Dyslexia

Dyslexia is a disorder that involves persistent problems with reading and/or spelling accurately on the level of words. Only children with a serious form of dyslexia qualify for reimbursement of costs for treatment. If there is an additional disorder, treatment is only reimbursed if the additional disorder does not (anymore) provide an impediment for dyslexia research.
In the period 2009-2014 dyslexia diagnosis and treatment were reimbursed by the basic health insurance. In 2009 all 7 and 8-year-old school-going children were entitled to reimbursement for dyslexia care. Every next year until 2013 entitlement age was raised by one year. In 2013 and 2014 all 7 to 12-year-old school-going children were entitled to reimbursement. From 2015 onwards dyslexia care is incorporated in the Child and Youth Act. Under the Child and Youth Act, all children of primary school age are entitled to reimbursement of costs related to diagnosis and treatment of serious singular dyslexia.
Data are based on the CBS Health Survey. In this survey, parents/guardians are invited to answer questions about their child’s disorders and complaints (e.g. dyslexia, autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) in the past 12 months. If the answer is affirmative, the next question is whether the child underwent any kind of treatment during the past 12 months.
As dyslexia can be diagnosed reliably in primary school pupils grade 4, this article focuses on 7 to 11-year-olds.
The survey years 2009-2015 have been taken together to generate a sufficient amount of data. Because this is a sample survey, figures are subject to a margin of error.