Dyslexia Awareness Week - Bristol Child Psychologist Wants Children Tested For Dyslexia Earlier
Published: 06 November, 2009
A leading child psychologist believes new tests for dyslexia could help diagnose children from a much earlier age than before.
Doctor Peter Gardner, Chartered Educational Psychologist and Founder Director of Appleford School in Shrewton, near Salisbury, Wiltshire, says the tests could help children and their parents feel more comfortable about overcoming difficulties with reading.
Dyslexia Awareness Week runs until Saturday 7th November and organisers are asking people to focus on the strengths those with dyslexia can bring to the community.
Many famous dyslexics like Richard Branson, Tom Cruise, John Lennon and Keira Knightly have all gone on to achieve huge success.
Dr Gardner believes anyone can do the same, with the right help:
"It used to be thought that you couldn't diagnose dyslexia until about seven and a half or eight years of age, but now there are very good indicators at about four and a half to five. Children who have difficulty with rhyme and threading beads at that age; that sort of skill can often predict later dyslexia."
