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Dyslexia can have a substantial and long term adverse effect on normal day to day activities, and is therefore a recognised disability under the Equality Act 2010. The Act states that schools and higher education institutions have a duty to make 'reasonable adjustments' for disabled students (including students with learning difficulties, such as dyslexia).

As well as reasonable adjustments in the classroom, schools must put in place Exam Access Arrangements, which are reasonable adjustments for candidates who have the required knowledge and skills, but who can't demonstrate this knowledge or skills due to their disability. These arrangements must not affect the integrity of the examination or give the learner an unfair advantage.

Access Arrangements can include:

Extra time

A reader

A scribe

The use of an exam reading pen, a word processor or assistive software (screen reader/voice recognition)

Exam papers printed on coloured paper

Supervised rest breaks

A separate room to take the test in

See the JCQ Access Arrangements webpage for more information.

National curriculum tests

Phonics test (Year 1)

Few children with dyslexia will have been diagnosed at this stage and this test may help to identify those at risk. Schools can adapt the test materials for pupils who cannot access the check, for example, changing the font or font size. Using coloured overlays, having rest breaks or rephrasing instructions are allowed if this is the pupil's normal way of working.

For children who are working well below the level of the screening check (for example, if they have shown no understanding of letter-sound correspondences), there will be a disapplication process so they do not have to take part. Parents should be informed if a child is disapplied.

Key Stage 2 (Years 3-6)

National Curriculum Tests (known informally as SATs) are administered at the end of Key Stage 2 at 11 years. Permission to use some Access Arrangements, for example, extra time, must be granted by the Standards and Testing Agency (STA). Schools can decide on using other Access Arrangements such as a reader, prompt or rest breaks without applying to the STA.

The latest information can be found on the Gov.uk webpage National curriculum assessments: Key stage 2 tests.

GCSEs and A-Levels

The Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) oversees Exam Access Arrangements for GCSE and GCE (A-Level) qualifications.

Decisions are based on:

* The school's knowledge of the student's needs and the support put in place in the classroom - their normal way of working
* Findings of an assessor's assessments
* The requirements of the subjects they are taking

A learner does not need a diagnosis of a learning difficulty, including dyslexia, to receive Access Arrangements.

A diagnosis of dyslexia will not mean automatic Exam Access Arrangements - it is the evidence of the student's needs in their normal learning situation which is most important.

The JCQ regulations are very clear that an independent assessment carried out without prior consultation with the school cannot be used to award Access Arrangements. However, an independent assessment report may be used to build a picture of the student's needs which will inform decisions made by the school about Access Arrangements.

Visit the JCQ Access Arrangements, Reasonable Adjustments and Special Consideration webpage for more information.

Apprenticeships and Functional Skills

Access Arrangements for Functional Skills Tests no longer come under JCQ regulations. For information visit the relevant awarding body website.

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Exam Access Arrangements - British Dyslexia Association

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Dyslexia can have a substantial and long term adverse effect on normal day to day activities, and is therefore a recognised disability under the Equality Act 2010. The Act states that schools and higher education institutions have a duty to make 'reasonable adjustments' for disabled students (including students with learning difficulties, such as dyslexia).

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Exam Access Arrangements | The Good Schools Guide

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Exam Access Arrangements are reasonable adjustments that can be made for an exam candidate with SEN or a disability.

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Home - JCQ Joint Council for Qualifications

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Contact us - we are open to give advice to centres. Click here for details of our email. Twitter @JCQcic

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Discussing Tourette’s in the Education System with Lucy Toghill

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In this week’s podcast Dale talks to Lucy Toghill about Tourette’s Syndrome and how it is handled within the education system.

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Let’s talk about Tourette’s with Ione Georgakis

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In this week’s podcast Dale talks to Ione Georgakis about Tourette Syndrome Awareness Month - May 15th to June 15th.

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Tics are sudden, rapid and repeated body movements or sounds that serve no purpose and are involuntary (children and young people are not doing them by choice).

The movements - called motor tics - can affect anywhere in the body although most typically affect the head and neck. Common examples of motor tics include rapid blinking, twitches in the neck and nose wrinkling. The sounds - called vocal tics - commonly involve sniffing, tutting or throat clearing noises.

Tics can be simple - involving just one muscle or making a noise - like the examples above. Tics can also be complex - lots of muscles moving together or spoken words - for example jumping on the spot or repeating words. Some tics can be hard to distinguish from normal movements whereas others can be very noticeable to other people.

Although tics vary from person to person, they often share certain traits.

Tics often occur more frequently in predictable settings or situations. Some children will have lots of tics when watching TV or playing video games, others will experience more tics at home than at school. Although these situations are different from child to child most families can pick out the context in which their child is most likely to tic.

Children and young people often get a 'premonitory urge', an odd or unpleasant sensation, that builds up until the child tics which relieves the sensation. Some children describe this as a sense of pressure, or like the feeling then get if they need to cough or scratch an itch. Other children find it very difficult to describe.

Although tics are involuntary in the sense that people do not choose to do them, they often are able to suppress or 'hold in' a tic if they feel they need to. This does not stop the urge building up and people often find it hard to supress a tic for extended periods of time.

It can be hard to describe what it feels like to have a tic, but try the following exercise:

Try to not blink, for as long as you can. The longer you don't blink, the more you want to blink, and that feeling is like what it feels like to have an urge to tic.

Here are some examples of tics:
Motor Tics
1. Simple Movements (Involving a Single Muscle Group)

These are quick, involuntary movements that engage only one muscle group:

Nose wrinkling

Head twitching or bobbing

Eye blinking

Shoulder shrugging

Arm jerking

2. Complex Movements (Involving Multiple Muscle Groups)

These involve coordinated actions using more than one muscle group:

Touching objects repeatedly

Skipping

Facial grimacing while sticking the tongue out

Hopping

Mimicking others' movements

Vocal Tics
1. Simple Vocal Tics (Involving One Simple Sound)

These tics are brief and involve a single sound:

2. Complex Vocal Tics (Meaningful Speech)

These tics involve more structured speech patterns and can include:

Repeating words and phrases out of context (which may include socially unacceptable words or phrases)

Echoing others' speech (echolalia)

Calling out words or phrases

Swearing (coprolalia)

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Tics and Tourette's Syndrome | Common Health Issues - Child 5 to 11 years | Healthier Together

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Advice and guidance on Tics and Tourette's Syndrome for Common Health Issues - Child 5 to 11 years.

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Find out about Tourette syndrome, a condition that causes tics, including its symptoms, treatment and causes.

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Tourette Syndrome (for Parents) - Nemours KidsHealth

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Tourette syndrome is a condition that causes uncontrolled sudden, repetitive muscle movements and sounds known as tics.

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Tourettes Action is a support and research charity working to improve the lives of people living with Tourette Syndrome. Our services include online live-chat and email support, a befriender network, information, webinars, events and resources.

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Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) Explained

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Allison Davies, Brain Care Specialist and sensory and behavioural expert, talks about all things Sensory Processing Disorder, or SPD. With info on everything from how to tell if your child might have SPD to how you can help them if they do, Allison gives us the lowdown, with some bonus personal insights as an adult with SPD.

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If your child has strong reactions to tastes, sounds, or the feel of certain items, you may wonder why this happens. For instance, why are new shoes so unbearable that your child yells and pulls them off? What makes the supermarket so overwhelming that even a quick trip leads to a meltdown?

When kids have outbursts or get upset by things in the environment, it's often because of sensory processing challenges. (Some people use the term sensory processing disorder.) Their brains have trouble managing the information that comes in from the senses. That includes the five main senses: taste, smell, sound, touch, and sight. It also includes three senses that impact body and space awareness and movement.

What are sensory processing challenges?

There are two types of sensory challenges, and many kids have both. The most common type is oversensitivity. Kids get overwhelmed by the information that comes in through their senses. (This is called sensory overload.) And they try to avoid sensations that they can't tolerate.

Common triggers include:

The other type of sensory challenge is undersensitivity. With this type, kids don't get enough input from the environment. So, they seek more sensory stimulation.

Kids with these challenges don't always have the same reaction to input. They may be oversensitive to some sensations and undersensitive to others. Their reactions can also change based on where they are and what's going on around them.

Sensory processing challenges aren't a diagnosis on their own. But they often co-occur with two conditions: ADHD and autism. Sensory challenges may also co-occur with anxiety.

Dive deeper

Signs of sensory processing challenges

The signs you might see depend on two things. The first is the trigger - the sensory input that's overwhelming your child. The second is the type of sensory challenge your child has.

Sensory avoiding

Kids who are sensory avoiding may have extreme reactions to a wide range of triggers. The overload they feel can lead to sensory meltdowns. Here are some signs you might see in your child:

Is easily overwhelmed by people and places

Seeks out quiet spots in noisy, crowded environments

Is easily startled by sudden noises

Is bothered by bright light

Refuses to wear itchy or otherwise uncomfortable clothing

Avoids touching people or hugging them

Has a strong reaction to the texture or smell of certain foods

Refuses to try new foods and has a very limited diet of preferred foods

Gets upset about small changes in routine and transitioning from one activity or environment to another

Avoids trying new things

Sensory seeking

Kids who are sensory seeking often have a need for movement. They may seek out input like spicy or sour tastes and physical contact and pressure. Here are other signs you might see:

Constantly touches objects

Plays roughly and takes physical risks

Has a high tolerance for pain

Often squirms and fidgets

Is constantly on the move

Invades other people's personal space

Often gets distracted or feels anxious

Is clumsy and uncoordinated

Dive deeper

Trouble with other senses

Sensory information isn't limited to the traditional five senses. There are three other senses that kids can also struggle with.

The first is called interoception. This sense helps us understand and feel what's going on in our bodies. Kids who have trouble with this sense may have a harder time with toilet training or have an unexpected threshold for pain.

The second of these senses is body awareness (proprioception). And the third is spatial awareness (the vestibular sense). Trouble with these senses can sometimes affect movement.

Finding out if your child has sensory processing challenges

There are a few tests that can help identify sensory processing challenges. They include checklists like the Sensory Profile or the Sensory Processing Measure (SPM). Some therapists are also trained in the Evaluation in Ayres Sensory Integration (EASI).

But the behaviors that come with these challenges are very visible and clear without testing. It's important to observe your child and take notes to share with professionals. They can more accurately tell you what's behind the behaviors.

