Another ? about my ds...

[MicheleB]

Just turned 9, I've posted about him before (possible Aspergers or a NVLD... learning delays, etc.).

 

What could this signify? He has a hard time coming up with words he wants to use. Says, "Um..... stuff....." etc. a lot. Uses words oppositely, for example: The other day we walked outside and he said excitedly "Wow! It really cooled down out here!" (It was about 30 degrees... he meant "warmed up"). Uses words incorrectly (earpuffs instead of earmuffs; freezer instead of fridge; washer instead of dryer;, etc). Does this sound like all the same issue, or several issues?

 

He's on a LONG waiting list for a speech/lang. eval. Just kind of wondering what to expect.....

 

I've been reading the book, Children in the Syndrome Mix. I've been mostly focusing on NVLD and semantic-pragmatic language disorders. It seems like ds fits in these categories more than Aspergers. He was delayed in speech as a baby/toddler, desires social situations but doesn't necessarily *know* what to do or perhaps his communication skills keeps him at bay.

 

What inexpensive things could I use until all the evaluations are done? I hesitate to spend much money on something until I really know what's going on. We use the Rush Hour game, Blink game, Explode the Code (which he loves for some reason), Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons (which he really likes), and Singapore Math (though he's only on EarlyBird).

 

Should I correct him (gently of course) when he mixes up words? I usually let him figure out what word(s) he wants to use when he's speaking hesitantly, but there is a point I realize he needs help and I supply the word for him. I do correct his letter/number reversals but I don't make a big deal about it.

 

I feel stuck in Never-Never Land waiting on all these evaluations. I am not an expert and while I can guess at what's going on with ds, I feel like buying new programs/therapies now might not be the best route since I don't know exactly what's going on. But if there's anything else I can simply implement at home, besides what we already use, I'd be glad to try.

[EKS]

It's listed in Overcoming Dyslexia (Sally Shaywitz) as one of the problems associated with dyslexia.

[MicheleB]

I guess now I'm getting worried, that he's 9 and has had no remediation for whatever it is that he's struggling with. The public school said he just needed to repeat a year in Kindergarten, so he could reinforce what he wasn't getting, so we homeschooled him instead. Then we were kind of going from the angle of "late bloomer" which I guess is a theory that's dead now, from what I've read. Just beginning to see that it's not just that he couldn't read, but how it's affected all areas for him. I hope it isn't too late till we get all the evals. done, and everything put in place.....

[Laurie4b]

It's a problem with word retrieval. We had a foster dd who was like that. It got her into trouble when she was older and there was an incident with CPS, because they thought she was lying, and it was trying to get the right word out. Anyway, with her, there were so many issues, that the language was just a tiny piece of it for her and we focused more on other things, and just waited patiently for the "secretary" in her brain to locate the correct "file. " I can't tell you more other than that it is a language problem, and a speech/language therapist would be the one to treat it. You can google " problems with word retrieval" and see what you come up with.

[Claire]

Just turned 9, I've posted about him before (possible Aspergers or a NVLD... learning delays, etc.).

 

What could this signify? He has a hard time coming up with words he wants to use. Says, "Um..... stuff....." etc. a lot. Uses words oppositely, for example: The other day we walked outside and he said excitedly "Wow! It really cooled down out here!" (It was about 30 degrees... he meant "warmed up"). Uses words incorrectly (earpuffs instead of earmuffs; freezer instead of fridge; washer instead of dryer;, etc). Does this sound like all the same issue, or several issues?

 

The difficulty coming up with words, or coming up with the wrong words, seems symptomatic of a retrieval disorder. Basically this means that the brain does not "file" information in an organized manner, making it very hard to "find" exactly the right words and phrases. The only therapy that I know of that even attempts to work on retrieval issues is NeuroNet. Among other things, this approach uses physical body movements to work on organizing the neurological system.

 

I think retrieval issues would be categorized as an expressive language disorder.

[Laurie4b]

It is not too late. If it's dyslexia, even adult dyslexics can be remediated with proper methods. A child of nine still has tons of plasticity in the brain. You're wise to pursue the testing. Why do you have to wait months, though? Is there only one provider in your area?

