The Value of A Correct Diagnosis
By Jane Brennan
Peter was in the fifth grade when a friend asked his mother what he was receiving special education services for. “I don’t know exactly,” she responded. “But what was his diagnosis?” the friend asked. “He’s never been diagnosed. He just gets help in the resource room.”
Peter’s mother would never let her child take medicine for an illness the doctor hadn’t diagnosed. Yet Peter has spent five years receiving treatment for an unspecified learning problem. Who’s to say if the services he’s receiving are appropriate for his needs?
Getting effective help begins with a clear and accurate diagnosis. Without knowing the problem, it’s impossible to know what services are appropriate for your child.
What is a worthwhile diagnosis?
A diagnosis states the disability (“dyslexia,” “nonverbal learning disability,” etc.) and is based on an evaluation that takes into consideration test results and observations made by you, your child’s teachers and the evaluator. (Read about the evaluation process here.)
How can you tell if the diagnosis is accurate?
The diagnosis should make sense to you in light of what you know about learning disabilities as well as what you know about your child.
The evaluator should be able to explain the findings clearly. If he or she doesn’t, it’s possible that the evaluator doesn’t fully understand the nature of the problem, is reluctant to clearly state a diagnosis (which may require appropriate interventions)–or that the diagnosis is not correct.
If what is being done for your child doesn’t seem to be working, you must find out what is wrong—and the best place to start may be with a review of the initial diagnosis.
To learn more about the evaluation process that leads to the diagnosis, read Evaluation Fundamentals on the Smart Kids with Learning Disabilities website.
April 16th, 2010 at 7:18 pm
Because of reading your blog, I decided to start my own. I had never been interested in keeping a blog until I saw how helpful yours was, then I was inspired!
May 3rd, 2010 at 8:18 am
Thanks — glad you liked it.
May 18th, 2010 at 1:22 pm
I am searching every where for info on dyslexia and the value of a correct diagnosis. I suspect my 14 yr old of having dyslexia. He has a lot of signs. However, my husband isn’t convinced and says our son is lazy and doesn’t put forth any effort. He doesn’t understand what the benefit would be of diagnosing dyslexia. He thinks it would just be a label to get him special treatment when what he really needs is to just try harder, even if it takes him 10 times longer than other kids, that’s just the way it is. Give me some good advice! I am having him tested but the testing is really expensive.
May 21st, 2010 at 12:05 am
I am about to schedule an evaluation for my child who is extremely anxious and I continue to hear that getting the right person to evaluate her is essential. I live in Fairfield County, CT. Can anyone out there recommend a kind and gentle person in this area who really knows what he or she is doing? I have several names, just not sure which would be the right choice, if any! Appointments are difficult to get and time is running out. We need to address this quickly so we can decide if she needs to attend a different school in the fall.
June 22nd, 2010 at 10:41 am
Karen, Please check the article at http://www.smartkidswithld.org/ld-basics/evaluation-diagnosis/credible-evaluator on our website for information about the importance of a good evaluation — just as you would try to find the best doctor if your child had a life-threatening illness, you need to find a well-qualified evaluator to work with you to determine your child’s difficulties, and get solid recommendations for helping your child. In terms of the importance of diagnosing and addressing dyslexia and other learning disabilities, here’s a quote from one of our Contributing Editors, Marcia Rubinstien, MA, CEP: “Learning disabilities are just as real and just as disabling as biological differences. The sooner they’re remediated, the better the prognosis for a productive future.”