children

Information and Fees

A full diagnostic assessment for a child at Dr Howells’ premises includes:

• • Intelligence testing – 10 tests of cognitive ability – verbal ability, fluid reasoning, spatial reasoning (non – verbal ability). These provide an overall measure of General Cognitive Ability, or ‘IQ’ as it is sometimes known.

• • Diagnostic testing 2 tests of Working Memory 2 tests of Processing Speed 1 test of fine motor skills 2 tests of phonological processing (mental manipulation of units of sounds)

• • Attainment testing – How well is your child learning in school? Dr Howells measures this by using standardized tests which are more rigorous than National Curriculum ‘levels’. Cognitive Ability scores are used to predict educational attainments. Dr Howells can then discover if your child is underachieving in reading, writing, spelling or maths, and by how much. Reading. 4 aspects of reading skills are tested: single word reading, phonic decoding, reading comprehension (understanding of texts) and reading speed. Dr Howells’ analyses of reading behaviour, scores and the errors made by your child provide insights into how s/he is learning. They also help Dr Howells to specify the type of teaching needed to remedy weakness. These recommendations are explained to you after the assessment, and included in the P4E report. Spelling. 1 standardized spelling test is given, plus analysis of other samples of writing (spelling in context). Analysis of spelling errors enables Dr Howells to advise on teaching methods and programmes to remedy weaknesses; these are included in the report. Writing. Several tests of writing skills are given depending on your child’s age. These tests range from simple copying to prose writing. Maths. A standardized test of written arithmetic is given.

• • Information from parents. Dr Howells asks parents to complete a developmental questionnaire about their child and to tell her what their main concerns are and what has been done so far (e.g. speech therapy, special visual exercises, private tuition for example.)

• • Information from School Dr Howells asks parents to pass on a school questionnaire to their child’s teacher/school to complete. This contains brief details of strengths and weaknesses, main concerns, and what has been done to help. Dr Howells asks for copies of reports by other professionals. Dr Howells asks parents to bring school reports for her to see.

• • Child’s views. Dr Howells asks your child to tell her what they like about school and what they think they need help with. Dr Howells uses a range of child-friendly view-elicitation activities with your child. * Discussion of results on the day

• • 2 copies of the report

• • Dr Howells offers parents the option of reading and discussing the report in draft version, before the final copy.

• • 1 follow – up telephone consultation after the report is received. * Ages. Dr Howells offers full diagnostic assessments for children from age 4.

• • Place. Assessments can take place where it suits the child; at home, school or in Dr Howells’ consulting room.

• Fee for full diagnostic assessment. Please contact Dr Howells by phone or email for a discussion of your needs and a quotation. email [email protected]

Difficulty with reading, writing, spelling and using sounds.

Dyslexia affects approximately one in ten children in school. It varies from mild to severe and many children with dyslexia can be helped to improve their literacy skills with skilled intervention for a relatively short time, if they are taught correctly in the first three years of formal education.

“Dyslexia” is a label that can be helpful as a first step in specifying what a child’s strengths and learning needs are, what needs to be taught, how it needs to be taught, and for how long.

Standardized testing provides valid measures of any underachievement, and information about the child’s learning style that helps in planning more effective teaching to remedy weaknesses. Our tests can also be used as a baseline aginst which future progress can be measured.

The diagnostic assessment is a necessary step in planning effective, targeted teaching programs for the child that address the complexity of the learner’s needs.

If you think your child may be dyslexic, please contact P4E for a discussion with Dr Howells.

Difficulty with coordinating physical movements, practical tasks, spatial awareness, and pencil control for handwriting 

Dyspraxia / DCD affects up to 6% of children in school. Like dyslexia, it varies from mild to severe. Most children with dyspraxia can be helped by a programme of exercises that can be done at home or at school. These exercises will be prescribed by an Occupational Therapist.

Dr Howells advises you of the educational implications of dyspraxia as a barrier to learning.

For parents who think their child may be dyspraxic, Dr Howells provides a validated screening questionnaire. This gives a probability score and she will advise you on further referrals that may be needed. If you would like to discuss an assessment for dyspraxia, please contact Dr Howells.

Difficulties with attention & concentration, sometimes very active, always on the go.

This is a form of specific learning difficulty that affects between 1% and 5% of children, depending on the definition used.

Children with ADD or ADHD are usually having problems with learning because they cannot focus their attention and maintain their interest in a task consistently within the classroom. They are frequently described as appearing not to listen or follow instructions. Many children with attention difficulties are also hyper active – that is, they can’t sit still and need to run around and fidget constantly. They may also exhibit impulsivity and find it hard to restrain themselves when waiting in line or in assemblies at school.

