What If My Child Doesn’t Get a Dyslexia Diagnosis? Why the Assessment Still Matters

Natalie Beach
Apr 8
2 min read

Updated: Jul 22

What If My Child Doesn’t Get a Dyslexia Diagnosis?

If you're thinking about a dyslexia assessment for your child, you might be wondering:

What happens if no diagnosis is given?

It’s a common and important question and one we’re asked often.

At Flourish Dyslexia, we understand that every child is unique. Whether or not your child receives a formal diagnosis of dyslexia, a high-quality assessment is always a valuable step toward understanding their learning profile.

In this blog, we’ll explain:

What a diagnostic assessment looks at
What it means if there’s no dyslexia diagnosis
Why the process still gives you powerful insight
What support is still available for your child

What Does a Dyslexia Assessment Include?

A full diagnostic assessment explores a wide range of cognitive and literacy skills, including:

✅ Reading and spelling accuracy

✅ Speed of reading and writing

✅ Phonological processing (how your child identifies and works with sounds)

✅ Working memory and processing speed

✅ Vocabulary and verbal reasoning

The results are compared to what’s expected for your child’s age. If the assessment shows a pattern consistent with dyslexia, a diagnosis may be made.

What If My Child Doesn’t Meet the Criteria?

Even if a formal diagnosis isn’t given, the assessment is still incredibly useful.

You’ll receive:

✅ A detailed learner profile outlining your child’s strengths and difficulties

✅ Insight into cognitive processes such as memory, processing, and phonological awareness

✅ Clear, practical recommendations tailored to your child’s needs

Think of the report as a learning roadmap, helping you and your child understand how they learn best and what supports can help them succeed

Understanding the Whole Learner

Some children may show traits of a Specific Learning Difficulty (SpLD) even if they don’t fully meet the criteria for dyslexia. For example:

They may struggle with working memory
They might find processing information more slowly than peers
There could be mild phonological difficulties affecting reading or spelling

What Happens Next?

If your child does not receive a dyslexia diagnosis, we will still:

✅ Offer a full feedback session to walk you through the results

✅ Provide a detailed, jargon-free report

✅ Share specific, personalised next steps for support

✅ Explore further help where needed (e.g. specialist tuition, school liaison, or language support)

Our aim is always to empower families with clarity and confidence.

Will My Child Still Get Support at School?

One of the biggest concerns parents have is:

Will my child still get help at school without a diagnosis?

The answer is yes.Schools are expected to support children based on need, not just labels.

Your child’s report will include:

✅ Classroom strategies and adjustments

✅ Suggested interventions

✅ Guidance to help teachers understand how to support your child

This empowers both parents and schools to take action, even in the absence of a formal diagnosis.

Want to Know More?

If you’re considering an assessment or have questions about whether it’s the right time, we’d love to hear from you.