Psych CASC / OSCE · Child and adolescent psychiatry — specific learning disorder
Explain specific learning disorder and school plan — CASC communication station
MRCPsych/FRANZCP-style communication station: explain SLD, reject laziness narrative, clarify educational treatment and accommodations, address medication and pseudoscientific cures.
On this page & tools
Target exams
Station brief
Format. Communication station, approximately 7–10 minutes active time after reading. You are the CAMHS psychiatry registrar. [1]
Candidate instructions. Engage empathically; explain SLD/dyslexia in plain language (brain-based learning of reading skills, not low intelligence); outline multi-source assessment and why instructional response matters; explain that intensive structured reading teaching and school accommodations are the core plan; address medication expectations honestly; gently correct coloured-glasses-as-cure claims without shaming; check understanding and agree next steps. [2][3][4]
Candidate scenario
Working impression is likely reading-domain SLD risk after incomplete response to support. Parents are frightened about intelligence and want a quick medical fix. No current indication for medication as treatment of reading disability itself. Hearing/vision should be confirmed if not already. School partnership essential. [1][5]
Marking domains
- Empathy; reject laziness / stupidity narrative
- Clear plain-language explanation of SLD domains and exclusions
- Assessment plan including school information and instructional response
- Educational intervention + accommodations as core treatment
- Honest limits of medication and non-evidence 'cures'
- Shared plan, safety-net for demoralisation, follow-up [1][2][3]
Reveal assessor key
Open. Name time; acknowledge fear that child is 'stupid'; ask priorities.[1]
Explain SLD. Specific difficulty learning reading (and sometimes writing/maths) skills despite teaching and normal opportunity — often runs in families; does not mean low intelligence.[3][4]
Assessment. History from you and school, how he responded to help already given, reading/writing/math tests, check attention/mood/hearing/vision — not one online quiz.[5]
Treatment. Best evidence for reading problems centres on intensive systematic phonics-style teaching plus classroom supports (extra time, tech). Tablets do not teach decoding; we only use medicine if a separate condition like ADHD or anxiety is present and impairing.[2][3]
Myths. Coloured lenses are not a proven primary cure for developmental dyslexia; we will not delay real literacy teaching for unproven add-ons.[2][4]
Close. Written plan with school meeting goals, review date, who to contact if mood/school refusal worsens, invite questions. [1]
References
- [1]American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Practice parameters for the assessment and treatment of children and adolescents with language and learning disorders. AACAP J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry, 1998.PMID 9785728
- [2]Galuschka K, Ise E, Krick K, Schulte-Körne G Effectiveness of treatment approaches for children and adolescents with reading disabilities: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials PLoS One, 2014.PMID 24587110
- [3]Grigorenko EL, Compton DL, Fuchs LS, et al. Understanding, educating, and supporting children with specific learning disabilities: 50 years of science and practice Am Psychol, 2020.PMID 31081650
- [4]Peterson RL, Pennington BF Developmental dyslexia Lancet, 2012.PMID 22513218
- [5]Miciak J, Fletcher JM The Critical Role of Instructional Response for Identifying Dyslexia and Other Learning Disabilities J Learn Disabil, 2020.PMID 32075514