Dr Howells will will assess the educational impacts and needs of the condition and is able to advise parents and teachers on strategies for support. If you would like to discuss a diagnostic assessment, for possible ADHD please contact Dr Howells.

Find Out More about AD(H)D

• • •In the USA, the incidence is higher than in the UK and there are different ways of defining and diagnosing the condition in different countries.

• • •Tends to run in families

• • •Usually an inherited neurological condition

• • •AD(H)D is linked to delayed development in the part of the brain called the frontal lobes, which control inhibition and impulsivity.

• • •Boys are more affected than girls

• • •Symptoms can persist into adulthood

• • •AD(H)D varies from mild to severe

• • •AD(H)D is more than boisterous, loud, fidgety behaviour, such as most children show while growing up. Symptoms have to be persistent, from the age of 5 years

• • •AD(H)D often co-exists with Dyslexia, Dyspraxia and Dyscalculia

• • •Children with AD(H)D often complain they are bored.

• • •AD(H)D is sometimes treated with drugs, the most well known is Ritalin.

• • •The responses to drug therapy should be carefully monitored by the medical practitioner

• • •There are also behavioural methods for helping the child and family

• • •Many children with AD(H)D find it hard to work co-operatively with others

• • •Many children with untreated AD(H)D have few friends, because they are poor at listening, can disrupt activities, and other children find their behaviour difficult

• • •Many with AD(H)D underachieve in school and in the work place

• • •There is insufficient teacher training about the needs of children with AD(H)D

• • •The earlier a child is identified and helped with specialist teaching, the better the outcome

• • •There are lots of helpful organizations for AD(H)D for example, www.addiss.co.uk www.hacsg.org.uk

• •A professional assessment by an educational psychologist is an essential step to help if a child with AD(H)D is experiencing learning difficulties at school

A specific learning difficulty affecting numbers. 

One definition (Department for Education and Science) is

“Dyscalculia is a condition that affects the ability to acquire arithmetical skills. Dyscalculic learners may have difficulty understanding simple number concepts, lack an intuitive grasp of numbers and have problems learning number facts and procedures. Even if they produce a correct answer or use a correct method, they may do so mechanically and without confidence”. 

Find Out More About Dyscalculia

• • Dyscalculia affects between 3% and 6% of the population. The incidence varies according to definitions used

• • Many people with dyscalculia are very anxious about maths and this compounds their difficulties

• • Numeracy often fails to develop in spite of good teaching

• • Dyscalculia frequently co-exists with dyslexia and dyspraxia and there is almost always a need for specialist assessment and targeted teaching for children who show dyscalculic tendencies

• • The causes are unknown, but may involve a genetically linked lack of innate number sense

• • Dyscalculics need very skilled teaching at the correct pace

• • Teaching needs to start from where the child is in their mastery of maths skills. This may mean  starting at the beginning

• • Teaching must be in very small, gently progressive steps

• There needs to be repetition of foundation elements of number work, and explicit teaching of rules, using multi – sensory methods and practical activities

* We offer standardized testing in written arithmetic, mental arithmetic and mathematical reasoning. These results will help to define whether or not a child is dyscalculic, the extent of the handicap and starting points for teaching

• • See websites www.dyscalculia.me.uk/   &

• www.dyscalculia-maths-difficulties.org.uk

If you would like to discuss a full diagnostic assessment for Dyscalculia please contact us. 

Extremely high intelligence, talents in music, sport, making things, art, IT, creative thinking. 

Intellectually gifted children are, by definition, unusual. They have usually shown precocious development in speaking, reading or maths. They are very keen to find out more about the world, and often have passionate interests and expertise before starting school.

Paradoxically, many gifted children also have specific learning difficulties (dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, AD(H)D, autistic spectrum conditions, especially Asperger syndrome). This is because different areas of the brain have matured at different rates. These children can be described as neuro-diverse.

For example, the gifted child with mild dyslexia may ‘guess’ and skim their way through a story when reading, if they are unable to read all the words in isolation. They may be able to write legibly, but not spell well, and their written English often lacks structure and is poorly organised.

The gifted child with mild dyspraxia can easily express complex and creative ideas when speaking, but very often cannot write them down legibly and quickly. He / she is often clumsy, and poor at some sports.

The gifted child with dyscalculia may be brilliant at creative writing, and fully competent at reading, but unable to remember and apply number bonds, times tables, arithmetic procedures etc.

