Tricare referral for dyslexia and testing,etc. BTDT help, please!

[Pam "SFSOM" in TN]

We're in the process of getting a referral (through Tricare via dd's pediatrician) for evaluation for dyslexia, processing delays, and a related (?maybe, maybe not?) mild hearing loss.

 

Do any of you have any experience with the codes (and or code words) the pediatrician needs to use in order get Tricare to cover some of this?

 

I appreciate any help you can give.

[asta]

Honestly?

 

I'd go through the back door. I'd start with a referral to an ophthalmologist (not an optometrist).

 

An ophthalmologist can immediately identify and record that your child is misinterpreting letters and words, as well as note how long it takes for your child to take a standard test. He or she will also write a "back brief" to your pediatrician (if he is doing his job correctly).

 

Once you have THAT report, you have a baseline from which to request an evaluation for why your kid isn't seeing/processing correctly. The next step would probably be a neurological exam (nothing scary, just some finger to nose stuff and walking across the floor heel to toe and on tippy toes type of stuff) to check for physical issues and then a kid level neuro-psych exam (that would inevitably be last, as it is the most expensive). A neurologist usually prescribes a neuro-psych exam.

 

The neuro-psych exam (kid level) is where they have the kid do patterns with blocks and pictures, play memory games, check for processing by asking different types of questions, ask questions that tell the doc about the baseline health of the person's psyche, etc.

 

All of the ICD codes are very basic and are in your pediatrician's "code bible".

 

 

asta

[newbie]

I dont know the codes. But along with opthalmologist. You might try audiologist. Try to find one that specializes in auditory processing issues. They are hard to find. Even living in San diego, I couldnt find one. They were all up in Los Angeles. Did Audio first than neuro psych.

 

Auditory Processing is a hard one to diagnose. But my niece was diagnosed with CAPD. No hearing loss. But I didnt go through referrals. I just paid for everything. It was worth it .

 

Hope helps,

Jeannette