Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
So... would simply giving him an extra year to solidify his reading skills be enough to avoid the dreaded pullouts in the long term? Would that be leveling the playing field with the other kids, who are obviously much older than he is? Would the added 1-year maturity be enough to mitigate this particular LD?

This was OP’s original question. Each child’s experience is going to be different and when we red shirt or not, we’ll never really know what would have happened had we taken the other path – that’s the trouble with all these personal anecdotes. So, holding back a year might make enough of a difference, or maybe not. However LDs will not go away on their own. An extra year might make a difference if the extra year includes special support. An extra year of the same old stuff probably isn’t going to help and will more likely lead to more frustration for the child.

I think the idea behind "dreaded pullouts" is what I am stuck on. When my dd has pull outs because she is struggling at reading, I do not think of them as dreaded. I am grateful that she is getting the help she needs. I talk about them positively with her, and she has never acted like she dreads them. Some of her friends are in the pull outs with her. I think you need to work on this with your ds and see if you can change his perception of pull outs from "dreaded" to hey, these pull outs are great!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
So... would simply giving him an extra year to solidify his reading skills be enough to avoid the dreaded pullouts in the long term? Would that be leveling the playing field with the other kids, who are obviously much older than he is? Would the added 1-year maturity be enough to mitigate this particular LD?

This was OP’s original question. Each child’s experience is going to be different and when we red shirt or not, we’ll never really know what would have happened had we taken the other path – that’s the trouble with all these personal anecdotes. So, holding back a year might make enough of a difference, or maybe not. However LDs will not go away on their own. An extra year might make a difference if the extra year includes special support. An extra year of the same old stuff probably isn’t going to help and will more likely lead to more frustration for the child.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
So... would simply giving him an extra year to solidify his reading skills be enough to avoid the dreaded pullouts in the long term? Would that be leveling the playing field with the other kids, who are obviously much older than he is? Would the added 1-year maturity be enough to mitigate this particular LD?

This was OP’s original question. Each child’s experience is going to be different and when we red shirt or not, we’ll never really know what would have happened had we taken the other path – that’s the trouble with all these personal anecdotes. So, holding back a year might make enough of a difference, or maybe not. However LDs will not go away on their own. An extra year might make a difference if the extra year includes special support. An extra year of the same old stuff probably isn’t going to help and will more likely lead to more frustration for the child.

Anonymous wrote:
So... would simply giving him an extra year to solidify his reading skills be enough to avoid the dreaded pullouts in the long term? Would that be leveling the playing field with the other kids, who are obviously much older than he is? Would the added 1-year maturity be enough to mitigate this particular LD?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The issue I see is that if you hold back, your ds might then be at grade level for K. Once he is at grade level, they will discontinue special services. But it sounds like he needs special services in place.

My dd is below grade level in reading, and there is a lot of pressure on the school to bring her up to grade level through No Child Left Behind rules. She is getting a lot of extra services that she would not get if I held her back. She is on grade level in every other subject.

If the child has an IEP, they cannot discontinue Sp Ed services b/c the child is at grade level. In fact having an IEP is not contingent on being below grade level in any area academically. An IEP is for when a person has a condition that impairs them from "accessing the curriculum". My DC has ASD and has always been above grade level across the board academically and has had an IEP since preK4. He does not need academic supports but needs and gets social/behavioral and OT help and the school has never suggested that his supports and services be pulled b/c he is above grade academically.

I also have a late summer birthday child but did not hold him back for his social deficits. In our case, it was the correct decision but I can see why OP is having this quandary. Given that reading levels are all over the place in the early grades, I would see how much help is available first before deciding to hold a child back due to reading. I know there are several kids in my son's first grade class that get pull outs for reading and it's not a big deal.

Anonymous wrote:The issue I see is that if you hold back, your ds might then be at grade level for K. Once he is at grade level, they will discontinue special services. But it sounds like he needs special services in place.

My dd is below grade level in reading, and there is a lot of pressure on the school to bring her up to grade level through No Child Left Behind rules. She is getting a lot of extra services that she would not get if I held her back. She is on grade level in every other subject.

Anonymous wrote:It's actually against the law to hold a child back based on LD's isn't it? Hence the ADA laws!

I have 2 kids with dyslexia. I didn't hold either back b/c they were doing fine in everything but reading. Now my oldest has been treated and is AHEAD of her peers! My youngest probably could have been held back - but not b/c of dyslexia, she's socially immature and has a late birthday. But in 1st grade I won't do it now. She has her BFF's and it would devastate her!