How to get assessed

A qualified and registered Psychologist with experience and/or qualification in education can assess and diagnose:

• Specific Learning Disabilities (reading,writing and math)
• Attention Disorders
• Intellectual disability

Additionally, some psychologists provide preliminary testing for:

• Speech and Language Disorders
• Central Auditory Processing difficulties
• Autism Spectrum Disorder

Why a psychologist and not a Speech Therapist or Specialist Teacher.

Psychologists use an array of diagnostic tools, including cognitive testing, to look at the whole picture and can diagnose the 3 Specific Learning Disabilities and many of the coexisting conditions.

Speech Therapists are trained to look at one area but not the whole picture.  Speech Therapist cannot diagnose the 3 Specific Learning Disabilities or coexisting conditions.  Additionally, they are not usually trained in cognitive testing.

Specialist Teachers cannot diagnose all 3 Specific Learning Disabilities or co-existing conditions.  Additionally, they are not usually trained, and cannot provide, unless under certain conditions, cognitive testing.

Note: Profiling, Dyslexia Screen Assessments, Pre-Screen or Pre-testing are tools used as a first step and should not be considered as an answer or formal assessment of a students’ learning difficulties. Normally, these assessments look only at reading and not the other Learning Disabilities or disorders.