The professionals who often identify sensory challenges are occupational therapists (OTs). They also work with kids who have them. Other professionals who may identify challenges:

Pediatricians

Developmental-behavioral pediatricians

Psychologists, including neuropsychologists

School evaluators

Physical therapists and speech therapists

Supports and treatment for sensory processing challenges

There are no medications for sensory processing challenges. But OTs help kids find ways to be less overwhelmed by sensory input.

For instance, they might create what's called a sensory diet. This is a tailored plan of physical activities. It helps kids learn to calm themselves and regulate their behavior and emotions. And that makes them more open to learning and socializing.

Here are some things that might be included in a sensory diet:

Some of these activities are heavy work, a type of activity that pushes or pulls against the body and can be calming for many kids.

Kids with sensory challenges may also be able to get help at school. They might be able to get OT services or accommodations through a 504 plan. (If your child has an IEP for another reason, it could include accommodations for sensory challenges, too.)

Classroom accommodations or supports to help kids with sensory processing challenges might include:

Allowing your child to take exercise breaks to self-regulate

Providing a quiet space to work or earplugs for noise sensitivity

Telling your child ahead of time about a change in routine

Seating your child away from doors, windows, or buzzing lights

Allowing your child to use a fidget

Dive deeper

Ways to help your child manage the challenges

Dealing with the unexpected behaviors that come with sensory challenges can be hard on the whole family. But once you know what's causing them, it gets easier to know how to help. There are lots of strategies you can use at home and on the go:

It's important to find support for yourself, too. Join our Wunder community to connect and share strategies with other parents.

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Understanding sensory processing challenges in your child

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Sensory processing challenges make it hard to manage information that comes in through the senses. Kids may overreact and under-react to sensations. Learn more about sensory processing issues.

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Free online sensory processing course for teachers, assistants and parents

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GriffinOT's free sensory course gives an introduction to the senses and sensory processing. It helps educators and parents to understand sensory behaviours.

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NHS Tayside CYP Occupational Therapy Service

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PARENT - Daily Occupations and Sensory Processing Training

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learning disabilities

Sensory Processing in Young People with a Learning Disability and/or ASD

We use our sensory systems to understand the world around us. We process information through our senses and decide on how to respond to the things we are experiencing. Sensory systems that absorb information about the world around us are:

The last 3 sensory systems - touch, proprioception and vestibular - help us to feel in tune with our world and to feel grounded as a person.

Learning how to process sensory-based information as it is received can be challenging for all of us at times, but more challenging for a child with a learning disability. We have to filter out what things are important and what things to ignore. For instance, if we hear our name being called, we respond to this, even though there may be other sounds in the room that could distract us. Some children have difficulty with this filtering process.

Many of these behaviours are not uncommon, but sometimes they can be persistent and impact on quality of life:

Running out of busy places when there are lots of visuals and/or sounds present.
This may be a child who cannot cope with processing so many different things at one time.

Seeking lots of physical movement through the day.
This may be a child who needs more information into their muscle and movement systems, to tell them where they are in space.

Sensitivity to light touch.
Your child may be very sensitive to unexpected or light touch and have an anxious response to it.

Seeking heavy touch and hugs.
Your child may seek lots of heavy touch, through hugs for example, to get more input to their touch system. This can be calming for them.

Difficulty with posture and co-ordination.
This may represent a child whose muscle and movement systems are not as efficient.

Being overloaded by visual or sound input.
This may affect their ability to concentrate

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT
Consider patterns of behaviour. Reasons may be many and varied, but among them may be some of the following:

Your child may be trying to feed a sensory system that they are not so good at registering.

You may also find that if your child receives too many stimuli, they reach an overload state and this can lead to a state of high anxiety.

Often children instinctively know what they need, and may be giving you clues as to what sensory input they are seeking, or what they are unable to cope with.

Think about what things your child may be sensitive to; such as light touch or hair brushing.

If your child is seeking more input, see if there are ways to support your child through sensory based activities that "feed" sensory needs in the right way (e.g. movement breaks between sedentary activities).

You may find that your child seeks certain sensory stimulation - this may be an attempt to "kick start" a system that is not as active as the child needs it to be.

Challenging behaviour can have a sensory based cause, but can increase with secondary gains (e.g. avoiding an activity). It can be challenging to work out what is motivating a child to display these behaviours, and what has become more important as an additional gain for the child. Sometimes it helps just to try and understand why a child may behave in the way that they do. Looking at behaviours using a sensory viewpoint can help you to understand why your child reacts to certain things (e.g. sensitivity to clothing).

COMMON QUESTIONS
Q : Is my child trying to feed a sensory system by increasing the input to it?
Answer: Maybe, but do not stop them from feeding this system, try and find acceptable ways they can do this.

Q: Is my child defensive of certain sensory inputs?
Answer: They may have difficulty filtering input to their sensory systems. Be gentle in gradually increasing their tolerance. Seek advice if you are concerned.

Q: Is the environment contributing to my child's sensory difficulties?
Answer: Look at ordering the environment so it is not overloading them. Break down the elements that might be affecting them, and reduce the stimulus (e.g. putting away toys into boxes reduces visual overload).

Q: How can I reduce the impact of sensory over load?
Answer: The use of weight bearing or heavy muscle activity can calm a child before a challenging event/activity.

CONSIDER SEEKING HELP:
If you feel that your child has ongoing difficulties or challenging behaviours that are affecting their ability to cope with their environment and every day activities, please talk to your Paediatrician, Social Worker, or School about further sources of support.

The Sensory Integration Network provides courses and online resources related to sensory integration.
Website

'The Out of Sync Child' by Carol Stock Kranowitz
Website

TheNational Autistic Society provides information and support for people with Autism and their families and for professionals. They are a very active organisation and offer some really useful information about strategies and approaches for supporting people with Autism.
Website

The British Institute of Learning Disabilities also have some useful information and further advice about a variety of common issues.
Website

Local Offer is a Derbyshire-specific site which allows you to search for lots of different services, including parenting support groups, in the local area.
Website

Derbyshire Area Sensory Needs Processing Package
DCC Local area can now offer a 'bundle' of resources to support the SPN of children & young people which will be of especial interest to schools, colleges and early years' settings. Please click on the following link to learn more and to read the statement from DCC:
Website

Derbyshire County offer local support for pupils in school who may have sensory processing needs

Sheffield Children's Hospital provide a number of helpful sensory processing strategies

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We use our sensory systems to understand the world around us. We process information through our senses and decide on how to respond to the things we are experiencing.

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PDA Society - Pathological Demand Avoidance

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When you’re wondering whether to seek a diagnosis for yourself or your child, it can feel like a huge and emotional decision.

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Harry J. Thompson was born in Edgware and grew up in Barnet in north London. He is currently based in London, UK. An avid reader & researcher, Harry speaks publicly and is heavily involved in projects & research on all topics around neurodiversity and autism; namely, Pathological Demand Avoidance, a behavior profile within the Autism Spectrum.

Harry began to write the first draft of his book in 2015. After connecting with many autistic & PDA families, he pivoted his direction and completed his book in about 6 weeks, a memoir entitled the PDA Paradox: The Highs and Lows of My Life on a Little-Known Part of the Autism Spectrum, published in February 2019. He launched his YouTube channel in 2017.

Harry has been elected to a Fellowship of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA), in recognition of his work in the field of PDA, and also in recognition of the publication of his book.

BACKGROUND READING

The PDA Paradox, PDA, Harry's website, Harry's YouTube channel, Harry's Facebook page

Download a transcript of episode 54, made possible by supporters in our Patreon family. Click to join them.

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Episode 54: Understanding Pathological Demand Avoidance - The Neurodiversity Podcast

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Pathological Demand Avoidance is a newer concept for many in the US, but it's old hat for Harry Thompson.

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What is Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA)?

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Support for Parents from Action For Children

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Supporting a child with PDA (pathological demand avoidance)

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Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) is where someone avoid everyday demands. It is widely considered to part of the autism spectrum.

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SENDcast Sessions are a new way for schools to access high quality CPD from SEND experts brought to you by the SENDcast. It's the same great guests featured on our weekly podcast, delivering focused 1-hour online training sessions on a wide range of SEND topics.

SENDcast Sessions provide schools with in depth content that can be accessed forever. Build a library of online CPD that your school can continue to use in the future - choose from over 100 training sessions!

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An Introduction to PDA with special guest Clare Truman

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This week Dale is joined by Clare Truman to give SENDcast listeners an introduction to Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA).

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In this week’s podcast we discuss how to support PDA with Freelance Education Consultant Clare Truman

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Relationship dynamics with children with PDA

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Beth and Ian explore various aspects of parenting children with PDA, sharing personal experiences, professional insights, and practical advice that can make a significant difference for parents, teachers and children.

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FASD is a spectrum disorder. This means that everyone who has FASD may display the symptoms in different ways.

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Find out about fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, which is a range of mental and physical problems that can affect a child if their mother drinks alcohol while pregnant.

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Introduction

One of the causes of physical disabilities and learning disabilities in children is Foetal Alcohol Sydrome (FAS). This is a pattern of disabilities that can develop in a baby as it grows in the womb. It happens because the pregnant mother drinks alcohol. FAS is one of a group of conditions. The whole group is called foetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs). Other conditions within this range are:

Alcohol-related birth defects (ARBDs)

Partial foetal alcohol syndrome (pFAS)

Alcohol-related neuro-developmental disorder (ARND)

Babies born with FAS have a set group of symptoms. These can include different shapes to their faces, restricted development and some mental difficulties. People with the other conditions in the spectrum may not have this exact match of problems. They have some of them, or other problems because of alcohol consumed before their birth.

A baby in the womb (foetus) gets all its nourishment from its mother's bloodstream. Alcohol in the mother's blood can pass through the placenta to the baby's blood. So if a pregnant mother drinks alcohol, it passes through the baby too. Alcohol is a toxic substance, so it can poison the developing foetus. In the nine months in the womb, the baby develops and forms. Poisons in the blood can damage the baby. The damage depends on which part is developing at that time. The brain is continually forming, so it can be damaged at any stage of pregnancy. In the first three months the organs are developing. So, this is the time when the heart, eyes, and kidneys might be harmed. Later, when the foetus is growing fast, alcohol can slow this down.

FAS and FASD only occur in babies born to mothers who drink alcohol during pregnancy. It is not known exactly how much alcohol is safe in pregnancy but heavy drinking and binge drinking are more likely to cause damage to the baby. Not every mother who drinks heavily in pregnancy has a baby with FAS. So there seem to be other factors that make it more likely to happen. These may include genetics, mother's general health and diet, stress, mother's age and whether the mother smokes or not.

