Diagnosing reading disorders usually involves a series of tests of a person’s memory, spelling abilities, visual perception, and reading skills. Family history, a child’s history of response to instruction, IQ tests, and other assessments might also be involved.
The International Dyslexia Association has two fact sheets about evaluation and diagnosis for a reading disorder:
The U.S. Department of Education offers services and assistance to support people with dyslexia and specific learning disabilities through its Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). Visit http://www2.ed.gov/parents/needs/speced/resources.html for more information.
The OSEP also supports the Parents Technical Assistance Center Network, which can help parents learn about their children’s reading or other disabilities, assist them with connecting with and talking to professionals about their children’s disabilities, and help them understand the laws and policies related to education for a child with a disability such as dyslexia. Visit http://www.parentcenternetwork.org/parentcenters.html for more information.