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Tests and diagnosis
By Mayo Clinic staffThere's no one test that can diagnose dyslexia. Your child's doctor will consider a number of things, such as:
- Answers to a number of questions. These will likely include questions about your child's development, education and medical history. The doctor may also want to know about any conditions that run in your child's family, and may ask if any family members have a learning disability.
- Questionnaires. Your child's doctor may have your child, family members or teachers answer written questions. Your child may be asked to take tests to identify his or her reading and language abilities.
- Vision, hearing and brain (neurological) tests. These can help determine whether another disorder may be causing or adding to your child's poor reading ability.
- Psychological testing. The doctor may ask you or your child questions to better understand your child's psychological state. This can help determine whether social problems, anxiety or depression may be limiting your child's abilities.
- Testing reading and other academic skills. Your child may take a set of educational tests and have the process and quality of his or her reading skills analyzed by a reading expert.
References
- Lyon GR. Specific language and learning disabilities. In: Kliegman RM. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/142934465-3/0/1608/82.html?printing=true. Accessed June 3, 2011.
- Shaywitz SE, et al. Management of dyslexia, its rationale, and underlying neurobiology. Pediatric Clinics of North America. 2007;54:609.
- NINDS dyslexia information page. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/dyslexia/dyslexia.htm. Accessed June 3, 2011.
- Learning disabilities. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/print/sec19/ch299/ch299d.html. Accessed June 3, 2011.
- What is dyslexia? National Center for Learning Disabilities. http://www.ncld.org/ld-basics/ld-aamp-language/reading/dyslexia. Accessed June 3, 2011.
- What are the signs of dyslexia? International Dyslexia Association. http://www.interdys.org/SignsofDyslexiaCombined.htm. Accessed June 3, 2011.
- Hamilton SS. Interventions for children with reading difficulty. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed June 3, 2011.
- Leonard CM, et al. Anatomical risk factors for phonological dyslexia. Cerebral Cortex. 2011;11:148.
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