How is Dyslexia Diagnosed?

The earlier a student is identified and diagnosed, the greater chance they have of succeeding in school with the appropriate core instruction and intervention. There’s no single test that can diagnose dyslexia. A variety of factors are considered and explained in the resources below.

Dyslexia Glossary As with most specialized topics, dyslexia comes with its own vocabulary. And, to make matters more challenging, the professionals in the varying fields who diagnose and treat language disabilities and dyslexia may even use different words to refer to the same behavior.

Dyslexia Evaluation Overview – What Parents Can Do  Parents are at their most vulnerable when their child is struggling. They want information and trust experts to tell them what is wrong—and to give advice about how they can make it better. But they need to be careful about finding the information they desperately seek and the advice they fervently want. Learn more about the evaluation process from The Yale Center for Dyslexia & Creativity.

Dyslexia in the Schools: Assessment and Identification Schools and teachers play an essential role in identifying students with reading difficulties, including dyslexia. This article from Reading Rockets offers a 5-step framework for identifying reading difficulties and determining if a student is eligible for special education services under IDEA — including the role of RTI (Response to Intervention), cognitive processing tests, and other statewide assessments and curriculum-based measures.

Types of Tests for Dyslexia –If you think your child might have dyslexia, there’s only one way to know for sure. You’ll need to have your child evaluated. This evaluation will identify specific areas of weakness in reading. (The evaluator should also test for other language and processing issues) In this article from Understood.org, there are four types of tests that are given when evaluating for dyslexia.

The Difference Between a School Identification and a Clinical Diagnosis  People often say the school “diagnosed” their child. But technically, that’s not what happened. Schools don’t diagnose conditions. Only doctors and other clinicians do. What schools do is somewhat different. IEP teams “identify” learning and thinking differences. Then they determine if a child is eligible for special education support and services. Understood.org explains the differences between a school identification and a clinical diagnosis.

Inside a Dyslexia Evaluation (20:44) How are kids tested for dyslexia? Watch this video to get an inside look at a dyslexia evaluation. If you’re planning to have your child evaluated, it can help to watch this video together.