Bright Solutions for Dyslexia explains the criteria and process of testing a child:

"A Dyslexia Testing Specialist must have enough evidence of dyslexia ahead of time to justify putting a child through the testing process." 

• The tester will meet with the parents for at least two hours to gather a complete genetic, developmental and educational history on the child. The tester will want copies of the child’s report cards, as well as reports from any other testing that may have already been done. He’ll also want to know if the child has received any type of tutoring or speech therapy.
• The tester will also ask to see samples of recent school work to see if it contains the classic mistakes that people with dyslexia make.
• As a last step, the tester will ask what the child is really good at, because dyslexia is an unusual combination of both strengths and weaknesses. So the tester will want to find out if a child’s strengths and gifted areas also match the dyslexia pattern.
• If the tester uncovers any issues during the interview that are not related to dyslexia or ADD, the tester should stop the process and refer the parent to a neuropsychologist for a complete evaluation.

Only if there is enough indirect evidence of dyslexia at the end of the parent interview would a professional tester agree to test the child.

Parents, please be aware that using the right tests is only half the battle. A person who is not an expert in dyslexia may give the right tests but may not know how to correctly interpret the results. That’s why testing should be done by a professional who is an expert in dyslexia, and who has also received intense, specialized training in how to accurately give and score the tests, and to interpret the results.

Unfortunately, most school psychologists have not had that type of training. To find out, ask them this question: “What specialized training have you completed that qualifies you to test a child for dyslexia?”

As a Certified Dyslexia Testing Specialist, Deborah has the specialized training and expertise to properly diagnose (and treat) Dyslexia.

For questions about the testing process, please contact Deborah:

debbierc@tampabay.rr.com

For more information on Dyslexia, watch the educational videos @:

www.brightsolutions.us