h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

One of the major problems with diagnosing learning difficulties in children is that if the child in question is an intelligent one then he or she will have developed coping strategies before a teacher sees them. These strategies will often carry the child through years of school and only start to be insufficient later. My sister is dyslexic but her coping strategies were good enough that it did not become obvious until she was preparing for her GCSEs. Even my mother who is a teacher by profession did not notice the problem.

Roz.

my niece had a similar problem with guessing spellings.

the main problem was that although her reports commented on poor spelling, nobody had actually spent a few minutes getting her to read and write, and asking questions.

it really was obvious within five minutes when you actually bothered to check.