Think ds has some learning difference/dyslexia-10 years old

[Anonymous]

We have had concerns about ds since he was 4-5, and have done different targeted testing, some early tutoring, and have talked with his teachers along the way. We even have spoken with a testing group who, at the time, told us to wait and see.
So now he's in fourth grade, testing fabulously for reading and comprehension, but he is an incredibly slow reader, and is kind of paralyzed/freaked out when he has to read an level appropriate book. There are a lot of small things like that, which just has my gut telling me something is not right. He hs three older brothers, and none of them have struggled like this.
He is very organized and very fastidious about getting all his work done, which I think might compensate for some of his difficulties.
He never seemed phased by how long it takes him, but this year I feel as if his confidence is starting to wane.
I guess I'm looking for suggestions as to how to proceed. And any other advice.
He is in dcps so I think we are looking into private testing.

[Anonymous]

OP, we went through something similar recently with our daughter (now 11). By all means get him tested-- we went to Stixrud. Our DD proved to have dyslexia and inattentive variety ADD. I'm glad we got her tested finally-- like you, we had gone through several years of "hmm, she's a bright kid but somehow school doesn't quite seem to click for her." Overall, i think the diagnosis came as a relief, and now we have a clearer idea of why some things are hard for her and how to help. (For instance: extra time on tests at school, enlisting teachers in helping her stay organized, getting a reading specialist trained in helping dyslexic kids). It was expensive, but with luck insurance will cover much of it.

Testing can't hurt-- if you go the private route you can always decide not to share the results with the school if you feel they're best kept private. Best case, there's no issue; worst case, there is an issue but testing helps you figure out how to address it.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Hi OP
Share this in the Special Needs forum, the posters there will be supportive and have lots of good info.

It's possible that your son's intelligence has carried him this far but with the higher demands for reading greater amounts faster he is maxed out. He could be a slow processor as well, and just need more time to complete work.

I would say get him tested because that would give you clues as to how to help him, and set him up especially for middle school's rigor. It's great that he's organized though, and a hard worker. Good for him!

A good resource for reading difficulties is Linda Mood Bell -- kind of the gold standard for reading. Take care and GL.

[Anonymous]

I have dyslexia and when I was in school my mom got me extended time on tests which made ALL the difference with my grades, especially on timed math and reading tests. It just takes me longer to process the information I'm taking in.

[Anonymous]

I would also consider the Lab School in DC for testing. They can help connect you with appropriate support services, e.g. tutors if necessary.

There could be issues with word retrieval and/or processing. I hope you find some answers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, we went through something similar recently with our daughter (now 11). By all means get him tested-- we went to Stixrud. Our DD proved to have dyslexia and inattentive variety ADD. I'm glad we got her tested finally-- like you, we had gone through several years of "hmm, she's a bright kid but somehow school doesn't quite seem to click for her." Overall, i think the diagnosis came as a relief, and now we have a clearer idea of why some things are hard for her and how to help. (For instance: extra time on tests at school, enlisting teachers in helping her stay organized, getting a reading specialist trained in helping dyslexic kids). It was expensive, but with luck insurance will cover much of it.

Testing can't hurt-- if you go the private route you can always decide not to share the results with the school if you feel they're best kept private. Best case, there's no issue; worst case, there is an issue but testing helps you figure out how to address it.

Good luck!

PP, very helpful post. Could you please share more on your experience with Stixrud? I suspect my DC may have inattentive ADD and am considering Stixrud for testing. Also, what sorts of other things did they suggest to help your DD at school or at home, and was medication recommended for the ADD?

[Anonymous]

OP, Stixrud seemed very thorough and very pleasant. They started with a 45 min phone intake interview, then we filled out a whole raft of questionnaires (DD's teacher also filled them out), then we scheduled 2 days of testing and a follow up "interpretive conference." On the first day of testing the psychologist spent about 30 mins with me before she began the testing to discuss the questionaires and background. The interpretive conference lasted about 90 minutes (they scheduled two hours), and we then got a 16 page written report. Recs included books to read, tips for home structure, recommendations to the school (such as extra time on tests, allowing DD to use a calculator on timed math tests, sitting her in front near the teacher, etc), and medication.

hope that is helpful!

[Anonymous]

Is there anything that can help with processing? We aren't sure if our DS has ADD or just difficulty processing. He's still young so we want to work on the processing irst before we look at a possible ADD diaggnosis.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is there anything that can help with processing? We aren't sure if our DS has ADD or just difficulty processing. He's still young so we want to work on the processing irst before we look at a possible ADD diaggnosis.

Actually, though, you would want to deal with the ADD first. If your child has ADD, it would be so much more challenging to "work on the processing". Your child needs to be available for learning. Make THAT happen (or rule it out) and then deal with any processing issues.

[Anonymous]

Get private testing. Use audio books for books at his cognitive level. The libraries around here have many of them. If your son has a documented reading disability he will qualify for Learning Ally (RFBD.org) and Bookshare.