new dyslexia diagnosis--seeking advice!

[Anonymous]

My ADHD 3rd grader was just diagnosed with orthographic dyslexia. She tests as "on grade level" in reading, so we kept putting off getting her tested...but she's just very good at guessing/compensating. We already have a weekly tutoring session with an OG tutor. I have a ton of questions, and would love to hear from other parents of kids with dyslexia:

1. What's the right frequency of tutoring? We've been doing 1/week, but now that we have a diagnosis, should we move to more frequently?

2. Are there interventions that are particularly helpful for orthographic dyslexia?

3. What types of things do you request in your IEP/504. She already has a 504 that allows her more time on standardized test b/c of ADHD. What else would be helpful?

4. What types of activities do you do at home? We already read to her a ton, have her practice reading out loud, let her listen to endless audiobooks, etc. Do you do things like spelling worksheets at home?

5. How did you navigate social aspects? She already says things like "all the kids know I'm the worst speller in 3rd grade. Everyone knows I'm not one of the smart kids." Will pull outs for tutoring make her feel worse? She's very bright, but honestly, she doesn't come across that way because of her slow processing speed and reading/spelling troubles. Her friends tend to be academically-focused and she already feels stressed that she's "behind." I don't want to do anything that will make her feel more isolated.

6. Any books/websites you recommend for parents?

Sorry the long list of questions. I figured I should write them all out in one spot. The person who did the neuropsyche testing only booked 45 minutes with us to go over the report and didn't leave any time for questions, so I'm asking here.

[Anonymous]

Hi OP, we put our DC in a school specializing in dyslexia for the reasons you cited in #5 - she was hyper aware of how she was different from her peers and it was hurting her self-esteem and drive to learn. She’s also gifted. Now she has a much better sense of her strengths and weaknesses, how to advocate for herself, use accommodations and tools, and has lots of friends now who also have dyslexia. She will return next year to a mainstream HS.

The book Overcoming Dyslexia is a good reference as you start your journey. Also check out the Dyslexic Advantage.

[Anonymous]

PP here - I’ll also add that the daily OG-based reading class built into the school day was great because our DC was getting exhausted from tutoring after school.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Is the school in the DMV? If so, please let me know which one (and any thoughts on it). Thanks!

[Anonymous]

My child was diagnosed a few years older in part because they were also so good at compensating. Basically my daughter read purely through memorization and could not sound out/decode works. OG tutoring has been very helpful. She does it 3 times a week. It is expensive and a commitment but it has paid off. We interviewed several tutors and everyone recommended at least 2 times a week. The main accommodations my child uses are extra time and the use of audio books/recordings for long reading assignments. She goes to a mainstream private school and does not receive any pullouts during the school day. The confidence issues can be tricky. That's where having a diagnosis actually helped because she understood she was not struggling because she wasn't smart but because she had a learning disability. At first she didn't want anyone to know but has gotten more comfortable with it especially as she has seen the results from the OG tutoring.

[Anonymous]

If you have suggestions for OG tutors in the DMV, let me know! Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Hi OP. Welcome to the club! The suggestion to read Overcoming Dyslexia is a great one. Another resource around here is ASDEC, which trains and supports Academic Language Therapists, which is the gold standard intervention for dyslexia. You can email them and they’ll schedule a call and get you referred to a tutor/therapist. I am an Academic Language Therapist trained by ASDEC and we use a program called Sounds in Syllables. It really does work. The frequency is three times a week for 50-60 minutes.

I am dyslexic and my college kid is dyslexic. I know how your daughter feels, and I also know that with the intervention you provide for her she is going to feel a lot better. If you’d like to talk I can respond with my contact info.

[Anonymous]

Just because the schools says your kid is on grade level doesn't mean that is true.

We had to do OG reading curriculum 2x a week for 2.5 years to get our 4th grader caught up in reading. The reading tutor thought she was on a Kindergarten level while school reading specialist said she was on 6th.

[Anonymous]

My child was diagnosed 4 years ago in 2nd grade. We did OG tutoring 3 times a week, year round. Our private school accommodated us bringing the tutor in during the school day. Highly recommended spending the money now and making this a priority before high school. My child is doing well and reading and writing on grade level.

[Anonymous]

OP here. I'd love to know the tutors you used if they're local to DC!

Also, does anyone know if the interventions for orthographic dyslexia are the same as for other types of dyslexia.

[Anonymous]

OP here--to the person who said she's willing to talk, I'd love to connect. Do you have a "dummy" email address you can post here?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here--to the person who said she's willing to talk, I'd love to connect. Do you have a "dummy" email address you can post here?

I’d be happy to talk, OP. There is so much new information with a new diagnosis - it feels like you can drown in it. You’ll find my email and phone number at the top of my website, www.CobbALT.org. Shoot me an email and we’ll find a good time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi OP, we put our DC in a school specializing in dyslexia for the reasons you cited in #5 - she was hyper aware of how she was different from her peers and it was hurting her self-esteem and drive to learn. She’s also gifted. Now she has a much better sense of her strengths and weaknesses, how to advocate for herself, use accommodations and tools, and has lots of friends now who also have dyslexia. She will return next year to a mainstream HS.

The book Overcoming Dyslexia is a good reference as you start your journey. Also check out the Dyslexic Advantage.

I have a child who needs the type of school for question #5. What school is that if you don’t mind sharing.

[Anonymous]

We have good personal experience with the Chelsea School in Hyattsville, and friends are happy at Lab.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi OP, we put our DC in a school specializing in dyslexia for the reasons you cited in #5 - she was hyper aware of how she was different from her peers and it was hurting her self-esteem and drive to learn. She’s also gifted. Now she has a much better sense of her strengths and weaknesses, how to advocate for herself, use accommodations and tools, and has lots of friends now who also have dyslexia. She will return next year to a mainstream HS.

The book Overcoming Dyslexia is a good reference as you start your journey. Also check out the Dyslexic Advantage.

I have a child who needs the type of school for question #5. What school is that if you don’t mind sharing.

There are three in the immediate area: Lab, Siena, and Chelsea.