 

About curriculum: honestly, there are only one or two methods that work for kids with reading issues, and they are much closer together than they are apart. 80% of kids learn to read no matter how you teach them. The other 20% need specific phonemic instruction and phonics. The other 80% will learn this way too. So why isn't all instruction done this way? No clue. ( I just visited a school this week with a child I tutor and the whole classroom was whole language. The little bit of phonics the teacher was doing was being done incorrectly.) Even if a child has suspected difficulties with visual issues, there still should be research-based instruction. Hopefully, I've linked a site (first try on the new format with linking) that has an excellent online publication on reading instruction. You can order a free hard copy as well. Get the teacher copy, not the parent one. http://www.nifl.gov/partnershipforreading/publications/reading_first1.html

 

The advice you were given by the public school is still being given, despite overwhelming research that indicates that retention at any grade is associated with higher rates of dropping out, drugs, etc. by middle and high school. This is true even if it seems that it benefits the child the first year or two after retention. What works is to pass children and give them additional services to remediate the problem. Duh. You are not to blame for the poor advice given by people who are the "professionals."

 

The homeschool community is just as guilty of promoting the misinformation about late bloomers. Statistically speaking, there ARE late bloomers, but it is a small percentage of the normal curve. The much more likely explanation for reading difficulties is dyslexia (about 20% of the population.) Homeschoolers continue to pass on the late-bloomer myth like it's common. A friend of mine who has taught 4th-5th grade for 30 years says that she has NEVER seen a child of that age suddenly "get it" when they've been struggling prior to that. It's rare. A lot of kids read late in homeschools because the parent pulls back on attempting to teach them, or switches methods willy nilly.

[MicheleB]

It is not too late. If it's dyslexia, even adult dyslexics can be remediated with proper methods. A child of nine still has tons of plasticity in the brain. You're wise to pursue the testing. Why do you have to wait months, though? Is there only one provider in your area?

 

We live in a very rural area. As far as I can see, there's no one in our little town to do the testing. One hour away is the closest and I just found someone on the web and put in a request for length of time to wait for new patient and insurance. The place we're on the waiting list for is a large teaching hospital 2 hours away from us. I felt perhaps the teaching hospital was the best place to go, as it should be up-to-date on everything. But I've been on their waiting list for about 3 months now.

 

I'm leary as well.... we had psychological testing done when ds was just out of kindergarten (independently, not through the ps) and it was basically a bunch of IQ tests that told us what we already knew: Ds was behind his peers and his troubles/deficiencies in certain areas. The only recommendation this tester had was to repeat kindergarten. :mad:

 

So now, I chose a neuropsychologist, hoping that would give us more definitive results and more ideas of which direction to head for helping ds. Both the providers I mentioned in my first paragraph are neuropsychs.

 

I was told in our first round of testing, through the psych. after Kindergarten, that ds has a low-average IQ. I don't know how accurate that is, but he definitely doesn't seem as "sharp" as my other three. It sounds awful to say that and I don't mean it disparagingly at all. It's just that I wonder how that all plays into the possible dyslexia/expressive language disorder or vice-versa. He's still doing kindergarten math, late kindergarten/early first-grade phonics, and seems to need a LOT of repetition to cement it.

 

Thanks for the link you posted. I will check it out.

 

I am totally overwhelmed. I have three dc with varying learning, attention, psychiatric issues and I'm feeling like I don't have a handle on any of them. Part of it is from coming on this board ;) (in a good way!) and realizing I haven't even scraped the tip of the iceberg in what's available now. Part of it is, feeling like there's SO many therapists/providers/therapies, etc. to choose from (D.O, psychiatrist, neuropsychologist, speech and lang. therap. OT, etc., etc). I'm sure it will come together in time......

[Claire]

We live in a very rural area. As far as I can see, there's no one in our little town to do the testing. One hour away is the closest and I just found someone on the web and put in a request for length of time to wait for new patient and insurance. The place we're on the waiting list for is a large teaching hospital 2 hours away from us. I felt perhaps the teaching hospital was the best place to go, as it should be up-to-date on everything. But I've been on their waiting list for about 3 months now.

 

Have you asked the hospital if they have a cancellation list? If so, ask to be put on that. My neighbor was able to get in to a doctor in one week instead of waiting six months -- because someone cancelled at the last minute and they called her. She dropped everything to make that appointment. If they don't have a cancellation list, ask if you can call regularly to check for openings. Some offices don't mind you doing that. If they don't mind you calling, try calling at least once a week (with a very pleasant voice); someone may eventually take pity on you, or simply schedule an appointment to get rid of your nice phone calls.

 

Are there any colleges or universities in your area that have a speech department? If so, try calling them. They often have training clinics so the students can practice. (They are closely supervised by qualified people.) This can be an inexpensive way to get an evaluation and even therapy.