Hi there, I am just beginning my journey through dyslexia, ADD, etc. Our middle of 5 children is 13 yo, Year 7. She struggles with spelling and fluency. We recently had her tested, her results were high IQ but poor rate and fluency, yet good comprehension. Query, dyslexia?, auditory processing? My husband, David and his brother have always been slow readers, yet have worked in the literary world – Poet, Author, Pastor! Recently we discovered some first cousins with ?dyslexia and ?ADHD. Our other 4 children excel in Literacy. One has been labelled a ‘genius’ for her age (8yo). So our poor middle daughter, Anna, feels really ‘dumb’ (her words). Not sure where to begin?
- Cheryl
Hi Cheryl,
Dyslexia is an inherited condition. If your husband is a slow reader, if he has to say every word in his head when reading silently then this a form of dyslexia.
I was taught in the Uk and my Center follows the British Dyslexia Association. So what i say is not always the same as what you are told in Australia.
Auditory processing disorder is also a form a dyslexia and all dyslexics have this to some extent.
In the Uk we test for dyslexia before testing for ADHD or ADD. if dyslexia can account for the kids problems then we call her dyslexic and do not assume that she also has ADD or ADHD. Very few kids are medicated in the UK and it considered extremely old fashioned to merely give a kid drugs.
I recently discussed this with a top psych in the BDA by phone. They have no policy on getting kids off ritaline because they not put on it in the fist place, She was extremely shocked to hear what was going on Australia regarding Amphetamine drugs.
Hope this helps
Dawn
January 5th, 2010
Perhaps this story will provide some ideas for my Aussie compatriots. I am the parent of a nine year old classic dyslexic (visual and aural) here in NYC. I am from Melbourne and had always hoped to return home before my daughter went to High School.
Continue Reading January 5th, 2010
Children who find reading and writing very easy do tend to have compulsive obsessive disorders. They tend to be towards the autistic end of the spectrum.
Continue Reading January 5th, 2010
Hi Dawn, very exciting news about the Centre – keep us posted on prgress, Anna is due to start boarding school in 2011!!
Thanks again for the brilliant work you did with her in July – she is working through her phonics programme and showing vast improvement in her reading and spelling. She tells everyone how she is going to be a teacher and how you are going to employ her one day.
What you have done for our girl’s confidence is awesome and we’re really excited that you’ll be able to share your knowledge with so many more kids in a school. Best of luck.
- Donna
Hi Donna,
So Glad that she’s improving. the phonics I give to parents is really easy isn’t it. She
s a great kid and I am pleased to be able to help her.
cheers
Dawn
January 5th, 2010
Hi there,
I would be extremely interested in your school. Has there been any further developments with this? When do you envisage it to be up and running? Lastly, would it be a school that caters for all ages (primary and secondary?)
Sounds absolutely brilliant. Please keep me informed!
There is so much forms filling etc involved in setting things up here. Much simpler in the UK. But we do intend to have it for all ages, and we intend to set up a pre school in which we teach basic phonics, so that kids are ready to learn to read when getting to the main school. If there is anyone out there who can help with finding out how to fill in forms etc. please do contact me.
Thanks. dawn
January 5th, 2010
Thanks for all your info Dawn & time.
When you have a child that never gives up, you want to keep pushing on.
Our daughter Sarah, is an anxious child, loves being at home with her family, home body, and loves the water, beach. Sarah has ADD/ADHD, expressive language difficulties, learning difficulties, however very visual, and learns visually, Sarah is 9yrs old.
I did the Tick box assessment / for the 8-13yrs for Dyspraxia, Sarah’s score was 19.
I also did the Dyslexia late infant or early primary screening sheet Sarah’s score was 12.
I am a little dyslexic myself, so probably from my side of the family.
Sarah has had expressive speech difficulties since she started to talk, Sarah did speech therapy for 6yrs. Sarah is reading well, Sarah is doing tennis lessons at the moment and has really improved, plus we bought a trampoline, as she takes a while to try new things, and the trampoline takes her out of her comfort zone which is good, Dawn suggests the wobble board which is brilliant for balance also. Sarah is learning to surf on a surfboard, we are seeing big improvements in all area’s of her gross motor skills, all these things help her confidence, In the past I have tried Sarah on
Omega fish oil since little, taken her to occupational behavioural optometry, speech therapy, neuro psychologist, you name it.
I would like to say Dawn has up to date research and provides practical resources for children like Sarah who don’t learn the mainstream way.
I wished all states in Australia would adopt Dawn’s methods of teaching children that learn differently, our daughter is very visual and Dawn’s resources are fantastic.
Thanks again
[name withheld, Sydney Australia]
instead of doing the fast forward you can buy earobics DVD at a fraction of the cost and i have found it to be as god.
Dawn
We did look into fast forward, got all the info DVD etc, we were already doing
with our daughter education DVD on the computer Maths and English, fun type learning computer games, from Tandy, Dick Smith etc, our speech therapist
looked into fast forward and said what you are already doing is very similar, our daughter Sarah is very visual, learns visually, Sarah is a whiz on the computer, plus fast forward was big $$$$, also looked into Cell field again big$$$$ and no studies to back up what they say it does, have looked at so many things and tried so much. Thanks again
I do not sell earobics but will try to work out how we can do that. I got hold of them by going to www.earobics.com. Our local SPELD sell them also. You can phone them on 0894743494.
I sell a downloadable dyspraxic pack which contains a book on dyspraxia and a phonics course and lots of other teaching aids. for $39 i think.(!) Get it from www.dyslexia-testing.com.au and type dyspraxia in the store search engine. The book I sell on dyspraxia is only at present available downloadable.
All the things you are doing are good. Skate boarding is very good also or a wobble board, I tell you how to build one in the book,
If your child is dyspraxic i would expect her to score as positive in both the dyslexia and he dyspraxia tick tests.
There are no schools which properly cater for these kids in Australia, unfortunately, so try not to worry too much if she does not keep up. Just remember that primary education is only actually meant to prepare your kid for secondary and high school is only intended to prepare her for life, so concentrate on life skills.
It is so important to find her strengths and concentrate on them rather than just correcting things that she is not doing well at.
And yes if she is dyspraxic she can improve greatly and live a more or less normal life. My step mum is dyspraxic and she was a maths teacher in a top private school.
I am beginning a maths program for these kids but as you might imagine I am quite busy!
I do offer skype assessments now.
Good luck you are doing very well and are obviously a really good mum.
dawn
January 5th, 2010
We have many e-books available for purchase and download from our main site. Please visit Dyslexia Testing – we hope you find them interesting and informative.
October 20th, 2009
A close friend who is dyslexic phoned up yesterday very frustrated because of ongoing problems he was having filling in a passport application form. It made me realize that the advice I gave him should be posted.
Continue Reading September 28th, 2009
In response to thousands of requests from frustrated parents of dyslexic children who struggle at school, we are proud to announce the opening of Dyslexic Centre Australia.
Continue Reading September 28th, 2009
Hi Dawn
Thank you so much for the information. It is all a bit daunting now, I am really concerned about how my son will overcome his Dyspraxia. Do you know if there are any support groups in the Sutherland Shire area in NSW?
Kind regards
Lisa
Hi Lisa,
From what i can find out most of the kids being home schooled in urban areas in Australia have kids who are either dyslexic or dyspraxic. If you want to get to meet other people with dyspraxic kids then get in touch with the home schooling network.
If people could set up self help groups I would fully back and support you all.
CHeers
Dawn
September 28th, 2009
