Memory issues - please help

[AdamsFamily]

Please tell me if this is normal:

 

My 10yo dd could not remember what "plural" means.

 

She could barely tell me what "z" is.

 

She could not remember chlorophyll and photosynthesis in a 4H meeting recently.

 

These are all events that took place within the last few weeks. I am beyond frustrated. Her study skills stink, but with large amounts of help she can do well on tests. I give her study guides to help her. My dh goes over spelling words with her. She can memorize the information, but it is difficult for her. She only memorizes things after being nagged to study "more".

 

She has studied each of the three concepts at least once a year for at least three years. She has taken tests on them. She can remember the most mundane things - events usually - that I can't remember, but she can't remember her school work.

 

She is on three meds for hives/asthma. I had her checked by a dev. opt. She has glasses, mild prescription. The opt. said she had no lds that she could detect. She is on grade level on everything. Her hearing is fine. She just has a really poor memory.

 

Any ideas? Or is she just a normal, prepub. girl?

[jennsmile]

When asked what you get when you add two numbers my child said, "product."

 

I think part of it is them just being kids.

[GoVanGogh]

My almost-10-year-old boy couldn't remember how to paint today in an art class. He has only taken art lessons for six years now. Suddenly today, he just sat there looking at the brush and saying he couldn't remember how to use it. :tongue_smilie: I'm really hoping it is a pre-puberty thing.

[zaichiki]

If it hasn't gotten worse recently, I wouldn't worry.

(It could just be the way she's made.)

 

If, however, it has gotten worse, I wouldn't automatically chalk it up to a stage. I'd ask the doctor.

[tex-mex]

There is such a thing as parroting the info needed to pass the test -- then "flushing" the info down the drain without it going into long term memory. Maybe you need to evaluate her learning style with teaching/curriculum? I have never heard of an opt (optometrist) giving dx's for LD?

[AK_Mom4]

You mentioned the hives/asthma meds.....when DD10 took her allergy meds a night (as instructed), she would wake up with a mental "fog" that took several hours to wear off. We switched them to the morning and she wakes up much easier (and still gets the allergy benefit).

 

But, then again....today she multiplied -2 and -10 and came up with -12, so some of it could be the age......

[By Grace]

My 7yo does stuff like this...she remembers events and stories very well, even stories that we just briefly discussed in the middle of a conversation on something else entirely. But her memory for facts sucks. A conversation from today, studying how many coins needed to make a dollar:

 

Me: "You've got a 50-cent piece already. Here's a quarter. That's how much?"

Her: "75 cents"

Me: "And what if you add another quarter?"

Her: "That's...90 cents?"

Me: "Skip-count by 25s from 0 to 100."

Her: "0. 25. 50. 75. 100."

Me: "And how much is a quarter?"

Her: "25 cents"

Me: "So if you have 75 cents and you add a quarter, how much do you have?"

Her: "90 cents?"

Me: "Skip count by 25s."

Her: "25. 50. 75. 100."

Me: "So if you have 75 cents and you add 25 cents, how much do you have?"

Her: "90?"

I frown.

Her: "Um...95?"

[insert 2 or 3 more repetitions...]

 

And this is not unusual for her at all. She can tell me the needed facts in one context, but doesn't keep them in her working memory long enough to apply that information in another context. And yet also today, within 30 min of the conversation above, she reminded me of a story I told her weeks ago when I was explaining something in history. She's smart, and she has a good memory for stories, but not for plain facts. She makes creative connections between concepts, but she has a hard time following a basic logical argument. In math, it's not unusual for her to hit every wrong answer *around* a right answer, but refuse to produce the right answer, and it's not always stubbornness. Sometimes, it seems like her mind has immediately detected the right answer, but she doesn't trust her mind because she can't see *how* that answer is right, so she says all the wrong ones instead.

