Tag: diagnosis

‘Up to 80 percent of children leave school without a diagnosis’

Dyslexia assessment service now available in Edinburgh

Psychological therapy and neurodevelopmental assessment provider, HealthCare In Mind, has launched its new dyslexia assessment service in Edinburgh to provide access to official diagnoses for those who believe they are dyslexic. The private assessments are available for all children up to the age of 16 years old and don’t require a referral from a GP.

The British Dyslexia Association estimates that around 10 percent of the UK population is affected by dyslexia, with approximately 4% experiencing severe dyslexia. Furthermore, up to 80 percent of children leave school either without a diagnosis or the proper support required to reach their full potential.

To address this, HealthCare In Mind has launched its new service in Edinburgh to allow parents to secure a recognised diagnosis that will enable their children to access the support they require.

As well as dyslexia assessments, HealthCare in Mind offers a range of other diagnostic assessments and mental health services. These include fully comprehensive diagnostic assessments for ADHD and autism for both children and adults, and therapy treatments to manage mental health conditions such as depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and mood disorders.

HealthCare In Mind is led by Dr Simon Le Clerc MStJ, and Dr Kate Higham, alongside an expert team of psychiatrists, psychologists and therapists. It exists to provide instant access to the highest quality care to those in need.

Dr Simon Le Clerc commented: “A significant number of students with dyslexia are not receiving a proper diagnosis and, subsequently, are not being provided with the proper support that they require in order to achieve their academic potential.

“It’s important to remember that dyslexia does not affect intelligence, and has nothing to do with how bright or able a child is. But the condition does affect reading, writing and processing abilities, and without a diagnosis, children aren’t able to access vital arrangements and adjustments to improve their ability to engage with the school curriculum.

“Our private assessments are carried out by certified assessors that can provide a formal diagnosis in a timely and stress-free manner.”

To book a consultation, visit www.healthcareinmind.com.

Experts discuss ways to improve brain tumour diagnosis in Scotland

A Glasgow-based company which is developing a diagnostic tool to detect brain tumours is one of the organisations taking part in roundtable discussions today – 5 February – to review the brain tumour diagnosis pathway in Scotland. 

GPs, NHS representatives, researchers, representatives from the Chief Scientist’s Office, the Scottish Steering Committee and The Brain Tumour Charity – representing the patient voice – are also taking part in the meeting at The Royal College of Physicians in Edinburgh.  

More than 1,000 people in Scotland are diagnosed with a brain or central nervous system tumour each year1 so there is an urgent need to prioritise better care. In addition, The Charity’s Improving Brain Tumour Care surveys show one in three people visit their GP more than five times before they are diagnosed.  

Now Dxcover Limited is working alongside researchers at the University of Edinburgh to develop a blood test and AI algorithms that could enable earlier diagnosis in primary care settings by analysing blood samples to look for signs of a brain tumour. Early research suggests that this technology could offer a promising diagnostic tool, although more testing is required.

Dxcover
Dxcover1

Cameron Miller, Director of Policy and Strategy at The Brain Tumour Charity said: “This roundtable is a stepping stone to ensure that the right conversations are taking place while these diagnostic tools are being developed.

“When they are ready for patients, we want to ensure that they can access them as quickly as possible. It is also key to ensuring policymakers truly understand the barriers to brain tumour diagnosis and the need to improve current diagnostic pathways.” 

Brain tumours can be hard to diagnose due to their non-specific symptoms, including headaches, vomiting and visual disturbances. An early diagnostic test to help identify which people with these symptoms are most likely to have a brain tumour would help prioritise demand on imaging facilities such as MRI and CT scans.  

Dxcover is currently running a performance evaluation study across seven sites in the UK and Europe, to understand the effectiveness and viability of their technology.  

Prof. Matthew J. Baker, CEO of Dxcover said: “Dxcover has patients at the heart of its thinking. This roundtable is key to changing the picture for brain tumour patients and one which we are excited to be a part of.  

“We have recently launched our EMBRACE study – a pan-Europe 2,200 patient performance evaluation of the Dxcover® brain cancer liquid biopsy which will enable CE marking and provide a much-needed tool for patients.” 

Dr Paul Brennan, Reader and Honorary Consultant Neurosurgeon at the University of Edinburgh said: “During several clinical studies involving patients in Scotland we have demonstrated that the Dxcover test is an efficient and effective strategy for brain tumour detection. 

“The next step is to find the best route to implement this test into routine care and this roundtable brings together the stakeholders needed to achieve that.” 

To find out more about The Brain Tumour Charity’s work with policymakers and healthcare professionals, visit thebraintumourcharity.org