4 yo with developmental delay is an amazing dancer

[Anonymous]

We went to a Quincenera party over the weekend for our nanny’s daughter, and my 4 yo DS was KILLING IT on the dance floor.

I’m talking he could keep rhythm, do intricate footwork, and synch up with the music.

I know he had been going with our nanny to many dance rehearsals over the summer and I guess they were just including him in learning the routines. It turned out that he memorized multiple routines and songs in that time.

He danced a lot and sang a lot at home but we didn’t expect him to be any good. People actually made a circle around him on the dance floor and were watching because he was so good!

This is a kid who has a significant cognitive delay and is expected to be moderately intellectually disabled. Part of me is wondering, if all of that is true, then how can he memorize all this complicated choreography and all these songs????

[Anonymous]

Some people are kinesthetic learners.

Get him in some dance classes with other boys!

This will also help him socialize.

Also, maybe try gymnastics, or martial arts. Something else where his body awareness will be a huge asset.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Some people are kinesthetic learners.

Get him in some dance classes with other boys!

This will also help him socialize.

Also, maybe try gymnastics, or martial arts. Something else where his body awareness will be a huge asset.

Op here. This is a great idea!!!!

[Anonymous]

Wow, that’s great OP!

[Anonymous]

Love this post, OP. Wishing your little dancer the best!

[Anonymous]

Omg I love this! I love your kid and your nanny, and I love that you are the type of mom to be cool with the nanny taking him to rehearsals. (Many would complain … ) I think this just goes to show why we need do integrate our kids into everything instead of just thinking that we need to be constantly “working” on them … going with the nanny to learn to dance was probably 10x better than OT!

Anyway … Levine School of Music has music therapy classes that might be great for him.

[Anonymous]

That’s great, op- I’ve seen just a couple kids really gifted in that way over the years and it really is something to see-he sounds just adorable!

[Anonymous]

As for what it means about his cognitive skills - it means he is a good learner! And that he was in a good environment to learn.

[Anonymous]

Op the brain actually processes music in a different part of the brain than other language. It might mean he will have strong areas of other types of learning, like visual learning. Might be a good idea to sing to him and put some memory things to music.

[Anonymous]

Has he had a non verbal IQ test?

My son's typical IQ test is 65 but non-verbal is normal.

But anyway that's great!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Has he had a non verbal IQ test?

My son's typical IQ test is 65 but non-verbal is normal.

But anyway that's great!!!

Op here. He’s only 4, and we did do a full neuropsychology exam but they didn’t give us actual IQ numbers (they said he was too young?). But in conversations with the neuropsychologist, she stressed that he was pretty delayed and she expected him to be diagnosed with intellectual disability at age 5, and that it would probably be moderate rather than mild

He was pretty good on receptive language but very behind on expressive language and I can’t remember the other details.

I was so devastated by that report, and then seeing him do things like what he did this weekend always leaves me wondering if the testing can possibly be right. He doesn’t use language very well but he is a great problem solver and can imitate very effectively and has an exceptional memory for certain things (like complex dance routines and music lyrics!).

[Anonymous]

You should look up the biography of the choreographer of Cats.

[Anonymous]

Love this OP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Has he had a non verbal IQ test?

My son's typical IQ test is 65 but non-verbal is normal.

But anyway that's great!!!

Op here. He’s only 4, and we did do a full neuropsychology exam but they didn’t give us actual IQ numbers (they said he was too young?). But in conversations with the neuropsychologist, she stressed that he was pretty delayed and she expected him to be diagnosed with intellectual disability at age 5, and that it would probably be moderate rather than mild

He was pretty good on receptive language but very behind on expressive language and I can’t remember the other details.

I was so devastated by that report, and then seeing him do things like what he did this weekend always leaves me wondering if the testing can possibly be right. He doesn’t use language very well but he is a great problem solver and can imitate very effectively and has an exceptional memory for certain things (like complex dance routines and music lyrics!).

this is why I have serious reservations about “neuropsych” reports. even if the findings are objectively correct they say NOTHING about what your kid can actually do, and emphasize weaknesses rather strengths. Your kid has good memory, good receptive language, good nonverbal skills, good motor skills (just assuming this is what u mean by “problem solver.”) And he has proven he is very teachable and can understand and repeat multi-step instructions. This is a kid who may have challenges but will absolutely be able to learn and have fun in the right environment.

it sounds like you picked a good nanny who really gets him. the key going forward is to find schools and teachers that also get him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Has he had a non verbal IQ test?

My son's typical IQ test is 65 but non-verbal is normal.

But anyway that's great!!!

Op here. He’s only 4, and we did do a full neuropsychology exam but they didn’t give us actual IQ numbers (they said he was too young?). But in conversations with the neuropsychologist, she stressed that he was pretty delayed and she expected him to be diagnosed with intellectual disability at age 5, and that it would probably be moderate rather than mild

He was pretty good on receptive language but very behind on expressive language and I can’t remember the other details.

I was so devastated by that report, and then seeing him do things like what he did this weekend always leaves me wondering if the testing can possibly be right. He doesn’t use language very well but he is a great problem solver and can imitate very effectively and has an exceptional memory for certain things (like complex dance routines and music lyrics!).

this is why I have serious reservations about “neuropsych” reports. even if the findings are objectively correct they say NOTHING about what your kid can actually do, and emphasize weaknesses rather strengths. Your kid has good memory, good receptive language, good nonverbal skills, good motor skills (just assuming this is what u mean by “problem solver.”) And he has proven he is very teachable and can understand and repeat multi-step instructions. This is a kid who may have challenges but will absolutely be able to learn and have fun in the right environment.

it sounds like you picked a good nanny who really gets him. the key going forward is to find schools and teachers that also get him.

Op here. Thank you so much. You’re right. In retrospect, not sure I would have even have done the neuropsych exam.

I appreciate your kind words!!!