FAS is entirely preventable. Women should be advised that if they are pregnant or planning a pregnancy that they shouldn't drink alcohol. It is not known exactly how much alcohol it is safe to drink in pregnancy so it is safest not to drink any at all. However, there is no definite evidence that small amounts of alcohol cause harm. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines in the UK advise that if you are pregnant, do not drink at all if possible.

In the UK nobody is sure exactly how common FAS is. This is because it is difficult to diagnose. Also, there is no system for reporting it. It is known, however, that FAS is one of the most common reasons for children to have mental or behavioural problems.

FAS has three classic groups of abnormality:

(a) Differences in face shape including:

A small head.

The groove between the nose and lip is flattened.

A thin upper lip.

A flat bridge of the nose, which tends to be short and upturned.

Drooping eyelids (ptosis).

A 'railroad track' shape to the outer part of the ears.

Small eyes that are closer together.

Skin folds of the upper eyelids (epicanthic folds).

(b) Developmental delay with small size and low weight, with children growing up to be shorter than average adults.

(c) Mental and behavioural difficulties

These happen because alcohol damages the brain as it forms. They can include:

Lower-than-average IQ.

Hyperactivity.

Difficulty with paying attention.

Memory problems.

Difficulty with seeing the consequences of one's own actions.

Poor judgement.

Impulsive behaviour and not being able to control impulses.

Poor problem-solving skills.

Difficulty understanding things like time, money, and maths.

Difficulty getting on with other people, immature behaviour, aggressive behaviour.

Speech and language delay.

Problems sucking and feeding in the newborn (and sometimes symptoms of alcohol withdrawal).

There may also be some of the other problems from the whole range of FASD. These include:

Poor hearing or vision.

Abnormalities of the valves of the heart.

Kidney problems or genital abnormalities.

Bone and joint problems.

There is no test for FAS. It can only be diagnosed by spotting the typical features. Also by suspecting or knowing the mother may have drunk alcohol during pregnancy. Tests might be done to check there is no other reason for the abnormalities. Diagnosis can only be undertaken by a trained medical practitioner. FAS may not be detected at birth but can become apparent later in life and carries lifelong implications.

There is no particular treatment. Babies with FAS and FASD will have the problems for the rest of their lives. However, if the condition is picked up early, they will suffer the effects less. They can be helped and understood.

There is no cure for FAS so babies born with it will be affected throughout their lives and may experience a wide range of difficulties in relation to education, socialising, and behavioural difficulties. Getting the diagnosis of FAS right is good for the child. If it is known what is wrong with them, they can be helped. If the diagnosis is made early they can access special help. They will have fewer problems if they are in a loving and understanding family. All different agencies working with children and families, including health, social care, schools etc. can help children and adults with FAS.

Further Guidance

Further information and guidance on FAS can be found on the following websites:

The NSPCC has published a report All Babies Count: Spotlight on Drugs and Alcohol which includes research into FAS and is useful reading for practitioners. Also, the All Party Parliamentary Group for FASD published a report in December 2015 on the picture of FASD in the UK and other related documents.

There are support groups with provide guidance, help and support to families affected by FAS.

Community Care published an article on FASDs in September 2016.

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One of the causes of physical disabilities and learning disabilities in children is Foetal Alcohol Sydrome (FAS). This is a pattern of disabilities that can develop in a baby as it grows in the womb. It happens because the pregnant mother drinks alcohol. FAS is one of a group of conditions.

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The National FASD website is a vital resource for information and support related to Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, offering guidance and support.

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FASD Network is an organisation that specialises in providing information, support and training on FASD. It was founded in 2011 in the Durham Tees Valley region which is an area that includes: Durham, Stockton-on-Tees, Middlesbrough, Hartlepool, Darlington and Redcar & Cleveland. Our work has since expanded into the north to include Northumbria, Tyneside and Wearside and also to the south to cover the Yorkshire, Hull and East Riding areas. Whilst we have a UK wide remit to press for change, our particular focus is on the Northern regions and we firmly believe that local services are best delivered by local people and local organisations.
Key Services
We provide support groups for families who are raising children with FASD on a termly basis. We also admin a closed Facebook group called FASD UK which provides daily peer to peer input for families which in turn breaks isolation and offers timely solutions to daily needs. If you are raising a child with FASD in the North East and Yorkshire then please click on this link to register with us so we can add you to the mailing list. ﻿
We provide bespoke training for organisations requiring further knowledge about FASD and how to support individuals and families more effectively. Training is regularly delivered to foster carers, adopters, kinship carers, birth families, social workers, alcohol professionals, midwives, health visitors, early years workers, teachers, police, policy makers, paediatricians and broader health agencies.
Please contact us to discuss your training requirements.

REGISTRATION ﻿

Strategic Development
We work with a range of partners to examine structural service deficits in the UK and advocate for change. Inter-disciplinary networks facilitate the ongoing development of strategic objectives to address this public heath concern and improve outcomes for people affected by FASD.

We conduct our own research and work with multi-agency partners to develop research opportunities which will address knowledge gaps and promote funding of services which are currently absent. If you are interested in research then please get in touch and let us know how we can partner with you.
​

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UK Based Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Family Support and Training Organisation.

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Dyspraxia and Handwriting with Kim Griffin from the SENDcast

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In this week’s podcast we discuss relation between Dyspraxia and Handwriting with special guest Kim Griffin.

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Dyspraxia Foundation is a registered charity that supports individuals and families affected by developmental Dyspraxia. They have a public Help line and provide advice to individuals, teachers and professionals.

They have some excellent resources, such as Dyspraxia In the Workplace: A guide for Employers, which is very helpful. Please see their website directly to see their full range of published material.

They also run conferences for Adults with Dyspraxia and have active support groups nationally.

Web: www.dyspraxiafoundation.org.uk

Email: dyspraxia@dyspraxiafoundation.org.uk

The assessment answered all the questions we had concerning our daughter's difficulties, it allows us to move forwards. It has been such a relief to have a diagnosis so we can fully understand our daughter.
J.Durdey (2023)

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Developmental co-ordination disorder (DCD), also known as dyspraxia, is a condition affecting physical co-ordination. It causes a child to perform less well than expected in daily activities for their age, and appear to move clumsily.
This topic is about DCD in children, although the condition often causes continued problems into adulthood.

Find out more about DCD in adults.

Symptoms of DCD

Early developmental milestones of crawling, walking, self-feeding and dressing may be delayed in young children with DCD. Drawing, writing and performance in sports are also usually behind what is expected for their age.

Although signs of the condition are present from an early age, children vary widely in their rate of development. This means a definite diagnosis of DCD does not usually happen until a child with the condition is 5 years old or more.

Find out more about symptoms of DCD in children.

When to seek medical advice

If you're concerned about your child's health or development, talk to a GP or health visitor, or speak to a nurse, doctor or special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO) at your child's school.

They may refer your child to an occupational therapist, paediatrician, or another health professional who can assess them and try to identify any developmental problems.

Find out more about diagnosing DCD in children.

Causes of DCD

Doing co-ordinated movements is a complex process that involves many different nerves and parts of the brain.

Any problem in this process could potentially lead to difficulties with movement and co-ordination.

It's not usually clear why co-ordination doesn't develop as well as other abilities in children with DCD.

However, a number of risk factors that can increase a child's likelihood of developing DCD have been identified.

These include:

being born prematurely, before the 37th week of pregnancy

being born with a low birth weight

having a family history of DCD, although it is not clear exactly which genes may be involved in the condition

the mother drinking alcohol or taking illegal drugs while pregnant

Treating DCD

There's no cure for DCD, but a number of therapies can help children to manage their problems.

These include:

being taught ways of do activities they find difficult, such as breaking down difficult movements into smaller parts and practicing them regularly

adapting tasks to make them easier, such as using special grips on pens and pencils so they are easier to hold

Although DCD does not affect how intelligent a child is, it can make it more difficult for them to learn and they may need extra help to keep up at school.

Treatment for DCD will be tailored to your child and usually involves a number of different healthcare professionals working together.

Although the physical co-ordination of a child with DCD will remain below average, this may be less of a problem as they get older and develop coping strategies. Some children may continue to have problems.

However, difficulties in school - particularly producing written work - can become much more prominent and require extra help from parents and teachers.

Find out more about treating DCD in children.

Dyspraxia or DCD?

While many people in the UK use the term dyspraxia to refer to the difficulties with movement and co-ordination that first develop in young children, this term is used less often by healthcare professionals.

Instead, most healthcare professionals use the term developmental co-ordination disorder (DCD) to describe the condition.

This term is generally preferred by healthcare professionals because dyspraxia can have several meanings.

For example, dyspraxia can be used to describe movement difficulties that happen later in life because of damage to the brain, such as from a stroke or head injury.

Some healthcare professionals may also use the term specific developmental disorder of motor function (SDDMF) to refer to DCD.

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Developmental co-ordination disorder (dyspraxia) in children

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Read about developmental co-ordination disorder (DCD), also known as dyspraxia, a condition that affects physical co-ordination.

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Finn Gardiner is a community educator, researcher, advocate, and designer, currently working with the Lurie Institute for Disability Policy at Brandeis University and the Autistic Self Advocacy Network. In this article, he explains how executive functioning problems impact on his life and work, and shares some solutions that work for him.
I don't actually like messes. It's just that my executive functioning problems cause me to generate them to my own-and others'-consternation.

I consider my executive functioning difficulties one of the most disabling aspects of my being autistic. These struggles manifest themselves in a number of different ways, all of which are extremely frustrating. I've struggled with executive functioning since childhood, but I didn't have the words to describe my experiences with it until I was an adult in my mid-twenties.

I have the hardest time with daily life tasks. For example, cleaning my room without direction or prompting is really difficult. It's hard to turn the whole into parts, and once I've taken care of one part, I run out of energy to deal with the rest of the room. Trash bags accumulate in corners of my room because I keep forgetting to carry them down with me when I go downstairs. Plates, cups, and kitchen utensils lie on my dresser and bookshelves because I forget to put them in the dishwasher. It doesn't help that I tend to perceive messes as part of the environment if they've been there too long.

