Dysorthographia: at what age can the diagnosis be made?
At what age can we know with certainty that a child has dysorthographia? The answer is nuanced and depends on several factors. Here is what current recommendations say about the right time to seek an assessment and to make a diagnosis.
Why the diagnosis of dysorthographia is made later than that of dyslexia
Dysorthographia is generally diagnosed later than dyslexia — often from Year 3 or Year 4 rather than in the middle of Year 1. The reason is simple: spelling is taught progressively, and the first formal spelling lessons only begin in Year 2 and Year 3. It is therefore necessary to allow enough time for spelling instruction to have been delivered and for persistent difficulties to be clearly distinguished from a normal delay in learning.
The first warning signs: from Year 2
First suspicions may arise as early as Year 2, when spelling begins to be taught systematically. If the child makes very numerous, very varied errors that persist despite regular practice, a precautionary consultation with a speech and language therapist is justified. At this stage, the speech and language therapist can carry out a first preventive assessment and set up phonological stimulation exercises without making a definitive diagnosis.
The confirmed diagnosis: usually from Year 3-Year 4
The diagnosis of dysorthographia proper is generally made from Year 3 or Year 4, when spelling instruction has been delivered thoroughly enough to clearly distinguish children who are progressing normally from those who have persistent structural difficulties. At this age, standardised assessment tools give reliable results and make it possible to pinpoint the child’s skills precisely against the expected norms.
What changes with an early diagnosis
An early diagnosis — even as early as Year 2 in the form of a preventive assessment — makes it possible to start speech and language therapy rehabilitation at the point when the brain is most plastic and when spelling skills are still being built. Intervening early, before poor spelling habits become entrenched, is far more effective than intervening several years later to undo them.
And if the diagnosis is late?
Some children — and many adults — are diagnosed with dysorthographia late. A diagnosis at secondary school, at sixth form or even in adulthood remains useful: it explains years of difficulties, opens the door to adjustments, and makes it possible to put in place suitable compensatory strategies. Rehabilitation remains effective at any age, although its effects are slower than with young children.
How can the diagnostic process be speeded up?
Waiting times for an appointment with a speech and language therapist can be long. To avoid losing time, contact several speech and language therapists at the same time as soon as the first concerns appear, and inform the teacher so that informal adjustments can be put in place while waiting for the assessment. To find a speech and language therapist specialising in DYS disorders in your area, professionnelsdys.fr offers a comprehensive directory.
