I have a question I have been home-schooling for 4 yrs. now, My daughter 9 excels , but my son 8 2nd grade is really struggling in reading, processing information , memory , and writing skills (such as writing a story) Handwriting is PERFECT he is a perfectionist with everything! I feel it is dyslexia or add , He has been tutoring for 7 months and they have pretty much told me they can't move forward with him without a diagnosis he was going 4 days a week and they said he should have made HUGE progress if we weren't dealing with a Learning Disability . So that's my question what should I do? Should I have the public school test him, Should I work with him at his level and forget about labeling him? I have already spoke to the pediatrician and she is pro public school so she is NO help :roll: My concern to just continuing working with him at his level is that I know he will not test out at grade level. If anyone has dealt with this PLEASE HELP ME!:|
Not sure what is best for your son but I'll share what we've recently been through. My DD8 tests high on standardized fill in the bubble tests (think high 90s) but I knew that she wasn't working up to her abilities (not just mom wanting her to be an astrophysicist but that there was something wrong despite her bubble test scores). She can fill in a bubble fine but to write her answers out....that's a whole other story. I thought it could be dysgraphia and our family doctor referred us to Occupational Therapist for evaluation for that. THe evaluator saw some motor delays but not true dysgraphia. Anyway, the real OT (not the evaluator) noted after working with DD that she had more processing deficits than just motor. To get our insurance to pay for OT, we had to go thru the school system (even though we knew they wouldn't test her) to get a letter saying that she was thriving in her homeschool environment "with necessary modificiations and accomodations" for processing and motor deficits. This letter helped us get her OT extended and paid for. We opted to have her tested by a psychologist ourselves for IQ/Abilities & ADD...because sometimes its hard to tell processing delays versus attention issues. I met with the psych today to get her results (although the typed report won't be ready for several days). The nutshell version is I have a "gifted" daughter by IQ (the psych's words) with relative ability deficits in processing, motor (handwrting), and phonetic/spelling. Duh....all the things that first led me to FIGHT for OT (dysgraphia or not). Actually, our insurance will pay for the psych part of the testing and we'll have to foot the bill for the educational part. The good news is that now I have (or will in a few days) proof to backup the issues and hopefully won't have to continue to fight for OT every 2 months when her referral expires. She doesn't have ADD but does have AD tendencies but many are due to the processing issues. She doesn't have a learning disability (by a legal definition) because her lower scores are still in the low part of average but well below avg (as needed for the disability diagnosis). But her deficits compared to her IQ scores are significant in particular areas. I'm definitely glad that we opted to have her tested. I wish we would have done it before 4 months of OT because I know the scores would have been more accurate since OT has helped in several areas....but it's been a fight here and there to find the "right" path to get things covered by our insurance and being homeschoolers added a few more hurdles in our school district. Best advice...go with your gut!! Do your research as to the options in your area and what your insurance will cover. We have military insurance (thus paid for my the US govt and they're not always the easiest to work with but other times are great, it just depends how it's worded and who is asking). I would continue to work with him at his level but I would probably also look into your options or at least document yourself what modifications or accomodations that you use for him...such as changing assignment directions, allowing oral answers, etc....make a list....check out some special needs books/learning disability books from the library. My daughter may not technically have a learning disability by legal definition but she definitely has learning struggles so some of those tips have really helped. I'm a member of a yahoo group called HeartofReading and it's for mostly homeschoolers with kids with (or suspected or) various reading/writing issues including dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, etc. You might hop over there and consider joining it or a similar group too. Hope my recent adventure helps see that sometimes we just have to go with what we know is "wrong" until we get to the right folks to help us. Of course, there really is nothing "wrong" but a struggle can sure seem wrong when you're in the midst of it...lol. If you're a member of HSLDA, they have special needs folks there and their foundation has grant $$ for testing, equipment, etc.
First...do you REALLY want the public school involved? And if they DO diagnose your child, do you think they will help him? If you do, then by all means have him tested. Before you check and see if it's dyslexia, read about the disease. Is he reversing letters? Words? Can he read and just not remember? Either way, after he's labeled SOMEONE is going to have to work with him at his level. IMHO labeling him won't do you a lick of good because he's still going to have to work at his level regardless. But before you jump to conclusions, see if he has his basics in. Just because someone is a tutor or has a degree doesn't mean they know everything about teaching. If he's not moving forward, then he's missing something, pure and simple. My 7 year old was being tutored BEFORE school, DURING LUNCH with reading at her PS. She made NO PROGRESS in reading. She was getting trouble in school for talking, not listening and the teachers were hinting she had ADHD. All we did in homeschool is step back the gradient. We moved her back to preschool stuff, then up through to first grade. Now she's reading FINE. Hours and hours of tutoring and NO PROGRESS. Teachers pressing us for a diagnosis. Diagnosis is...she missed some stuff in preschool and first grade. Before you run out, I'm just saying take a look for yourself. Sometimes it's just a matter of it takes him longer to get something (I admit, my DD is slower than some kids) and in PS they move on. Even if you try try try to tutor him on it, he won't progress until you find out what he missed. And it's not always apparent. (for example my DD had trouble learning about time...until we figured out she didn't know her days of the week and months of the year! How can you learn about minutes and seconds when you don't know what a DAY is?)
Thanks Ladies, Very good info! Freespirit: I am with you about the PS I know they are not going to do anything once they test him they have already told me that , but the lady I spoke with did tell me that they would be willing to sit down with me and give me tips on teaching a child with a LD. As for if he is reversing letters/numbers/words YES he does, we focus SO much on repetition it drives him nuts that it is not clicking! Also when he reads he sounds the words out backwards and when he writes they are too backwards ex. saw will be was and was will be saw and are will be era its very hard to watch him go through this! I will continue to read up on Dyslexia, as I really think that is what it is being that his dad and 2 of my brothers have this LD .He is a very smart and active kid I just wish I could teach him the way he is seeing it KWIM?
Have you heard of NATHAN? They may have resources for you that could prove really helpful. Just want to encourage you that I have a son who is gifted but dyslexic and home has been the best place for him. Where else is he going to get customized lesson plans that work around his needs? But socially it has proven to be an excellent environment for him as well--he is free from some of the awkwardness that often plagues kids like him. On top of that, I was able to work with the dyslexia so it's actually improving. Anyhow, hoping that you're able to find some homeschool friendly resources--they are out there!
Recommended this before, but check out The Gift of Dyslexia by Ron Davis. It will help you identify dyslexia by the potential positives rather than all the negatives. Lots of kids reverse numbers and especially boys can be late bloomers when it comes to reading, but they all don't show the same spatial talents as dyslexic children do.
