Dyslexia & Learning Disability Testing in the South Bay

Is learning disability testing right for your child?

Many parents sense something is off long before anyone names it. An evaluation may help if you notice some of these:

• Reading is slow and effortful, and your child guesses at words from the first letter or the pictures
• Spelling tests go fine, but the same words are misspelled a week later
• Your child has great ideas out loud but can't get them onto paper
• Handwriting is hard to read or tiring, even with practice
• Math facts don't stick, or your child still counts on fingers long after classmates stopped
• Reading or math help at school has gone on for months with little change
• Your child says they're bad at reading or math, or avoids homework altogether

For a fuller list of early signs, see signs of dyslexia by age.

What are dyslexia, dysgraphia and dyscalculia?

The DSM-5-TR, the diagnostic manual used in the United States, calls these a specific learning disorder. It is named by the area affected: reading, written expression or mathematics. Most families and schools use the shorter terms.

• Dyslexia is trouble reading words accurately or fluently, and with spelling. It usually comes from a weakness in phonological processing (hearing and working with the sounds inside words). It is often unexpected, because the child is capable in other ways.
• Dysgraphia is a common term for trouble with written expression. That can mean spelling, grammar and punctuation, organizing ideas in writing, or the physical act of handwriting.
• Dyscalculia is trouble with number sense, learning math facts, calculating accurately or fluently, or math reasoning.

These are differences in how the brain handles specific skills. They are not about effort or intelligence. They can also occur together, or alongside ADHD, which is why we check for ADHD when the picture calls for it.

California’s reading screening

Starting in the 2025–26 school year, California public schools must screen students in kindergarten through 2nd grade for risk of reading difficulties, including dyslexia. A screener is quick and flags risk. It does not diagnose. If your child was flagged, or you’re worried despite a passing result, a full evaluation can show what is going on.

What does the evaluation look at?

Dr. Maddison Paul tests the skills that sit underneath reading, writing and math, not only the final grade-level score. She looks at:

• Phonological processing: hearing, blending and pulling apart the sounds in words
• Decoding: sounding out real and made-up words
• Reading fluency and comprehension: reading speed and accuracy, and understanding what was read
• Spelling and written expression: spelling patterns, sentences, and organizing ideas on the page
• Math: math facts, calculation and math reasoning
• Thinking skills: reasoning, language, working memory (holding information in mind while using it) and processing speed
• Attention and emotional factors: anything else that could explain or add to the struggle

MP Wellness uses a dynamic, individualized assessment approach, with current, evidence-based psychological assessment tools selected for each person’s needs and presenting concerns. The report lists every measure used.

Why test thinking skills too? A learning disability is a specific weakness, not a general one. Comparing reading, writing and math with your child’s reasoning and language shows whether the struggle is specific or broader. It also shows which skill to target first. A child who can’t decode needs different help from a child who decodes well but reads slowly or loses the meaning.

At school, dyslexia, dysgraphia and dyscalculia usually fall under the special education category called specific learning disability. A 504 plan can also provide accommodations without special education. Our guide to school testing vs. private evaluation explains how a private report fits with the school’s process.

What happens, step by step

Testing takes about 8–10 hours of one-on-one time, spread over 4–5 sessions of 2 hours each so your child can do their best without getting worn out. About 3–4 weeks after the last session, we meet for a 2 hours feedback session.

What you receive

• A written report in plain language, with scores explained
• A clear answer: whether dyslexia, dysgraphia or dyscalculia fits, and if not, what better explains the struggle
• Recommendations for the kind of teaching and support that fits your child's profile
• Suggested school accommodations, such as extra time or audiobooks, when they fit
• A feedback session to go through the results together and answer your questions

If you would like us at a school or IEP meeting, that is billed separately at $250 per hour.

You can share the report with your child’s school, tutor or reading specialist. The school must consider an outside evaluation, but it decides eligibility for services itself.