What Happens If My Child’s Assessment Does Not Result in a Diagnosis of Dyslexia?

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 really common question and an important one. 

At Flourish Dyslexia, we understand that every child is unique. Whether or not a formal diagnosis of dyslexia is made, an assessment is always a valuable step towards understanding your child’s learning profile. 

In this blog, we’ll explain what it means if your child doesn’t meet the criteria for dyslexia, what the assessment can still tell us and how we continue to support you and your child moving forward. 

First things first: What does a diagnostic assessment do? 

A full diagnostic assessment looks at a wide range of skills, including: 

• Reading and spelling accuracy 

• Speed of reading and writing 

• Phonological processing (how well your child works with sounds in words) 

• Working memory and processing speed 

• Vocabulary and verbal reasoning 

It provides a detailed picture of your child’s strengths and challenges. 

The assessment compares your child’s performance with what is typically expected for their age and helps determine if they meet the criteria for a diagnosis of dyslexia. 

If there’s no formal diagnosis - is the assessment still useful? 

Absolutely. 

Even if your child does not meet the specific criteria for dyslexia, the assessment still provides: 

✅ A detailed profile of your child’s learning strengths and areas of difficulty 

✅ Insights into areas like working memory, processing speed and phonological awareness

✅ Tailored recommendations to support their learning in school and at home 

Think of it as a roadmap: it helps us understand how your child learns best and what strategies can help them succeed. 

Understanding your child’s learner profile 

Your child may still show characteristics of a Specific Learning Difficulty (SpLD), even without a diagnosis of dyslexia.  

For example: 

✅ They might have working memory challenges 

✅ They may find processing information quickly more difficult 

✅ There might be mild phonological difficulties affecting literacy 

This is why we always provide a full learner profile in our reports, whether or not a diagnosis is given. 

It helps ensure your child’s needs are understood and support is tailored to them. 

What about school support? 

A common worry for parents is: Without a diagnosis, will my child still get help?

The answer is: yes.

Schools have a duty to provide support based on a child’s needs, not just on formal labels.  

Your assessment report includes clear, practical recommendations for school, helping them to understand: 

✅ What adjustments might help in the classroom 

✅ Suggested interventions 

✅ How to support your child’s access to learning 

This can make a real difference in how your child experiences school life. 

Why an assessment is never a wasted step 

Even if no diagnosis is given, the assessment process itself: 

✅ Builds understanding for you as a parent 

✅ Helps your child recognise their strengths and challenges 

✅ Opens the door to targeted support 

Many parents tell us that having clear answers and knowing what to focus on gives them a real sense of direction and relief. 

“Before the assessment, I felt like I was guessing. Now I understand exactly how to help my child move forward.” - Parent feedback 

Next steps if there is no dyslexia diagnosis 

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

✅ Offer a full feedback session to explain the findings 

✅ Provide a detailed written report with recommendations 

✅ Discuss any further support or specialist interventions that may be helpful 

We will always focus on empowering you with information and practical next steps. 

Conclusion: Understanding your child matters most

The goal of any assessment is understanding, not just diagnosis. 

At Flourish Dyslexia, we see every assessment as a way to understand the whole child including their strengths, challenges and how we can help them flourish.

Whether your child receives a diagnosis of dyslexia or not, you’ll walk away with a clearer understanding of their learning profile and practical ways to support their progress. 

If you have questions about the assessment process or want to register your interest for our services, please get in touch - we’re here to help.