Bills and paperwork lie on my bedroom floor. I'm terrible with paper. I pay all my bills electronically. It's often the case that the only time my bedroom is spotless is when I'm ready to move out, and have the landlord do the final inspection so I can get my security deposit back. It's easier for me to deal with common spaces in my apartment because my housemates and I chip in to cover a housekeeping service, but this is relatively recent. The housekeepers only deal with the kitchen, bathroom, dining room and living room anyway; I'm all on my own when it comes to my disaster area of a bedroom.

If I'm already drained and have exhausted my executive-functioning spoons for the day, it's nearly impossible for me to cook a substantial dinner. I'll end up ordering delivery instead. I like delivery every so often, but I feel like I'm spending more money on these orders than I'd like.

On top of that, I sometimes struggle with disordered binge-eating. I find it hard to start and stop activities as a general rule-I'll get stuck in an activity and won't be able to unstick myself for a while-and eating is no exception. I'm trying to be more mindful of my eating habits, but it's taking quite a bit of time.

My executive functioning is questionable at any time of day, but it tends to be even worse before 10 AM. This is despite my using an alarm every morning to ensure that I get up on time. I'm usually awake when I'm supposed to be, but it's difficult to "bring my systems online," so to speak, until I've been awake for several hours. Morning classes and meetings are a wash for me much of the time, because I just don't have the bandwidth to give my full attention, and it's highly likely that I'll be too tired to follow along as well as I'd like.

My executive functioning problems also affect my professional and academic life. I find it difficult to make plans for class- or work-related projects if I don't already have a framework for them in my head. Once I have a system for doing something, tasks become much easier. I sometimes need prompting and check-ins to finish projects. I consider myself a reasonably independent worker, but I need an initial push to get into the groove. Check-ins while a project is underway can also help. I also benefit from collaborative to-do lists from supervisors and clients. Sometimes I find myself waiting until the deadline is perilously close, and then start a project in earnest because the deadline makes things feel more real.

Having executive functioning issues make me feel like a crappy adult because I do care about getting things done. It's just that I don't always have the bandwidth to develop a workable system that I can stick to. I worry constantly that people think I'm lazy or a procrastinator, because I frequently get stuck. I used to get screamed at constantly by my parents because of executive functioning difficulties, but I didn't have the language to describe what I was going through, to help them understand.

I've been self-medicating with caffeine, for a while. I bought a case of 24 Red Bulls two weeks ago, and after I ran out, I bought extended-release caffeine pills to take instead. Caffeine helps me actually sit down and start things like work projects. It has its side-effects, but it's more effective than doing nothing.

I think I would benefit from ADHD medication or something similar, but I worry that I'll come across as meds-seeking. My psychiatrist wants me to go through a neuropsych evaluation, but the waiting lists for those exams are long, so that won't help me right now. And right now is what's frustrating me. Professionals may consider me to have "mild support needs," but that doesn't mean that I don't have legitimate support needs.

The article first appeared in The Thinking Person's Guide to Autism.

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Executive functioning: a personal perspective

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Finn Gardiner explains how executive functioning problems impact on his life and work

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Helping Kids Who Struggle With Executive Functions - Child Mind Institute

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Learning specialists discuss how to help kids who have problems with executive functions stay organized and on top of their responsibilities.

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Executive functioning - Support for schools and settings

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Executive function (EF) describes a group of mental processes which work together to help someone to plan, focus and shift attention, be aware of time,

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The EEF is an independent charity dedicated to breaking the link between family income and educational achievement.

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Autism: Joe’s personal experiences and advice for professionals

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Joining Dale this week is Joe Fautley, a project co-ordinator at the Council for Disabled Children. Joe is autistic, has dyspraxia & anxiety.

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Before announcing the final episode of 2024, I just wanted to say a big heartfelt thank you to you, our wonderful listeners! It has been another remarkable year with 51 episodes recorded, 19 new guest speakers, 100,000 downloads and a nasen award to celebrate our achievements. Thank you for being part of this journey!

This week, we dive into the concept of relational practice - a powerful approach that emphasises treating others as we wish to be treated, fostering equality, and mutual respect. I'm thrilled to welcome two new guests to the podcast: Beth Elkins, Headteacher, and Ian Thorsteinsson, Executive Principal of Gretton School.

In this episode, 'The power of relational practice in an autism setting', Beth and Ian discuss how changing the culture of a school can support the reduction of behaviours of concern and create a thriving learning environment. They share insights on the essence of relational practice and discuss the implementation.

Key takeaways include:

The significance of shifting away from traditional hierarchical models in education.

Strategies for creating a supportive environment that encourages intrinsic motivation.

Insights on managing behaviour through understanding rather than punishment.

Accommodations for autism are not always clear for professionals, listen to this episode to hear how relational practice allows connection, communication and change in the most powerful of ways.

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a well-deserved break! I look forward to returning in the New Year with an exciting lineup of guest speakers and more great content.

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The Power of Relational Practice in an Autism Setting

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My guests this week are Beth Elkins & Ian Thorsteinsson from Gretton School. They share insights on relational practice & its implementation.

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Lots of kids struggle with math, but for some the difficulties go beyond a little bit of frustration. If your child's math troubles are serious - and persistent - they may be a sign of a learning disorder called dyscalculia.

Dyscalculia is a term used to describe specific learning disabilities that affect a child's ability to understand, learn, and perform math and number-based operations.

Though research on prevalence is limited, it's estimated that between 5 and 7% of elementary school aged children may have dyscalculia. It's also currently thought that dyscalculia occurs equally in both genders.

No. Not all difficulties in math class - even serious ones - are caused by dyscalculia. Disorders like dyslexia, visual or auditory processing, ADHD, and others can also impact a child's ability to meet expectations in completing math problems. It's also possible for kids who do have dyscalculia to have other learning disabilities as well. Many do.

A young child with dyscalculia may:

Have difficulty recognizing numbers

Be delayed in learning to count

Struggle to connect numerical symbols (5) with their corresponding words (five)

Have difficulty recognizing patterns and placing things in order

Lose track when counting

Need to use visual aids - like fingers - to help count

And as math becomes a major part of the school day, kids with dyscalculia are likely to:

Have significant difficulty learning basic math functions like addition and subtraction, times tables and more

Be unable to grasp the concepts behind word problems and other non-numerical math calculations

Have difficulty estimating how long it will take to complete a task

Struggle with math homework assignments and tests

Have difficulty keeping at grade-level in math

Struggle to process visual-spatial ideas like graphs and charts

The impact of dyscalculia doesn't stop when math class ends. The disorder can also affect kids outside of school. Children with dyscalculia also:

Have trouble remembering numbers such as zip codes, phone numbers, or game scores

Struggle with money matters such as making change, counting bills, calculating a tip, splitting a check or estimating how much something will cost.

Have difficulty judging the length of distances and how long it will take to get from one location to another

Struggle to remember directions

Have a hard time telling left from right

Get easily frustrated by games that require consistent score keeping, number strategies or counting

Have difficulty reading clocks and telling time

The biggest sign of a specific learning disorder is a notable discrepancy between ability and aptitude. A kid with dyscalculia may preform well in other subjects - such as English or history - but have very low grades in math and math-based classes.

In the DSM-5, dyscalculia is called "specific learning disability with impairment in mathematics," but "dyscalculia" is still an accepted term and is used by schools and learning specialists.

There is no specific test for dyscalculia. Taking the following steps can help you get your child the help and accommodations he needs.

Visit your doctor: Rule out any medical issues such as hearing or vision impairment that could be impacting your child's learning process.

Consult with your teacher: Ask your child's math teacher to note the areas where he has the most trouble, and any and all strategies that help.

Ask about other areas: It's estimated that as many as half of kids with dyscalculia also have another learning issue. Understanding your child's complete learning profile will help you advocate for his needs

Consult a specialist: Once you've done the groundwork, talk to a learning professional who can evaluate your child and give you specific feedback on how to help.

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How to Spot Dyscalculia - Child Mind Institute

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When math difficulties mean something more - what are the signs, symptoms causes and condition of dyscalculia, for parents and educators.

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When kids have dyscalculia, it impacts how well they learn and do math in school. But having poor number sense and other math skills can also lead to all sorts of challenges in daily life.

For example, kids with dyscalculia may have trouble with amounts, time, distance, speed, counting, mental math, and remembering numbers. Those difficulties can show up in ways you might not expect or recognize as being related to math.

Here are 10 surprising ways dyscalculia can impact kids.

About the author

Reviewed by

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Dyscalculia can impact kids in unexpected ways. Here are 10 surprising behaviors you may see in your child with dyscalculia.

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Listen to this insightful podcast to learn about dyscalculia and help ensure that those impacted by this learning difficulty receive support.

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Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

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The single point of access online referral form is for GPs and primary care professionals in health, education and local government to contact the SPOA team in order to request support for children and young people with emotional and behavioural problems in the Derby city and south Derbyshire area only.

Please keep a copy of any information submitted through this form, in case you need to refer to it or resubmit it.

If you have any issues completing the form, please email dhcft.spoa@nhs.net

If the referral is for a neurodevelopmental concern, please refer using the form on our Neurodevelopmental Pathway page.

Services for children in north Derbyshire

CAMHS in north Derbyshire is provided by Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust - see their for further information.

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Single point of access referral form :: Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

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The single point of access online referral form is for GPs and primary care professionals in health, education and local government to contact the SPOA team in order to request support for children and young people with emotional and behavioural problems in the Derby city and south Derbyshire area only.

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Helping and supporting children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.

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Occupational therapy :: Derbyshire Community Health Services

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Occupational therapists identify the problem areas that patients may have in their everyday lives and help them to work out practical solutions to regain or improve their independence and wellbeing within the home, work and social life.

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We will agree with you the most helpful way to communicate with you. This may be face to face, by telephone, video call, email, text message or a posted letter, and this may change depending on what we need to communicate.

We try to use telephone and email as much as possible as this is the quickest and safest way to get important information to you. It also allows us to help the environment and to save money. Patients and their families may request paper copies of information but these may take longer to reach you.

Emails:

When sending emails, we must make sure we are doing so securely. We will check we have the correct email address for you, by sending a 'test email' first. We will wait for your reply before sending any further information

If you are the patient or parent of a patient under 18:

We will ask your consent before sending you any emails. We will also check you are happy for us to send you patient-identifiable information by email. Although our own email system (NHSmail) is secure, we cannot guarantee that information will still be secure once it arrives in your inbox. Your confidentiality may be at risk if your email account is hacked, or if you forward the email on.

If you are another professional:

We will send emails to other NHS professionals and to addresses ending in .gov.uk using NHS mail as this is fully encrypted end-to-end.

