Reading & Literacy Discovery Center (RLDC) Updates
There have been many questions regarding referrals and criteria surrounding the services offered through the RLCD. The following details provide some additional clarification. Please email Rachelle Schmitz (rachelle.schmitz@cchmc.org) with questions and concerns.
Criteria for Evaluation
Patients are seen for a reading evaluation who meet the following criteria:
Children aged 6 and above
Child has had three months of formal academic (school or homeschool) instruction
Parent or professional concerns related to reading, spelling, writing
At least six months have passed since the last evaluation: Psychological and/or academic testing (not including a school evaluation)
Child has not been diagnosed with a Developmental Disorder (ex. Down syndrome) nor an intellectual disability. A diagnosis of ASD does not disqualify a child from an evaluation. All other criteria must be met.
Child can adequately verbalize responses to various types of questions
Child’s speech is unintelligible to an unfamiliar listener
Child does not demonstrate behavioral issues that would make them unable to participate in a 2-3-hour evaluation
Child does not have a visual impairment that would influence their ability to read.
Children seen for speech and/or language delays are likely to have reading and writing difficulties. Children being evaluated for speech sound disorders and/or language concerns would benefit from a phonological or phonemic awareness assessment. Not all children need to be referred to the RLDC.
If a child meets the criteria mentioned above and has deficits in phonemic awareness, reading, and/or writing skills, a referral to the RLDC may be appropriate.
RLDC evaluations are comprehensive speech and language evaluations and are billed as such. Families, especially families who have had a recent Language 3+ evaluation are encouraged to check with their insurance company to make sure a second evaluation is covered.
RLDC Focused Treatment
Therapy through the RLDC is two sessions per week for 12 weeks for children with an RLDC evaluation or diagnosed Specific Learning Disability with impairment in reading/written expression/dyslexia (with an evaluation). Therapy is offered at Base, Liberty, Mason, Green, and Anderson.
Children and families unable to commit to two sessions per week for 12 weeks can be seen by an SLP with their advanced literacy competency.
Therapy through the Division of Speech-Language Pathology with an SLP with their Advanced Literacy competency is available for any child that has weakness in early literacy skills, reading skills, and written expression.