True or False? Dyslexia Assessors Will Diagnose ANYONE With Dyslexia
“Specialist Dyslexia Assessors will diagnose a wooden spoon as being dyslexic!”
This is a common misconception, but it’s completely false.
Specialist Dyslexia Assessors like Holly Swinton follow the well-respected Rose Report definition of dyslexia. They are fully qualified and accredited, and they are subject to a standard of ethics that mean they would never diagnose “just anyone” with dyslexia. In the UK, it comes with legal protections and so it is important that it is only applied when needed.
When dyslexia is misunderstood as a different condition
However, here’s what is true: a person may mistakenly believe their difficulties (or their child’s difficulties) stem from dyslexia, only to undertake an assessment and find out the issue is something else.
It might be ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), ASC (Autism Spectrum Condition), dyspraxia or Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), 2E (Twice Exceptional), dyscalculia, hypermobility, motor coordination issues, APD (Auditory Processing Disorder), eye tracking, Irlen syndrome, scotopic sensitivity, convergence insufficiency, binocular instability, sleep apnoea, speech and language issues, ARFID (Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder), sensory processing or another complex condition.
These difficulties can still benefit from support, exam arrangements and diagnosis by the correct professional, but (needless to say) they do not require a belt-and-braces dyslexia report from a Specialist Dyslexia Assessor.
An average assessor may not be as familiar with some of these and with usefully signposting you to the correct help, so it is worth factoring in experience and flagging up issues to the assessor you are worried about.
Cheaper alternatives to a full dyslexia assessment
What’s the right thing to do, then? Especially if you fear wasting your money on an expensive dyslexia assessment that may be worthless?
First of all, take a look at our free dyslexia checklist test. You can also read Holly Swinton’s book, Defeat Dyslexia! (downloadable as an ebook for just £1.99). This should give you a sense of whether the problem is dyslexia or not, so you’ll be able to proceed with more confidence.
Another strategy is to choose an Initial Dyslexia Screening with a Specialist Dyslexia Assessment. This professional-grade “dyslexia test” is shorter and cheaper, but will still give valuable insight into whether you (or your child’s) difficulties stem from dyslexia.
Also check with your dyslexia assessor, and see if they may be able to offer a tailored screening. In the case of Holly Swinton, she has a wide variety of tests to try to pinpoint what issues may be underlying, which means she can offer something more bespoke than the typical dyslexia screening, if appropriate.
Because Holly has split the process into the assessment and report (after feedback from worried parents), you hopefully get the best of both worlds (hours of sensitive, specialist testing digging into the correct areas to uncover blockages and root cause and solutions), but only paying for a report if you need it.
If the diagnosis is negative, will you still pay the full amount?
It’s true that, if you undertake a full dyslexia assessment, most dyslexia assessors will charge you the full amount, regardless of whether you (or your child) is diagnosed with dyslexia.
However, unlike other dyslexia assessors, Holly Swinton responded to parents and so has structured her pricing to minimise unnecessary costs. If the problem is not dyslexia, you’ll over ever pay for the assessment itself and not the report. This amounts to about half of the full amount typically charged by dyslexia assessors.
Holly will only produce (and charge you for) a dyslexia report if it’s actually helpful to you. At any point, you can choose to cancel the second part of the service (the dyslexia report), saving yourself a needless cost.
If it’s not dyslexia, but you still need exam recommendations and a tailored plan for school, then a shorter, cheaper report can be produced (if requested by you).
How common are false diagnoses of dyslexia?
It’s extremely unlikely that you will receive a “false” diagnosis of dyslexia from an accredited dyslexia assessor, because it is based on hours of rigorous testing, unlike some other conditions, which are questionnaire based.
That said, do make sure to check their testimonials from past clients, to ensure you’ve selected an assessor who is ethical, responsible and compassionate.