We will send emails to any other professionals as follows:

We will only send to a professional, work email address. We cannot send patient-identifiable information to other professionals via a personal email address (hotmail, gmail, yahoo etc). If you are in an education setting, please let us know the single preferred contact address for your setting.

We send emails using Egress, a secure online server, fully integrated with NHSmail.

You will receive an email inviting you to click a link to view the email (and any attachments) on the online Egress server. Please click the link.

On the landing page, you will be invited to either login (if you already have an Egress account) or register for a free account.

Once registered/logged in, you will be able to view the email and any attachments.

You can download any attachments and save these to your own system, and then print off or forward them to other appropriate staff as indicated on the cc list (or with our additional consent for anyone not already on the cc list).

You cannot download or forward the email itself.

Please do not forward the email invitation to another email address. It will only be accessible via the email address we originally sent it to. Forwarding will trigger an automated request for additional permissions which we may not be able to action. Instead, if another person needs to see the email (rather than just the attachment), please reply to ask us to re-send the email to the new person. We will then send it direct to them and they will need to go through the process above.

If you have any difficulties, please contact the service on 01773 525079.

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Our therapists, practitioners, assistants and admin support workers work together to deliver high quality services for adults and children who have speech, language and communication difficulties; eating, drinking and swallowing difficulties (dysphagia). We work with adults and children, throughout Derbyshire and Derby City.

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Transforming Health and Wellbeing for Everyone

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Child Mental Health Support |Bridge the Gap| Derby England | Emotional Literacy

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A C.I.C supporting child mental health & family wellbeing, online and locally in Derby. We support the mental health of chiildren, parents and teachers. Our services and support are accessible and proactive. Friendly, supportive community and team. Early Intervention - Never judged, always heard.

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Derbyshire Information, Advice and Support Service (DIASS) provides independent information, advice and support to children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), as well as their parents and carers.

We aim to help parents and carers increase their involvement in the education of their children and ensure that they have access to information and advice about issues relating to a child or young person's health and social care.

The service is impartial, confidential, and works at arm's length from the local authority. Our advice is free and accessible to all parents of children with SEND. We also offer support for children and young people with SEND.

We can also support you with:

the law around SEND

health and social care in relation to special educational needs provision

personal budgets

education health care plans (EHCP)

information on the Local Offer (services and provision available for those with SEND)

transition post 16 - preparing for adulthood

resolving any disagreements

The Children and Families Act 2014 and the SEND code of practice are intended to strengthen the participation of parents, children and young people.

Please note that the service is currently operating and support workers are available. Due to current COVID-19 (Coronavirus) restrictions we cannot offer face to face support. However parents, carers, children and young people can contact us through email and telephone.

Find out how Derbyshire's Local Authority are supporting vulnerable children, young people and families during the coronavirus outbreak.

The Council for Disabled children has some useful information about COVID 19 (Coronavirus) and schools.

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Welcome to the Derbyshire Information, Advice and Support Service for SEND

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Derbyshire Information, Advice and Support Service (DIASS) provides independent information, advice and support to children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), as well as their parents and carers.

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Support for families and early help - Derbyshire County Council

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There are a number of reasons why extra help is sometimes needed. Getting the right information, advice and support at the right time can help.

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Compass Changing Lives provides prevention and early intervention emotional wellbeing and mental health support to Children, Young People and Families across Derby & Derbyshire.

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PODCAST: School Anxiety: Starting The School Day Right

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In this episode, I explore three Rs for starting the school day right for children who are struggling to attend

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The latest episode of Thrive's  Connected podcast  focuses on Emotional Based School Avoidance, a term used to describe children and young people who experience challenges in attending school due to negative feelings such as anxiety. In the podcast, Dom Sagar, Thrive's Relationship Manager for the North and Central England, explains that this is usually associated with emotional and physical distress presenting as a reluctance to attend school or absconding from lessons within the settings - leading to reduced attendance.

The last year that there is a 'tsunami' of cases of EBSA, in many cases exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, with many parents and teachers struggling to support children. In the podcast, Dom considers how educators can use the BBC reported Thrive Approach ® to help children who are affected and explains the neuroscience that lies behind EBSA.

"It can be really difficult for adults to understand that the behaviour they are seeing is not personal or even cognitive. It's about the child using survival strategies that have served them in the past. The behaviour we see on the outside is very different to the emotions that the child is feeling on the inside. The key to it is understanding what's driving the behaviours and where these responses are coming from so that adults can empathise with what's going on for that child," she said.

As well as outlining the importance of a relationship with a trusted adult to create a place of safety and containment, Dom also suggests strategies that could help classroom staff to respond to children that are affected. Things like visual timetables, peer buddy schemes, sensory boxes, quiet places and 'now and next' exercises can all help to support children with transitions within the school day.

"When children start to feel emotionally safe in relationships and they feel someone is seeing them and hearing them, then you see children begin to have the capacity to regulate their emotions and to move to a more cognitive level. There, they are able to make choices about how they respond to situations, rather than reacting to something they find overwhelming," added Dom.

And to read more about EBSA and strategies that may help teachers to support children and parents have a look at:

Over to you

Reduced anxiety and behavioural incidents. Calmer classrooms filled with engaged leaners. Improved relationships with parents and carers. These are just some of the outcomes reported by settings embedding Thrive's whole-school approach to mental health and wellbeing. Are you ready to join them? Click here to get started.

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Small actions can lead to a big ripple effect. If you enjoyed this post or found it helpful, please consider supporting us in our mission to help every child and young person feel safe, supported and ready to learn by sharing it using the social media buttons below.

Want to join a like-minded community of senior leaders and classroom staff benefitting from insights and strategies to improve attendance, behaviour and attainment? Add your email address below. (It's easy to unsubscribe).

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Announcing new podcast episode about emotional based school avoidance | The Thrive Approach

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The latest episode of Thrive's  Connected podcast  focuses on Emotional Based School Avoidance, a term used to describe children and young people who experience challenges in attending school due to negative feelings such as anxiety.

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Essentials: Understanding Children With Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA)

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How to support children with EBSA (Emotionally Based School Avoidance)

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Removing barriers to education: A toolkit for supporting children and young people experiencing Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA)

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Supporting colour blindness, learn the truth behind common misconceptions, the impact it has & practical strategies to support individuals.

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Exploring common issues faced by blind and partially sighted students, and tips for achievement in the classroom
It is estimated that around 25,000 children and young people in England and Wales have a sight impairment that requires specialist education support. Of these, more than 60 per cent are educated in mainstream schools where their requirements might not be so easy to address. As many as half of young people with a sight impairment also have additional disabilities. So how can schools ensure that blind and partially sighted learners are best supported?

According to the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), severe visual impairment or blindness can substantially delay early childhood development and learning. Even a moderate visual impairment can have a notable impact. So what are the learning issues that schools should consider?

The main functional effects of visual impairment include central or peripheral vision loss, poor image sharpness, low contrast sensitivity or adaptability to light, and impaired eye movement or colour loss; but not all visual impairment is the same. A person's "functional revision" is a key concept here, referring to what can be seen, rather than what can't.

Adopting this mindset allows educators to consider how a learner's level of useful vision can be maximised. Considering the practical implications for the individual learner is vital; the distinctions in their educational needs will have a direct impact on the teaching and learning approaches required.

Blind learners

Educationally blind learners have a level of sight that is insufficient to learn visually, and so rely on their other senses. Distinguishing between those who have had some past sight and those who have never seen, may influence the visual concepts they can understand.
Questions to consider:

how much sight, if any, does the learner have and how useful is it?

how competent is the student with Braille and tactile skills?

what experience of vision does the learner have, if any?

how competent is the student in moving around the classroom independently?

Partially sighted learners

Partially sighted learners still work primarily through the visual medium, and make up the majority of learners with visual impairment. Their needs vary considerably and many work with normal print, which can create difficulties as their needs may be underestimated.
Questions to consider:

is the student's level of sight stable or variable and under what conditions?

is the learner's field of vision restricted?

what size/style of print is comfortable for the student?

does the learner have particular preferences for the learning environment, in terms of, for example, lighting or choice of seat?

Impact on learning

Stevie Wonder said, "Just because a man lacks the use of his eyes, doesn't mean he lacks vision." This is an important lesson; we may be inclined subconsciously to have different expectations of academic achievement for learners with visual impairment, but there is no direct correlation between visual impairment and intelligence. Most learners with visual impairment have the same range of intelligence and abilities as their sighted peers, just with additional barriers. More than a third will have some additional needs that may affect their learning.

Of course, additional barriers can affect a number of areas, such as the speed of working, communication skills (particularly reading or writing), environmental and spatial awareness, and social interaction, with a reduced ability to recognise body language and facial expressions. As a result, students can suffer from lower self-confidence which can have a negative impact on learning.

What is needed to succeed?

Inclusion is key to the successful education of students with visual impairment. According to The Centre for Studies in Inclusive Education, inclusive education means disabled and non-disabled young people learning together in ordinary school provision, with appropriate networks of support. They should have access to the same information, at the same time and, if possible, in the same way to participate in and enjoy mainstream settings to the best of their abilities, whatever their needs. Leoni Masterson, qualified teacher of the visually impaired (QTVI) at Linden Lodge School, explains: "Blind and visually impaired students face barriers to learning. If we can break down these barriers through tactile resources, we are promoting inclusion. They can take part in activities they've not been able to before."

In mainstream settings, it is important to make the most of specialist support that is available. Many mainstream educators will not have the skill set to teach specialist areas such as Braille, but QTVIs can visit and work closely with schools to advise how to meet children's needs through inclusive teaching and learning methodology. Each local authority has a vision impairment service which includes at least one QTVI.

Educators should also consider what they can do to enrich the learning process. As Leoni notes, "Visually impaired and blind children need a rich learning environment as sometimes they miss out on the visual clues." Sighted children's learning is constantly reinforced by things such as colours, shapes, people and landscapes. These give us a wealth of information subconsciously. Learners with visual impairment have reduced opportunities for incidental learning, so it is important to include as much multi-sensory learning in the classroom as possible, such as touch or smell. Also consider that visual and spatial concepts need more explanation; many learners with visual impairment struggle with concepts such as brighter versus darker, or telling which object is bigger at a glance.

