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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]My DS is in 5th grade and has had an IEP since kindergarten for difficulties with reading and writing.  He can decode anything, but comprehension and inferences remain an issue.  He is reading a little more than a year behind grade level, and while he gets special ed instruction, he is not closing the gap very quickly.  He was just recently officially diagnosed with ADHD-inattentive and anxiety.

We have tried to encourage reading at home in any way that is pleasant, fun-loving and possible (even if it's just reading a magazine article about something he loves).  We read with him in his bedroom every night (half an hour of time with dad or mom where we can laugh and  share snippets of what we are reading).  He has just started reading the entire Diary of a Wimpy Kid series and, for the first time, really loves it and is getting all the nuances.

But my DH is terrified that with middle school coming up next year, he will just continue to fall further and further behind.  Do we engage a tutor at this point?  What else can we do?  Right now, we are still trying to find the right ADHD meds to help him focus, and he takes a very low dose of Prozac for the anxiety.
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My first reaction is that you are already doing a lot of the things you need to do.  You're working on it as a family at home.  Fantastic!  You've found something that he WANTS to read.  Fantastic!  Those will both help enormously.  The more he wants to read, the more he will read, and the more he reads, the more he'll comprehend.

Second reaction -- I know you want to close the gap but it's not going to be closed overnight.  Reading comprehension is a skill that takes time to deepen. It's going to be a gradual, slow process.  Keep moving in the right direction and you'll eventually get him where he needs to be.  But try not to panic if the gap doesn't disappear right away.

I can't speak to the medication issues, I'm not a doctor, but my sense is that the key here is not with the meds but with the skill development.  Medicated or not he still has the same work to do, to develop these skills.  Not sure if you are familiar with the V&V (visualization) reading techniques but we found them very helpful.

Also recommend doubling up and supplementing -- supplement any reading with oral dissection of what's being read, and have any oral discussion preceded by pre-reading.  And never be afraid to break things down into the simplest of pieces if something seems elusive.

Finally -- comprehension and inferences are issues for a LOT of kids, including kids not on the spectrum, including high academic performers,  etc.  It's a skill many kids have to work arduously to develop.  It requires a lot of supplemental skills -- social thinking skills, perspective-taking, experiential knowledge, etc.  As those other skills are required, the comprehension should improve.

Good luck! Sounds to me like you're on a good track.[/quote]

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