Is this visual processing disorder?

[Rhonda in TX]

My best friend's almost-10 year old DD is having some issues with reading. If she reads something to herself, she says it doesn't make any sense. If it's read aloud to her, or even if she reads it aloud, it does. My friend doesn't really know what to do about this. They are at a private school, so they don't have access to testing through them. Where should she go? I suggested it might be visual processing disorder, but I don't really know much about it.

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

[Laurie4b]

In many areas, the public schools will test both private school and homeschool students. So, that is one option. The other option is to pursue private testing. That will run a couple thousand dollars. Some pyschologists do the testing. Neuropsychologists are another option.

Personally, I'd start by asking the public schools. If they can't do it AND if silent reading comprehension is the only issue, I'd go to a reputable reading tutor for an assessment (this wouldn't include all the tests that the school or psy. would give, but may be enough if that is sum of the problem). If the tutor can't figure it out, I'd go for the private testing.

Can she read aloud on grade level and understand? Or is what she can read aloud at a lower level than her grade level?

If she can read stuff on grade level aloud and understand it's meaning, it's unlikely that it's a visual processing issue, because she had to read to read aloud, KWIM? She may have working memory issues and dhort-term auditory memory may be stronger than visual memory.