jym626

Calmom-
You have done a good job of describing the difference between decoding a word (c-a-t) and encoding a word (writing or reading the word in context). There is a visual memory component to encoding and decoding, but there is still a sound-symbol relationship to word recognition.

Eidetic imagery is typically a term used to describe visual recall without a language component- somewhat like photographic memory. There is also something called word blindness where you cannot read words secondary to a visual problem. At any rate, there are a combination of lexical and phonological components to reading, and a good eval can help hone in on the issues for each individual child.

An evaluation can also determine if a child is reading on a normal developmental level, which would certainly be reassuring. In that case, additional exposure through reading, with implementation of basic reading strategies may improve reading fluency. But, I'm with Kirmum and Editrix. If a bright child is showing significant discrepancies in performance, and their performance is not on par with their potential, a further evaluation is in order. It is best to assess not only the childs weaknesses, but also a child's strengths, so that the best type of intervention can be identified, anchoring on the child's strengths. There are several reading programs used (Ornton-Gillingham, Lindamood- Bell, Wilson, etc) that have slightly different approaches. Good luck- and keep us posted.