The gifted child with AD(H)D may be unable to sit still in class, appears to be “off task” and goes off at a tangent with ideas and impulsive behaviour. He / she may be very physically active and need little sleep.

The gifted child with mild Asperger Syndrome may have difficulties in learning and using social signals, so the child can mis-interpret body language. He / she may  not make friends easily. The child may prefer the company of adults, rather than other children. The child can have obsessive interests and expertise, and be didactic and pedantic when speaking. These attributes mark them out as “different” from their peers. They do not easily learn streetwise behaviours and find playtimes at school  particularly difficult.

Gifted children are very often bored and frustrated in class, and can be isolated in the playground.

Dr Howells can help by, firstly, giving a full, standardized IQ test that will confirm whether or not the child is “gifted”. To be classified as Intellectually Gifted, the standardized IQ score (Full Scale IQ or General Cognitive Ability) has to be 2 standard deviations above the mean, in the top  2.2% of the population.

Secondly, Dr Howells takes a detailed developmental history from the parents, covering all areas of growth and development from birth onwards.

Thirdly, Dr Howells asks the school for information on the child’s academic and social progress, and look at the work in class if possible. Dr Howells may observe the child in a work and in a play situation.

Fourthly, Dr Howells assesses educational attainments (reading skills – word recognition, phonic decoding, comprehension and speed), spelling, handwriting formation and speed, creative word fluency, prose writing – grammar, punctuation, content,  maths – written arithmetic, mental arithmetic and mathematical reasoning. All of these tests are standardized, so any underachievement can be quantified precisely.

Finally, Dr Howells asks the child for their views on school and their learning.

The diagnostic assessment is the first step towards planning effective, targeted teaching and enrichment programmes for the child that address the complexity of the learner’s needs.

If you think your child may be gifted, please look at the following websites:

www.potentialplusuk.org
www.pegy.org.uk    

1. Our Reports  – Ownership

P4E reports belong to you the parent and copies are not sent to schools or local authorities without your consent.

P4E reports contain full details of all test results and detailed advice on what needs to be done to help the learner, advice on other resources and help for the learner.

3. Extra time in tests and examinations.

If the child meets the criteria for special arrangements in exams (Common Entrance,  SATs, GCSE, A level, IB) P4E reports provide the necessary evidence for the school,  as specified by exam boards.

4.Statutory assessment procedures

P4E reports can be used in statutory assessment procedures and may be included in EHC (Education and Health Care) Plans.

Contact us if you would like to discuss an appointment.

Dr Howells asks parents to complete a developmental questionnaire about their child and to tell her what the main concerns are and what has been done so far (e.g. speech therapy, special visual exercises, private tuition for example.)

* Information from School. Dr Howells gives parents a school form for passing on to the child’s teacher to complete. This contains details of strengths and weaknesses, main concerns, and what has been done to help. Dr Howells ask for copies of reports by other professionals.

Dr Howells asks parents to bring school reports for us to see.

* Child’s views. Dr Howells asks your child to tell her what they like about school and what they think they need help with. Dr Howells will spend time talking to your child, sensitively and gently eliciting their opinions for their future aspirations, what is important to them now and what might be important to them in the future, their likes and dislikes in terms of learning, about their social experiences at school and in the family or community, their hobbies and so on. Dr Howells feels that it is vital that a child is given time and space to give their views and to be listened to.

* Discussion of results on the day

* 1 copy of the report

* Dr Howells offers parents the option of reading and discussing the report in draft version, before finalising.

* 1 follow – up telephone consultation after the report is received.

* Ages. Dr Howells offers full diagnostic assessments for children from age 4.

* Place.  Assessments can take place where it suits the child; at home, school or in Dr Howells’ consulting room.

*Please contact Dr Howells by phone or email for a discussion of your needs and a quotation.

Dr Howells assesses for Social, Communication and interaction difficulties that a child may be experiencing. Dr Howells have experience of assessing ASD, and makes evidence-based recommendations to help.

ASD ranges from mild (high functioning) to severe; it can co-occur with other learning difficulties, mental health (often anxiety) or other conditions.

ASD is diagnosed by assessing a child or adult’s social communication, social interaction and repetitive & restricted patterns of behaviour; how long these have been present and the extent to which they impair and limit the child or adult’s everyday functioning.  A related condition, (Demand-Avoidant, Pathological Demand Avoidance) can also be assessed.

Please contact Dr Howells if you would like to discuss or book an assessment for ASD.