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the no.1 media on Dys disorders
Before consulting, it may be helpful to take stock of your child’s difficulties. This questionnaire does not make a diagnosis and does not replace an assessment. It simply helps you organise your observations so you can discuss them precisely with the teacher and the doctor. Take the time to answer while looking at your child’s exercise books. It will also save you time at the appointment.
This questionnaire covers the main signs that may suggest dysorthography. For each question, ask yourself whether the situation described happens often, sometimes or never with your child. Rely on concrete examples rather than a general impression. Exercise books and assessments are your best sources.
Keep your child’s age and school year in mind. Some difficulties are normal in Year 1 and no longer are in Year 4. What matters is the persistence of the difficulties and the gap with other children. The teacher can help you place your child in relation to their class.
No score will tell you whether your child is dysorthographic. The more often you answer “often” to many questions, the more justified it is to seek an opinion. Concrete evidence is what professionals are interested in. See online tests.
Does your child still write many common words as they sound, for example “fame” for “femme” or “oto” for “auto”, when they are in Year 3 or above? Do they regularly forget silent letters or double consonants? These errors are typical of a difficulty with remembering words.
Are words learnt for dictation forgotten a few days later, even when they have revised them well? Is the same word spelt in several different ways within one text? These rapid lapses are an important sign.
Do they confuse similar sounds, such as “p” and “b”, “f” and “v”, “ch” and “j”? Do they omit or reverse letters in long words? Do they split words incorrectly, writing “la vion” or “lécole”? These errors relate more to the phonological route.
Does your child very often forget agreements, such as the plural “s” or the “nt” of verbs, even when they know the rule? Do they make agreements at random, adding markers where none are needed? These lapses are typical of a difficulty with automatisation.
Do they regularly confuse homophones such as “a” and “à”, “et” and “est”, “son” and “sont”? Do they succeed in targeted grammar exercises but forget everything as soon as they write a text? This gap between exercise and text is very telling.
Do they make noticeably more mistakes in long texts than in short sentences, or when they have to write quickly? This difference shows an overload when writing. See my child forgets agreements.
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Does your child take much longer than others to write or copy? Are their exercise books often incomplete because they did not have time to copy everything? This slowness weighs on their whole schooling.
Do they make mistakes when copying, even with the model in front of them? Do they proofread without seeing their errors, even when there are many? These signs may also point towards other disorders.
Do they avoid writing, always choose simple words, and write as little as possible? Are their texts much poorer than what they are capable of saying orally? These avoidance strategies are often signs of distress. See my child makes mistakes when copying.
Does your child express themselves well orally, with vocabulary and ideas, while their writing is far below this level? Do they do better in oral subjects or in mathematics than in written work? This contrast is one of the most telling signs.
Have their spelling difficulties persisted for at least one or two years, despite the teacher’s help and your revision at home? Have successive teachers made the same remarks? Duration is an essential criterion for diagnosis.
Did they have oral language difficulties in nursery school? Are there other dys people in the family? Do they also have difficulties with reading? These elements are important to mention to the doctor. See dysorthography or dyslexia.
Does your child say that they are useless, that they will never manage, or that they hate writing? Do they have stomach aches, tears or anxiety before dictations and written tests? These words should always be taken seriously.
Has homework become a source of conflict or exhaustion at home? Do they spend much more time than expected on homework, for disappointing results? These difficult moments weigh on the whole family.
These questions are just as important as the others. A child who suffers from their difficulties needs help, even if their marks remain adequate. Their wellbeing matters as much as their results. See dysorthography and self-esteem.
If you answered “often” to several questions, particularly those about persistence and the gap, talk to the teacher and then to your GP. Bring your answers and a few exercise books. These documents will make the discussion with the doctor easier.
The doctor will check vision and hearing and may prescribe a speech and language therapy assessment. Only this assessment can establish whether it is dysorthography, and of what form. It will also help specify the form of the disorder.
If you have mostly answered “sometimes” or “never”, your child may simply be going through a difficult period. Stay attentive and review the situation in a few months. You can always consult later if the difficulties persist. See who to consult.
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No. It only helps you organise your observations. Only a speech and language therapy assessment, using standardised tests, can make a diagnosis. This questionnaire is a tool for reflection, not a test.
There is no threshold. If several signs have persisted for a long time, especially with a gap between oral and written work, a medical opinion is justified. The doctor will decide whether an assessment should be prescribed.
You may ask them certain questions about their experience, gently. For the rest, rely on your observations and their exercise books. Their answers may shed light on how they experience things.
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