 

I suspect (for several reasons) she may be slightly dyslexic. I just started reading the book Dyslexic Advantage, and it looks like this may be a common trait among dyslexics...good memory for stories, but not for isolated facts.

 

Anyway, that's a lot more info than needed to reply to your OP. All that to say...Maybe check your library for the book and see if it fits your DD? I'm hoping it will give me some guidance for how to better teach my DD!

[AdamsFamily]

I wondered about dyslexia until we went to the Developmental Optemetrist. The opt said she was not dyslexic, maybe had a mild tracking problem, and no other problems. She said she is not strong in her left/right skills and gave us exercises for that problem. My dd still reverses b's and d's. I discussed the memory problems with the opt, and she said that our dd is lazy. (She was not mean about it, just matter-of-fact.) She said we had to give our dd an incentive to learn. I had been opposed to "bribing" my kids with candy or money to do well in school. Slowly I am changing my opinion.

 

My dd seems to be more of an experiential learner. (Is there such a thing?) I used SL in the beginning, and I loved it! My dd, on the other hand, got nothing from it. She is not an auditory learner. Then I thought she was a visual learner. Now I am not sure.

 

I had hoped she wasn't parroting answers since we had to work so hard to get her to memorize anything. I had truly hoped that her efforts to learn facts cemented them into her long-term or working memory.

 

Thanks for all of your responses!

[zaichiki]

I wondered about dyslexia until we went to the Developmental Optemetrist. The opt said she was not dyslexic, maybe had a mild tracking problem, and no other problems.

 

I'm sorry to butt in here, but...

 

HOW can a developmental optometrist KNOW that she doesn't have dyslexia?

 

ETA: We had dd9 (who has dyslexia) examined by a developmental opthamologist who was able to rule out tracking problems BUT referred us to a neuropsychologist for further testing related to dyslexia. He didn't know/couldn't diagnose. He could only rule out eye issues (like convergence, tracking, etc.).

[zaichiki]

Oh goodness. I got off of my computer and left the room, but I HAD to come back and say this.

 

(I am not saying your child has dyslexia.)

 

Dyslexia is a learning disability. It's a brain thing, not an eye thing.

There's not "blood test" to say that a person has it.

Testing that shows potential vs. current performance is often included. Common markers are usually there. (checklist type of thing for symptoms)

There are two types of dyslexia which have *different* symptoms and there's a third which is a combination of the two.

People learn to compensate for dyslexia, which masks symptoms and can make it really hard to pinpoint the problem in some cases.

Performing below grade level is *not* always present.

People with dyslexia can overcome it. There are doctors, scientists, lawyers, information technology specialists, musicians, etc. who have dyslexia.

 

Okay. I'm going to bed now. Sorry.

[tex-mex]

I'm sorry to butt in here, but...

 

HOW can a developmental optometrist KNOW that she doesn't have dyslexia?

 

ETA: We had dd9 (who has dyslexia) examined by a developmental opthamologist who was able to rule out tracking problems BUT referred us to a neuropsychologist for further testing related to dyslexia. He didn't know/couldn't diagnose. He could only rule out eye issues (like convergence, tracking, etc.).

I asked the same thing earlier.

 

We had our child tested by a school psychologist, Clinical Neuropsychologist, and others -- but I have never heard of an Opthamologist than can officially dx learning disabilities. :confused:

[AdamsFamily]

Actually, I got the idea that a dev. opt. could diagnose dyslexia from some folks on the special needs forum. I asked the opt specifically about dyslexia, and she said it was not that. She said my dd has just the left/right issues. The opt is a bit arrogant, or overly confident, but she came well recommended. I don't know if she was right, but I was certainly hoping. I live in what feels like the middle-of-nowhere, so good recommendations for testing are hard to come by.

 

There is a lady, contact from a friend, that would test my dd. She is associated with the company that produces Sequential Spelling. She is also out-of-state, so either I would have to travel to where she lives, which is near my parents, or do as much paper/skype testing as possible. Since my parents are 30+ hours away, that is not a quick trip. Unfortunately, for sad reasons, we may have to head there soon.