Social inclusion is also important. Helen Keller said that "The chief handicap of the blind is not blindness, but the attitude of seeing people towards them." To reduce the risk of the student being ostracised by peers, consider the Circle of Friends approach, designed to enhance inclusion in a mainstream setting. It creates a support network for the student, with a peer group encouraged to look at their own behaviour, and understand the behaviour and difficulties of the student with visual impairment, in order to develop strategies and practical solutions to help them. In time, this can close the gap whilst strengthening core social skills.

Tips and ideas for the classroom

The classroom environment can have a significant impact on the success of teaching and learning. On top of dealing with core health and safety issues, it is important to consider the room's sensory nature. Your school might have had an audit conducted by a QTVI to suggest improvements, but here are some questions to consider for your classroom:

is the space clear and tidy to allow easier movement?

are frequently used resources kept in the same accessible place, and labelled?

is the level of lighting right for the learner?

are learners with visual impairment sitting close to a power source if they are using accessible ICT devices?

do you use real objects to support your teaching?

have you allowed adequate space for any special equipment or large print resources to be stored and used?

Accessible resources

Jennifer Williamson, resources technician at Joseph Clarke School, highlights the importance of accessible resources: "For students who have visual impairment, it is really important to strengthen their learning; therefore, learning materials need to be interesting enough to engage them."

Consider the issue of time for both staff and students. Visually impaired learners will often require extra time to process information and complete tasks, so using the simplest formats can help them. Make sure you and any support staff have the time to modify materials to include, for example, larger print or bolder colours. Providing both a print and a digital copy can be useful as this can be further adapted by the student to suit, if needed.

If you don't have time to modify items, look out for pre-created versions; a wide range of Braille materials, audio-visual resources, and tactile pictures and diagrams is available from various educational suppliers.

Role of access technology

Access technology has enormous potential for supporting learners with visual impairment across different ages and abilities. Assistive technology, such as audio-visual devices or software, allows students to work at their own pace and, with the right training, often independently. Technology isn't a magic wand, though; to be a success, it requires the right device, training and time. When this is achieved, students can take control of part of their learning journey, improving not only their academic progress, but also their self-confidence in learning and wider life.

If we can metaphorically open our eyes to the specific needs of visually impaired students, and take the time to recognise the impact they have on their learning and social integration, we can take the first steps towards making education an inclusive process.

Further information

Robene Dutta is Managing Director at educational publisher Mantra Lingua:
www.mantralingua.com

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Supporting the visually impaired learner * SEN Magazine

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Exploring common issues faced by blind and partially sighted students, and tips for achievement in the classroom

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In this episode, we talk about common adjustments teachers make in the classroom to support students who are blind or vision impaired. Students who are blind have complete or near-complete vision loss. Students with vision impairment have decreased ability to see.

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Life with a Visual Impairment: Theo's Story | BBC Teach

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On this page, you'll find information on a wide range of issues that are important to blind and partially sighted young people.

School life and planning ahead

Our school life and planning ahead section covers choosing subjects, exams and study skills, after-school clubs and activities as well as how to start planning for life after school and moving on to college or work.

Leaving home

Moving out of home for the first time? Whether you are off to college or university or just taking those first steps to living independently, we can help you get prepared. You will find information on getting around and developing mobility skills as well as money management and learning useful cooking tips from students!

Starting college

If you are thinking about going to college then have a look at our starting college section. Find information on choosing the right college for you, what support is available at college and funding advice. You will also find useful study tips and hear about other student's experiences of starting college.

Starting university

There are lots to think about before going to university. You need to find the right course, get clear on application processes and it's handy to know where you can get financial help. Read on and you will discover lots of practical support for anything from choosing the right university and funding advice to how to make the most of student life!

Starting work

Starting work may seem daunting, but this section will help you to identify the people who can advise you about career choices, help with interview preparation, give guidance about work experience and volunteering and advise about the support mechanisms available, such as the Access to Work scheme.

Free time

Not sure what to do in your free time? Find ideas and inspiration and learn about what other young people are doing. From sports and hiking to reading and going to the cinema, there is something for everyone!

Transition guides

We've created handy guides for blind and partially sighted young people who are about to move into higher education and work.

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On this page, you'll find information on a wide range of issues that are important to blind and partially sighted young people. Our school life and planning ahead section covers choosing subjects, exams and study skills, after-school clubs and activities as well as how to start planning for life after school and moving on to college or work.

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Types of SLCN Types of difficulties There is a range of speech, language and communication needs (SLCN). The types of SLCN are usually described rather than labelled with a medical sounding name. Speech and Language Therapists and other professionals may use a range of terms to describe different types and/or combinations of speech, language and communication needs.

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About Speech, Language & Communication Needs Speech, language and communication underpin everything we do – making our needs known, expressing our likes and dislikes, interacting with others and building relationships. We often take these skills for granted, but many children struggle to communicate. They have speech, language and communication needs…

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Supporting children with SLCN in Mainstream schools

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In this week’s podcast Dale is joined by Wendy Lee to discuss how schools can support children with Speech, Langauge and Communication Needs (SLCN)

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Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust

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What is SLCN?

Speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) is the term given to describe the extensive range of needs related to all aspects of communication - from understanding others to forming sounds, words and sentences to expressing ideas and emotions and using language socially.

It is estimated that 10% of all children have long term or persistent speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) - the most prevalent special educational need identified by primary schools. In Worcestershire this figure is equivalent to 12,000 children and young people aged 0-19 years, with over 6,000 children and young people known to the Speech and Language Therapy Service. Some schools in deprived areas of Worcestershire have identified 50% of all 5 year olds entering school with delayed receptive language skills.

Download the Worcestershire SLCN Pathway Fact Sheets [PDF] using the links below
2.1 What is SLCN [pdf] 2.2 What is the impact of SLCN [pdf] 2.3 SLCN and SEN [pdf]
Useful links

The Communication Trust is a coalition of nearly 50 voluntary and community organisations with expertise in speech, language and communication. The Trust raises awarenesss of SLCN, promotes best practice amongst the children's workforce and provides an extensive range of information about SLCN.

The SEND Gateway is an online portal offering professionals free, easy access to high quality information, resources and training for meeting the needs of children with SEND.

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Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust

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Speech and Language UK: Changing young lives

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Skip to content

We give families the confidence and skills to help their children. If you're concerned about your child's speech and language development, we can help.

We know that it can be hard to know where to start if you are worried about your child's development. If you think your child is having challenges with talking and understanding words, we are here to help you.

Our free resources and services can help with understanding what to look out for, how to get support and even some simple ways you can help your child at home.

Our progress checker will provide short questions you can answer to see how your baby or child is getting on with their talking and understanding of words.

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Help for families - Speech and Language UK: Changing young lives

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We give families the confidence and skills to help their children. Access our free resources and learn more about ways to encourage children's speech and language development.

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*Speech, language and communication needs

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*Speech, language and communication needs

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Designed with flexibility in mind, these online courses allow you to study from the comfort of your home, requiring just a few hours of study per week, so why not apply today to start your learning journey with us.

Please use the handy search button below to explore our full range of free online courses. Once you've found something that you're interested in, just complete our Apply Online application link below, and we'll get you started on your chosen course within the next 3 days.

Whether you seek to bolster your professional prospects, navigate life's transitions with confidence, or fulfil continuing professional development requirements, our selection of free courses have you covered. The benefits go beyond professional development! You'll also gain invaluable insights to nurture your own well-being and that of those around you, be it supporting a family member, guiding a friend, mentoring a colleague, or empowering your child's growth.

Rest assured, you won't be alone, all of our course tutors are industry experts in their specialised fields providing unwavering support and guidance throughout your chosen course, ensuring you have everything you need to succeed.

You'll be provided with an interactive learning account containing the course materials to aid your learning journey. And the best part? No exams or tests to worry about, just a seamless path to personal growth and career advancement.

We offer a whole host of different free online qualifications, from sharpening office and business skills to fostering mental health awareness and personal well-being, our courses cover the realms of education, training, health, and social care. You'll be amazed at what's available!

Please use our handy search button below to explore our free online courses. Once you've found something that you're interested in, just complete an online application and we'll get you started.
For a limited time, we are offering every learner a £50.00 Amazon gift voucher on completion of these selected qualifications: If you have any questions at all, please email freecourses@bpc.ac.uk
We have over 25 free online courses varying in duration, ranging from 8 to 21 weeks. Please note: these courses are government-funded on the condition that the course is completed. If you fail to engage and complete your course, you will be liable to pay a £125.00 administrative fee.

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Unlock your potential and pave the way for a brighter future by enrolling on one of our FREE nationally recognised online qualifications today!

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Welcome to ACAMH

Our vision: Sharing best evidence, improving practice. We aspire for ACAMH to become a major portal, access point for anyone seeking the most expertly digested understanding and interpretations of the best evidence available.

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The Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health (ACAMH)

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The Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health (ACAMH) provides information, training and evidence to health professionals.

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Introduction to Social, Emotional and Mental Health Needs

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Hello and welcome to my resource blog for all things related to positive child mental health, SEND and staff wellbeing.

These areas have always been of interest to me throughout my 23 years in education and has been at the heart of the various roles and further postgraduate learning I have undertaken in that time. I have noticed over my time in education a marked increase in mental health issues in children and colleagues in various institutions. As professionals, we are never short of work supporting children and families in this area.

I am also the editor of Teacher toolkit ( https://www.teachertoolkit.co.uk/author/l-how/) and I have behind me a wealth of experience writing academically for qualifications. Currently I hold NPQH, MA Education with SEND and Mental Health focus, NASENCO award, FCCT and Elklan Speech and Language award. I have also undertaken training in Trauma in Education and accreditation and coaching qualification.

Through my SENCO work, I have been training new SENCOs with SEND Station as well as developing my own SENCO training programs. I am a practicing SENCO for one day a week as well.

Looking forward, I am now really keen to diversify my writing further, continuing to add to my already popular blog, as well as building my consultancy work in supporting schools and teachers. As a mum of two primary school children, I can appreciate first hand the pressure children, educators and parents are under!

If you want to know a bit more about what I'm about, this article was written about me:
https://inspodaily.co.uk/2021/04/23/mental-health-blog-advice-positive-young-minds/
Any feedback and comments on posts are gratefully received and I am also happy to take requests of area you are struggling with so just ping me a message or look on my consultancy page to see what's on offer.

Thanks for reading,

Lynn How

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Hello and welcome to my resource blog for all things related to positive child mental health, SEND and staff wellbeing. These areas have always been of interest to me throughout my 23 years in education

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Zones of Regulation with occupational therapist Kim Griffin

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In this episode we welcome back Kim Griffin to the show to discuss person-centred approaches, and how the framework provides strategies to help children understand how they can control their emotions and improve their ability to problem solve conflicts.

