How likely is it a six-year-old with a developmental delay to catch up?

[Anonymous]

A kid like this would likely benefit from a comprehensive neuropsych exam. Genetic testing can also be useful in some cases (particularly if she has syndromic features — which often go unrecognized even by regular peds, developmental peds observe this stuff quite quickly). But unless the parents decide to do this and can afford it (which is impossible for most families), she will get the more limited testing that the school system provides.

I say this as a parent of a kid with an IQ of less than 30, it sounds like this kid may eventually be diagnosed with intellectual disability. At these early ages, parents are told over and over “oh, they will catch up.” But the reality is some kids don’t have the IQ to catch up. If the kid is ultimately diagnosed with intellectual disability, then their placement may change.

I don’t know what “cognitive services” even are, and I’ve been in the SN world for years. But, it sounds like a special Ed pull out. I don’t think there is anything wrong with this kid being mostly mainstreamed in the younger years and sure, she might catch up. If this kid has a possibility of catching up, then more time with mainstream peers is typically a very good thing.

[Anonymous]

As others have said, thank you for advocating for her. If her developmental delay prevents her from understanding/being able to learn what you are teaching the other kids, she needs a different curriculum. That’s the whole point of individual, specialized instruction. She should be getting instruction that she can access. Maybe that numbers or colors or drawing or following one step instructions or cutting with scissors. I don’t know what she’s ready to learn. But “will she catch up” isn’t the relevant question. Does that make sense?

[Anonymous]

I’m PP. What does she need NOW to learn NOW is the relevant question.

[Anonymous]

So much depends on why there's a developmental delay. I work with a middle school kid who has real deficits in certain areas and does OK in others. Parents are convinced this kid will catch up. I can't see it happening; in the areas with deficits this kid is falling further behind, needing significant curriculum modifications.

[Anonymous]

Many thanks for your responses! To clarify, “cognitive minutes” are basically resource room minutes for reading and math support.

The girl’s parents are not in a position to get her private services outside school and are not savvy about the system and advocating for their daughter. I feel like she is being “swept under the rug” because she is not a behavior problem.

I will attempt again to push for more service minutes. After seeing what some other kids get, she is not getting enough resource room time or speech services. I am going to frame it as what does she need now to learn now because she is not making progress with the current level of support!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So much depends on why there's a developmental delay. I work with a middle school kid who has real deficits in certain areas and does OK in others. Parents are convinced this kid will catch up. I can't see it happening; in the areas with deficits this kid is falling further behind, needing significant curriculum modifications.

I disagree entirely. People like you iften write off certain kids who can and do make significant progress like those with FAS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So much depends on why there's a developmental delay. I work with a middle school kid who has real deficits in certain areas and does OK in others. Parents are convinced this kid will catch up. I can't see it happening; in the areas with deficits this kid is falling further behind, needing significant curriculum modifications.

I disagree entirely. People like you iften write off certain kids who can and do make significant progress like those with FAS.

But based on your assessment, those kids wouldn’t be able to graduate from high school etc. Yet they can and they do. Many make progress later. Many kids with many kinds of issues keep developing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So much depends on why there's a developmental delay. I work with a middle school kid who has real deficits in certain areas and does OK in others. Parents are convinced this kid will catch up. I can't see it happening; in the areas with deficits this kid is falling further behind, needing significant curriculum modifications.

I disagree entirely. People like you iften write off certain kids who can and do make significant progress like those with FAS.

But based on your assessment, those kids wouldn’t be able to graduate from high school etc. Yet they can and they do. Many make progress later. Many kids with many kinds of issues keep developing.

PP here - so it matters less WHY but how the individual child is progressing.

[Anonymous]

I’m a sped teacher. That this girl is years behind indicates she needs a much higher level of services. She needs daily small group instruction in reading, writing, and math. It is not fair for her to sit in your class wasting her time when she could be progressing. Is there a resource room?
She will likely be tested shortly because she is about to age out of developmental delay depending on where you live- this is by age 6 or 7. Will require updated testing to aligns a new classification. I’d advocate for a higher level of services.

[Anonymous]

I’d make the argument that it’s not the right placement if she’s developmentally 3. Sounds like she needs 1:1 services, Direct instruction programs, much more ST, OT, PT. I’d push for a developmental assessment like an ABLLS-R or VB-MAPP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Many thanks for your responses! To clarify, “cognitive minutes” are basically resource room minutes for reading and math support.

The girl’s parents are not in a position to get her private services outside school and are not savvy about the system and advocating for their daughter. I feel like she is being “swept under the rug” because she is not a behavior problem.

I will attempt again to push for more service minutes. After seeing what some other kids get, she is not getting enough resource room time or speech services. I am going to frame it as what does she need now to learn now because she is not making progress with the current level of support!

Very perceptive and yes, that’s likely exactly what is happening. She isn’t learning but no one cares because she isn’t acting up (yet?) Then all of a sudden in 3rd/4th grade when the academics kick up a notch, they’ll have an 8 year old who can’t read. Keep advocating for her! You’re a great teacher!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So much depends on why there's a developmental delay. I work with a middle school kid who has real deficits in certain areas and does OK in others. Parents are convinced this kid will catch up. I can't see it happening; in the areas with deficits this kid is falling further behind, needing significant curriculum modifications.

I disagree entirely. People like you iften write off certain kids who can and do make significant progress like those with FAS.

And i disagree with you. I have a young adult kid - what was asperger's (at the time), adhd, & dyslexia. These deficits don't go away. We learn to manage them and/or work around them. They are real issues that won't just go away.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Many thanks for your responses! To clarify, “cognitive minutes” are basically resource room minutes for reading and math support.

The girl’s parents are not in a position to get her private services outside school and are not savvy about the system and advocating for their daughter. I feel like she is being “swept under the rug” because she is not a behavior problem.

I will attempt again to push for more service minutes. After seeing what some other kids get, she is not getting enough resource room time or speech services. I am going to frame it as what does she need now to learn now because she is not making progress with the current level of support!

Depending on where you live, some universities have low cost speech clinics that have a sliding fee scale. Likewise, medicaid will pay for speech therapy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So much depends on why there's a developmental delay. I work with a middle school kid who has real deficits in certain areas and does OK in others. Parents are convinced this kid will catch up. I can't see it happening; in the areas with deficits this kid is falling further behind, needing significant curriculum modifications.

I disagree entirely. People like you iften write off certain kids who can and do make significant progress like those with FAS.

And i disagree with you. I have a young adult kid - what was asperger's (at the time), adhd, & dyslexia. These deficits don't go away. We learn to manage them and/or work around them. They are real issues that won't just go away.

For some kids, they do get better, for many others they don't. OP is not identifying the same things as your child has.

[Anonymous]

[twitter]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So much depends on why there's a developmental delay. I work with a middle school kid who has real deficits in certain areas and does OK in others. Parents are convinced this kid will catch up. I can't see it happening; in the areas with deficits this kid is falling further behind, needing significant curriculum modifications.

I disagree entirely. People like you iften write off certain kids who can and do make significant progress like those with FAS.

And i disagree with you. I have a young adult kid - what was asperger's (at the time), adhd, & dyslexia. These deficits don't go away. We learn to manage them and/or work around them. They are real issues that won't just go away.

Nobody said they go away. The point is can these kids graduate from typical schools etc. and ruling that out at 6 or middle school is ridiculous barring far far below standards.