading and comprehension etc. then told me that they don't test writing skills until age 9 but they would work with the writing skills now - which has helped a tiny bit but getting him to practice is a whole other ball game - he completely acts as though I have just shoved hot pokers into his eyes - but that's another story. The Speech Therapists were the ones that gave me the psychologist's name after I asked them who diagnoses dyslexia.

So now the search is on to find someone who is better trained in identifying (or ruling out) dyslexia.

This made me smile!!

I couldn't agree more!!

All of you are a wealth of information!! I feel like I have won the lottery! I love it here - there is no getting rid of me now!!

The psychologist didn't as far as I know but after Verona's post it got me thinking that maybe the Speech Therapist did. I will have to ask on that.

We had the first psych who tested dd10 tell us that she couldn't have a LD b/c you have to be below average to have a LD . The second psych who retested her suggested that we were hothousing her and that she didn't have anything wrong with her b/c her teacher said that she was average and had no issues in school. (The teacher had also told us that IQ scores in the 99th-99.9th were due to "good guessing.") Despite still having scaled scores on the WISC that varied from 8-19, and a lot of odd results on both that and the WIAT, that second psych report said that we should put her in average/typical classes and that she was bright, but nothing that out of the ordinary and also had no LD.

A year later, another psych looked at the constantly fluctuating school achievement scores, the prior testing, and met with me and dd over the course of a few months and came up with an anxiety and ADD dx. I still do wonder if dyslexia is part of the picture, too. Point being, 'things will correct on their own' is a cop out in my book. We got 'dd will perform highly if she wants to and the fact that she isn't means that she just doesn't want to and you shouldn't worry about it. Your worrying about her scores jumping all over the place is the source of the problem.' Somehow ignoring it didn't work for us. Dd has improved significantly in terms of academic consistency with more interventions and attention from us not from us backing off and having her excluded from the GT programming.

We, too, were told that our district wasn't sure that her IQ scores would qualify for a GT id. If scores like that don't, what does?

Yes, I have heard that in Canada, SLP are the best to test for dyslexia. Here in the states, there are many that also do the same. The advantage is that they are "language" experts and there is a link between oral (listening and speaking) and written (reading and writing).

Good luck! I hope you find a competent evaluator soon.

Just as an update on DS... we had our school meeting and they are writing up his IEP and they wanted our input before they began - I feel like it went really well and his scores qualify him as gifted by the school board! The principal might be a bit of an issue in regards to giving him "enrichment" time and opportunities though but on the bright side the special ed teacher next year is my DS grade three teacher right now - and they really "get" each other, so that is also a bonus... next school year I will check out the "gifted" class at the other school and then we can compare and make our decision.

As for further testing on dyslexia, I made a phone call to someone I found on the internet - she said she was going to a meeting with some "experts" that evening and would ask them for their opinions. She called me back to tell me about the "Scottish Rite" they work with kids with dyslexia and have a learning centre only 30 minutes from home. I had a meeting with them and brought them the test scores. They said that they would get their 'expert' to take a look and see what she thinks, she may want to do further testing, she may want more info - but we probably won't hear back until September. Wow they really seemed to know their stuff!!

Thanks again for all your guidance and support!!

Great News Athca - thanks for sharing!
Grinity