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Dyslexia Myth Busting with special guest Louise Selby

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In this episode we are debunking 10 myths about dyslexia with specialist Louise Selby, shedding light on the misunderstanding in education.

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Wellbeing For Children: Confidence And Self-Esteem

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The social and emotional development, mental health, and wellbeing of children have become critical issues, with a crisis now widely recognised. NHS Digital reports that 1 in 5 children face mental health challenges, and we continue to see alarming rates of exclusions and suspensions, even in primary schools.

It's clear that a strategic approach to prioritising children's social and emotional literacy, health, and wellbeing is essential for school improvement and positive outcomes.

In this episode, Clare Williams, author and creator from Hamish & Milo Wellbeing Resources discusses 'Creating an SEMH inclusive school', highlighting the pressing need for schools to adopt practices that foster social, emotional, and mental health (SEMH) support for ALL students, not just those with SEND.

Hamish & Milo advocate for inclusive, relational practices while ensuring that staff have access to evidence-based resources, qualitative CPD training, impact measurement tools, and opportunities for collaboration with parents.

Clare focuses on the 8 Public Health England Principles to promote a whole school approach:

Leadership and management

Ethos and environment

Curriculum and teaching and learning

Enabling student voice

Staff development

Identifying need and monitoring impact

Targeted support

Working with parents and carers

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Clare Williams highlights the pressing need for schools to adopt practices that foster SEMH support for ALL students.

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*General section about Social, Emotional & Mental Health needs

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*General section about Social, Emotional & Mental Health needs

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Help your child cope with hearing loss at primary school with expert advice from the National Deaf Children's Society.

According to the National Deaf Children's Society, there are around 50,000 deaf or hearing impaired children in the UK.

If your child is one of them, it's natural to have concerns about how their deafness will affect them - and ensuring they get a suitable education is likely to be one of your top priorities.

'It can be a daunting experience when you first find out your child has a hearing loss, as most parents have no experience of deafness,' says Colin Brook of the National Deaf Children's Society.
'However, there are a range of services, professionals and groups that can offer you and your child support.'

What causes deafness?

There are many sorts of hearing impairment that can affect children, with a variety of causes.

Sensorineural deafness, or nerve deafness, is a hearing loss in the inner ear. This usually means that the cochlea isn't working effectively, and is permanent.

Auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder (ANSD) occurs when sounds are received normally by the cochlea, but become disrupted as they travel to the brain.

Conductive deafness happens when sound can't pass efficiently through the outer and middle ear into the inner ear. This is often caused by blockages such as wax in the outer ear, or fluid in the middle ear, which is known as glue ear and affects eight out of 10 children by the age of 10. Conductive deafness is usually temporary, but can be permanent.

Deafness can affect one ear only (referred to as unilateral deafness, one-sided hearing loss or single-sided deafness), or both ears (bilateral hearing loss).

How deafness is managed will depend on the type and its causes. For example, glue ear often clears up on its own, although some children have minor surgery to insert grommets, which help prevent fluid build-up.

Children with more severe or enduring deafness may need hearing aids or hearing (cochlear) implants.

How deafness affects children at school

Although many deaf children thrive at school, hearing loss can have a big impact.

Analysis by the National Deaf Children's Society shows that deaf children struggle at every stage of their education: fewer than half reach the expected standard in Key Stage 2 English and maths SATs, compared to three quarters of other children.

And under half eventually leave education with two or more A levels, compared to almost two thirds of hearing students.

Some of the problems they may encounter include:

Difficulty hearing and understanding their teacher. For example, not all deaf children are able to lip read, and even if they can, only 30-40% of spoken English is distinguishable by lip reading.

Problems with classroom acoustics. Background noise can affect children's ability to hear, and certain sounds, like the buzz from fluorescent lighting, can cause interference with hearing aids and implants.

Speech, language and literacy difficulties, including problems picking up phonics.

Lack of resources. Because schools operate on such tight budgets, they may be unable to provide all the equipment and support deaf children need, such as one-to-one support and assistive technology.

Tiredness and irritability caused by the extra concentration they have to put in at school.

Needing time off for appointments, which leaves them having to catch up on missed work.

Social and emotional difficulties, including embarrassment about drawing attention to their issues, which can affect their learning, challenges in communicating with other children and forming friendships, and even bullying.

Choosing a school for a deaf child

According to the National Deaf Children's Society, 78% of deaf children attend mainstream schools, 6% attend mainstream schools with extra resources such as a specialist unit, 3% attend deaf schools and 12% attend other special schools.

You might wonder how your child will cope in a mainstream school, but very few deaf children have no useful hearing at all. Most can hear some sounds at certain frequencies and loudness, and with the use of hearing aids or implants, they are often able to hear more sounds.

This means that the majority of deaf children can be educated in a mainstream school, with the right support. Indeed, mainstream schools can't refuse a child a place on the grounds of their additional needs.

Alternatively, you could consider a special school that caters for children with a range of special needs, including deafness. This might be your preferred option if your child has an additional need, such as autism or a developmental delay, or if you feel their hearing loss would be better catered for.

There are also over 20 specialist schools for deaf children in the UK.

When it comes to choosing a school for your child, you'll want to weigh up lots of factors including:

The severity of your child's hearing loss and how it affects them.

How they communicate.

What sort of resources and support a school can offer, such as providing assistive technology or having staff members who can use sign language.

Whether the school has a specialist unit that might benefit your child, for example a speech and language unit.

The size of the school and average class sizes.

The classroom environment and acoustics.

Whether there are, or have been, other deaf children at the school.

The location of the school: special schools may not be as local, and some deaf schools are residential.

It's vital to visit the schools you're interested in, and speak to the person who will have responsibility for your child's needs. In a mainstream school, this is likely to be the special educational needs coordinator (SENCO).

If your child has hearing loss, you may want to have them assessed by the local authority for an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) or, in Scotland, a Coordinated Support Plan (CSP).

This sets out the type of support and intervention that must be provided, by law, to meet your child's needs.

Your child is likely to need an EHCP or CSP to gain a place at a special school or deaf school. Having an EHCP or CSP also means that they must be allocated a place at your first choice of mainstream school.

Supporting deaf children at school

Whatever school your child attends, it's vital that they get the right support. This is especially true of mainstream schools that may have little experience of provision for deaf children.
Your child's individual needs should be discussed with the school, and you should be involved in working out how they can be supported.
Some of the ways in which schools can support children with hearing loss include:

Providing equipment such as a radio aids (a microphone worn by the teacher that work with hearing aids or implants) or a soundfield system to help them hear their teachers.

Providing support from a dedicated member of staff, for example a Teacher of the Deaf (ToD), communication support worker (CSW) or learning support assistant (LSA).

Improving the acoustics of the school or classroom, for instance by reducing background noise, and fitting carpets and curtains to help prevent echoing.

Training staff to teach in a deaf-friendly way, for example not turning away when talking, making sure your child has understood tasks, and making sure videos used in class have subtitles.

Allocating your child a 'hearing buddy' who can help to make sure they've understood instructions and rules, for example in PE when they may not be wearing their hearing aids or implants.

Ensuring your child sits at the front of the class: hearing technologies have an optimal range of one to three metres.

Providing a quiet space in the school where your child can go to communicate with their friends, for example at lunchtime.

Making referrals to secondary services such as speech and language therapy or educational psychology if necessary.

Helping staff and other children learn to communicate through signing, such as British sign language (BSL) or Sign Supported English (SSE).

Meeting with you regularly to discuss your child's needs, progress and any concerns. It's important to involve your child in conversations about how they can be supported, if possible.

You might want to put together a 'personal passport' that details things like how your child communicates, how to get their attention, what they can and can't hear, and any technology they use.

This will help your child's teacher and other staff (including those outside school, such as club leaders) to support them as best they can.

If there's a problem

If you're unhappy with how your child's needs are being provided for, book a meeting with their class teacher, SENCO and any other staff who are directly involved with their learning and/or wellbeing.
It's useful to look at the school's SEN policy - available on their website - to inform yourself of how they meet the needs of pupils with additional needs.
If the school is failing to follow its own policy, you can raise this as an issue and, if you're not satisfied with the response, escalate it to the school governor who has responsibility for SEN provision.

The National Deaf Children's Society also has a helpline (0808 800 8800) and live chat service that can provide free independent advice.

'I work with the school to find solutions'

Tracy Holtom is mum to Stephen, nine, who has profound bilateral hearing loss.
Stephen was given bilateral cochlear implants at the age of four. His preferred method of communication is spoken English; his oral speech is right for his chronological age, although we do use Makaton and some basic BSL as well, especially when introducing new topics or contexts.

It was always felt that Stephen would manage in a mainstream setting with the right support, so we chose our local school and I went to see the headteacher before submitting his application to ensure that they could facilitate his needs in a sympathetic and understanding manner.

Stephen gets 20 hours of one-to-one support per week, but that leaves him with 90 minutes without support each day. He was given funding by the local authority for a radio aid that makes it clearer for him to hear what his teacher says: useful in a classroom where there's lots of background noise.

All staff have undertaken deaf awareness training and Stephen himself did a presentation on clear communication, and produced posters and visual aids to help. I've also been into school to run some basic sign language and social skills sessions with his classmates.

We do have many hurdles. Stephen becomes frustrated easily, and finds it difficult to make and maintain friendships. He suffers with anxiety and gets scared when he can't hear clearly or work out what's going on.

Unfortunately, people see that Stephen has cochlear implants and forget that he is still deaf and has to use so many other strategies just to keep up with a simple conversation. This means I have to keep going back into school, raising issues and working with them to find solutions.

I'd advise other parents of deaf children to remember that nobody knows your child like you do. You are their advocate, so if you think something isn't right, question it.

Don't be afraid to tell the professionals if you think something won't work for your child, but also share your strategies and successes with them, educate them and work closely with them.

Also, make sure you take care of yourself so you can support your child, so ask for help, use support networks and don't take no for an answer.
The National Deaf Children's Society provides free, impartial, independent advice on all aspects of deafness in children, including choosing a school, making sure your child is well supported, and dealing with issues like bullying. To speak to an advisor, contact the helpline (0808 800 8800) or use the live chat service.

