[senco-forum] dyslexia and APD- was Diagnostic readinganalysisages 7-16

Hi Stuart
  Can I just ask - are your outside specialists paid for by parents?
  Amanda
  Secondary SENCO
  Cornwall

Stuart Lucas <lucass at loretto.com> wrote:
  I 'screen' and refer onto specialists after consultation with parents -
Parents then agree to an assessment.
Then they get the report and decide if they wish to proceed through
contacting the Orthoptist and the Speech and Language Therapist(who
carries out diagnostic testing).

Both are fully qualified and come recommended via NHS and personal
contact.
Not all wish or are recommended for further contact with our specialists
and both can recommend parents contact the NHS or another service.

We do not pick up all with APD and I doubt if any school does but we do
try to assist those with the greatest degree of difficulty through our
imperfect school screening.

Some of our pupils have an assessment by an Educational Psychologist
stating dyslexia and attend the Eye Clinic and some are referred by me
because of, for example, tracking difficulties - which can give rise to
'reading difficulties'.

IF there are any major difficulties we would 'expect' these to be picked
up by the parents prior to arriving in our school age 12 - though this
is not always the case. 

We are aware of other possibilities but I guess there is only so much
one small Support department can do considering that we do have to spend
the majority of our time supporting the academic endeavors of our pupils
- as charged to us by our Headmaster/parents - and of course HMIe.

Maybe not the answer you want but the above is an aspect of what we do
and we are well aware of our limitations.

Off for a Sunny Saturday afternoon cycle now.
All the best
Stuart

-----Original Message-----
From: senco-forum-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk
[mailto:senco-forum-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk] On Behalf Of
Olanys at aol.com
Sent: 28 April 2007 11:50
To: senco-forum at lists.becta.org.uk
Subject: Re: [senco-forum] dyslexia and APD- was Diagnostic
readinganalysisages 7-16

Hi Stuart,

It' s great that you are so aware of APD. It's certainly a big step in
the 
right direction.

"some are dyslexic and some 'just' have reading difficulties"

What's the difference, the level of reading problems? 

"Further, we also can call upon one or two Speech and Language
Therapists
- one of whom diagnoses APD - again LASS helps to identify pupils - we
can then look at Johansson Sound Therapy."

With all due respect and I know Scotland is different to the rest of
the UK, 
but how does this person "diagnose" APD without access to the full
battery 
of audiology UK tests?

I'm a little concerned though...what criteria are used... the BAS
Steering 
Group into APD have set up clear screening tests which they use, rather
than 
LASS or any other programs designed to screen for (here we go again)
dyslexia? 
Is an audiologist involved at all? Is it just children with literacy 
problems that are being though at risk?

I suspect children are being missed if you are just using those
criteria you 
state without accurate referreal protocols or audiological tests. But
at 
least one child a year helped is better than nothing.

Incidentally certain types of sound therapy have come under some
criticism 
for using dangerously high levels of sound - enough to cause ear damage
and 
hearing loss, so be careful. Also neither Johanssen or any other one
program 
will work for every child, some children don't benefit from any - so
you may 
want to look in extending your range of possibilities....horses for
courses

Best wishes,
Aly

Chair Auditory Processing Disorder in the UK/APDUK
www.lacewingmultimedia.com/APD.htm 
www.apduk.org

Amanda
Secondary SENCO
Cornwall