 

My mother thinks my dd has ADD like the rest of us and that she internalizes all of the stressors around her. She is medicated for her allergies. We have several family members with terminal medical issues. They are all back east, but we have been on a "roller coaster ride" with two of them - going to die one day, much better the next, back to death the next. Plus I took a 3-week sub job, so I was not able to give them my full attention for a little while.

 

I don't know. Since we have terrible insurance, I have not pursued much testing. Have any of you dealt with the local elementary school to get testing? Are they usually happy to offer their services to you even though your dc is not enrolled in their school? Or is that option more bothersome than helpful?

 

Thanks for the input.

[tex-mex]

Actually, I got the idea that a dev. opt. could diagnose dyslexia from some folks on the special needs forum. I asked the opt specifically about dyslexia, and she said it was not that. She said my dd has just the left/right issues. The opt is a bit arrogant, or overly confident, but she came well recommended. I don't know if she was right, but I was certainly hoping. I live in what feels like the middle-of-nowhere, so good recommendations for testing are hard to come by.

 

There is a lady, contact from a friend, that would test my dd. She is associated with the company that produces Sequential Spelling. She is also out-of-state, so either I would have to travel to where she lives, which is near my parents, or do as much paper/skype testing as possible. Since my parents are 30+ hours away, that is not a quick trip. Unfortunately, for sad reasons, we may have to head there soon.

 

My mother thinks my dd has ADD like the rest of us and that she internalizes all of the stressors around her. She is medicated for her allergies. We have several family members with terminal medical issues. They are all back east, but we have been on a "roller coaster ride" with two of them - going to die one day, much better the next, back to death the next. Plus I took a 3-week sub job, so I was not able to give them my full attention for a little while.

 

I don't know. Since we have terrible insurance, I have not pursued much testing. Have any of you dealt with the local elementary school to get testing? Are they usually happy to offer their services to you even though your dc is not enrolled in their school? Or is that option more bothersome than helpful?

 

Thanks for the input.

Unless the gal out of state is a licensed educational diagnostician, I would not make the trip.

 

Instead of going out of state or paying out of pocket, legally you are entitled to a review by your local school district for testing or qualifying for an IEP. The school psychologist can access for Dyslexia -- but legally, she/he cannot diagnose. I had my ds qualify for a homebound tutor and IEP years ago -- it was a very positive experience. But I am a former schoolteacher who specialized in IEP meetings/special ed. The meeting did not intimidate me.

 

You really need a doctor to do this dx. Get your pediatrician to refer you to a Clinical Pediatric Neuropsychologist for evaluation. Insurance can pay if it is referred via the proper channels. Isn't there a Scottish Rite Hospital near you? They offer free testing for kids under age 16.

 

http://childrensdyslexiacenters.org/

Edited December 4, 2011 by tex-mex

[laundrycrisis]

Actually, I got the idea that a dev. opt. could diagnose dyslexia from some folks on the special needs forum.

 

Our developmental optometrist will test for and treat visual processing problems. Some of these visual processing problems may be part of what is present in someone with dyslexia. But he will not touch "dyslexia" as a diagnosis, make speculations about it, or claim to treat it. His area of expertise is vision and visual processing, and that is what he sticks to.

 

http://www.childrensvision.com/reading.htm

 

If you scroll down to the Vision Perception heading, it give more detail about the specific areas of visual processing a developmental optometrist may deal with. Some of these problems show up in some people who are labeled as dyslexic and the specific therapy for these problems will help. But developmental optometrists do not deal with dyslexia, and vision therapy is not any kind of cure-all for dyslexia.

 

I would not have much trust in an optometrist who quickly says, "well, your child is not dyslexic !" because it just is not that simple. That would have me thinking that this person really does not know much about dyslexia.

Edited December 4, 2011 by laundrycrisis