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Managing deafness and hearing impairments at school

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Help your child cope with hearing loss at primary school with expert advice from the National Deaf Children's Society. According to the National Deaf Children's Society, there are around 50,000 deaf or hearing impaired children in the UK.

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British Sign Language - Learn BSL Online

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Online British Sign Language Course - Learn BSL Today

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The fast, easy, & effective way to learn BSL. Our online British Sign Language course is fun, & flexible. Ideal as level 1 revision & beginners.

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There are some ups and downs to navigate when you're the only kid in school with hearing loss. Hear what it takes to go mainstream and what accommodations are needed.

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Supporting deaf children in special schools

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We’re here for every deaf child with any level of hearing loss. We believe nothing should hold deaf children back.

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For education professionals | National Deaf Children’s Society

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Advice and guidance for educators working with deaf children at any age.

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Helen is a dyslexia expert and consultant and is the co-vice chair of the British Dyslexia Association. In this episode we are discussing identifying dyslexia – why does it matter?

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SENDcast Sessions are a new way for schools to access high quality CPD from SEND experts brought to you by the SENDcast. It's the same great guests featured on our weekly podcast, delivering focused 1-hour online training sessions on a wide range of SEND topics.

SENDcast Sessions provide schools with in depth content that can be accessed forever. Build a library of online CPD that your school can continue to use in the future - choose from over 150 training sessions!

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How does dyslexia impact in the classroom?

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In this episode Jane Craig and Samantha Buttle join us from Dyslexia Sparks, a charity supporting schools, parents and individuals with dyslexia.

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The British Dyslexia Association is the voice for the 10% of the population that are dyslexic

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Children each learn and develop at their own pace, and reading is no different from other skill building. It's common for kids to find reading challenging at one point or another. But if learning to read becomes an ongoing struggle that leaves a child falling behind their peers, it's possible that they have a learning disorder known as dyslexia.

Dyslexia is most commonly associated with trouble learning to read. It affects a child's ability to recognize and manipulate the sounds in language. Kids with dyslexia have a hard time decoding new words, or breaking them down into manageable chunks they can then sound out. This causes difficulty with reading, writing and spelling. They may compensate by memorizing words, but they'll have trouble recognizing new words and may be slow in retrieving even familiar ones.

Dyslexia is not a reflection of a child's intelligence - in fact it's defined as a gap between a student's ability and achievement. Some youngsters with dyslexia are able to keep up with their peers with extra effort at least for the first few grades. But by the third grade or so, when they need to be able to read quickly and fluently in order to keep up with their work, they run into trouble.

With help and strategies for compensating for their weakness in decoding, students with dyslexia can learn to read and thrive academically. But dyslexia is not something one grows out of.

How common is dyslexia?

It is estimated that as many as one in five kids has dyslexia, and that 80 to 90 percent of kids with learning disorders have it. Sally Shaywitz, MD, co-director of the Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity, notes that many children go undiagnosed as struggles in school are incorrectly attributed to intelligence, level of effort or environmental factors.

Although experts used to say that dyslexia occurred more often in boys than in girls, current research indicates that it affects boys and girls equally.

A young person with dyslexia may:

Struggle with learning even simple rhymes

Have a speech delay

Have trouble following directions

Repeat or omit short words such as and, the, but

Find it difficult to tell left from right

In school, children with dyslexia are likely to:

Have difficulty sounding out new words

Lack fluency compared to other children their age

Reverse letters and numbers when reading (read saw as was, for example)

Find it difficult to take notes and copy down words from the board

Struggle with rhyming, associating sounds with letters, and sequencing and ordering sounds

Stumble and have difficulty spelling even common words; frequently they will spell them phonetically (hrbr instead of harbor)

Avoid being called on to read out loud in front of classmates

Become tired or frustrated from reading

Dyslexia affects children outside of school as well. Kids with dyslexia may also:

Find it difficult to decode logos and signs

Struggle when trying to learn the rules to games

Have difficulty keeping track of multi-step directions

Struggle with getting the hang of telling time

Find it especially challenging to learn another language

Become incredibly frustrated, which can effect their mood and emotional stability

Social and emotional impacts of dyslexia

Dyslexia affects a lot more than reading - it can also impact a child socially. "A dyslexic person who has word-finding difficulties can have trouble with their expressive language," says Scott Bezsylko, the executive director of Winston Preparatory School, which specializes in teaching kids with learning disorders. "That has a social impact, in addition to your difficulties with reading and writing, that make you feel not so good about yourself."

Kids with dyslexia - particularly those who have yet to be diagnosed - often suffer from low self-esteem because they worry that there is something wrong with them, and are often accused of not trying hard enough to learn to read. "A lot of our work with dyslexic kids is to help them rediscover that they are smart and capable," notes Beszylko, "because they've stopped believing in themselves."

How is dyslexia diagnosed?

If your child isn't meeting expectations for reading, as parents you can ask the school district to perform an evaluation and share the results with you. The evaluation will test your child's intellectual capacity and reading skills, to see if there is an achievement gap. It should also rule out other potential causes like environmental factors or hearing impairment.

The school should then make recommendations on how they can support your child and maximize her learning.

If you are unhappy with the quality of the evaluation, you can also secure a private evaluation by a psychologist, a neuropsychologist, a reading specialist, a speech and language therapist, an educational evaluator or a school psychologist. This external evaluation can also be used to advocate for your child and get the accommodations and services she might need.

When should a child be evaluated?

Dyslexia can begin to reveal itself at a young age, and there are preschool evaluations that look at the child's awareness of the sounds that make up words, and ability at word retrieval. However, Matthew Cruger, PhD, a clinical neuropsychologist at the Child Mind Institute, suggests waiting until kids are at least six years old and have had some formal instruction in reading to seek out a formal evaluation.

But Dr. Shaywitz notes that as soon as a gap between intelligence and reading skills is apparent - and evidence shows it can be seen in first grade - it's a good idea to get help. Schools sometimes encourage parents to wait until the third grade to see if their child truly needs an intervention, but Dr. Shaywitz argues that the earlier intervention is important not only to help kids catch up but to boost their fragile self-image, which is damaged by continuing struggle in school and comparisons with peers.

How to help kids with dyslexia

A dyslexia diagnosis does not mean your child will never learn to read. Dr. Cruger says there are a number of programs that can help, which might include these features:

Multi-sensory instruction in decoding skills

Repetition and review of skills

Intensity of intervention - that is, more than being pulled out of class once a week for extra help

Small group or individual instruction

Teaching decoding skills

Drilling sight words

Teaching comprehension strategies, to help kids derive meaning from what they're reading

Reading programs that been shown to help kids with dyslexia include:

Dr. Cruger points out that traditional tutoring may actually be counter-productive for a child with dyslexia, particularly if it is not a positive experience. "If the child hates the experience of reading help, it's not helpful," Dr. Cruger notes. "And it's not treating the source of the problem, the decoding weakness."

Instead, Dr. Cruger emphasizes that one of the most important ways to help kids with dyslexia is to make them more comfortable reading. This can be done in part by celebrating even small victories and accomplishments, while focusing less on correcting their errors.

Accommodations for kids with dyslexia

Kids with demonstrated dyslexia are eligible for accommodations in school. "Dyslexia robs a person of time," Dr. Shaywitz explains, "and accommodations give the time back to her." Accommodations may include:

Extra time on tests

A quiet space to work

The option to record lectures

The option to give verbal, rather than written, answers (when appropriate)

Elimination of oral reading in class

Exemption from foreign language learning

Other ways to support a child with dyslexia

One of the best ways to support a child with dyslexia - or any child who is struggling - is to encourage those activities that they like and feel good at, whether it is music, joining a sports team or anything else that helps build her confidence.

To help reinforce that dyslexia is not a marker of intelligence, it can also be helpful to talk about successful people - like Whoopi Goldberg and Steven Spielberg - who have also been diagnosed with dyslexia.

Other things that may help your child with dyslexia include:

Listening to audio books as an alternative to reading

Typing on a computer or tablet instead of writing

Apps that can make learning fun by turning decoding into a game

Using a ruler to help kids read in a straight line, which can help keep them focused

Emotional support

Dyslexia can result in frustration, embarrassment, avoidance and low self-esteem as a result of difficulties performing tasks that seem to come naturally to others. Demystifying the learning disorder with your child can help him develop the tools - and resilience - necessary to manage it, both in school and in social circumstances. Some things you can do to help include:

Discuss the specific challenges that result from dyslexia: "You know how you have a hard time reading signs or copying notes from the board? That's dyslexia."

Acknowledge their effort and celebrate hard work, even if there are still mistakes: "I know how difficult that reading homework was. I am so proud of how hard you tried."

Help them recognize their strengths: "You showed such great sportsmanship and teamwork in the soccer game the other night, and that was a great goal you scored!"

Combat negative self-talk: If your child starts saying things like, "I'm just stupid," don't ignore it. Instead, check out these ideas for helping kids who are too hard on themselves.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does dyslexia work?

How common is dyslexia?

What helps students with dyslexia?

What are the signs of dyslexia?

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Understanding Dyslexia - Child Mind Institute

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Find out how to recognize dyslexia, the most common learning disability. The Child Mind Institute on how to help kids who have trouble learning to read.

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Educator Center Overview - Microsoft Learn Educator Center

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Microsoft Learn for Educators takes the best of Microsoft Learn online learning paths and helps you to bring instructor-led training materials from Microsoft into your courses. This program provides members with access to Microsoft ready-to-teach curriculum and teaching materials aligned to industry-recognized Microsoft Certifications.

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Michael Rosen talks in depth about dyslexia: what it is, how to understand it and useful advice for parents and teachers, with expert Professor Maggie Snowling CBE, President of St John's College, Oxford.
Producer Beth O'Dea.

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Michael Rosen talks in depth about dyslexia with expert Professor Maggie Snowling.

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What is Dyslexia? - The Dyslexia Association

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Dyslexia is a learning difficulty that primarily affects the skills involved in accurate and fluent word reading and spelling. Characteristic features of dyslexia are difficulties in phonological awareness, verbal memory and verbal processing speed. Dyslexia occurs across the range of intellectual abilities. It is best thought of as a continuum, not a distinct category, and there are no clear cut-off points. Co-occurring difficulties may be seen in aspects of language, motor coordination, mental calculation, concentration and personal organisation, but these are not, by themselves, markers of dyslexia. A good indication of the severity and persistence of dyslexic difficulties can be gained by examining how the individual responds or has responded to well-founded intervention.