working memory resources

[MysteryJen]

Good morning! A dear friend received her evals from ps a few days ago. Her boy is 8 and received very low scores on working memory and processing speed. Right now, that is all I know, she was pretty saddened by the scores. He has significant vision issues which are slowly starting to respond to treatment and fine motor skills issues. Most of the major things (ASD, ADHD, SPD) have been ruled out.

 

Could you point me to some reading/information on working memory issues and what sorts of accomodations might be possible in the school system?

[PeterPan]

Happily, working memory actually responds really well to cognitive therapies and intervention!  Like I don't think she needs *accommodations* for it so much as just to intervene.  We've had some threads, but my advice is go multi-modal.  So like do games AND do things in motion AND use metronome AND visual memory AND auditory memory, kwim?  Lots of ways, not just one.  Not just software (pay $1K and it's done).  Lots of ways, in context, with distractions.

 

As far as the processing speed, that's going to need accommodations.  She'll need to go through the IEP process at her school.  Oh, evals were from the ps?  Well that's crap then on the sensory.  Ignore that and get a private OT eval.  They probably even messed up the ADHD.  With those scores, they probably messed it up.  Remember, the ps is asking what they're required to intervene on, WHAT IS AFFECTING HIS ABILITY TO ACCESS HIS EDUCATION, not not not what is medically going on.

 

So that child could have ASD, ADHD, and SPD, and the school didn't put it down if they feel it isn't affecting his ability to access his education.  My dd is like that.  She has labels, but she can access her education.  As long as the scores are within range and not severely discrepant, they won't label.  Doesn't mean it's not going on and doesn't mean he wouldn't benefit from private intervention.

 

So I would DEFINITELY get a private OT eval.  Since he's having developmental vision issues, odds are he has OT issues.  I would get that eval.  And I personally would *at least* have the ped do an ADHD screening tool.  

 

We've had threads on working memory.  For that age:

 

-moving games where you give a sequence of commands that they repeat and do

-A Fist Full of Coins game ($$ but quite good)

-Ticket to Ride or other games where they need to plan a sequence of steps and hold their thoughts.  I just found a Jr T2R at Target.

-Memory

-digit spans

-metronome work using Heathermomster's instructions and bringing in digit spans as he gets better

 

Do those things in little spurts, 5-10 minutes, maybe 3 times a day.  She'll see improvement.  

 

How is his spelling?  With the vision problems, I'll bet he's having spelling problems.  That's another way you can work on working memory.  Dictate the word (start small! like 2-3 letters) and have him repeat it, clap syllables, tap sounds with his fingers, then pull down letter tiles or tiles on an app.  That uses TONS of working memory!  It will be a really powerful workout. 

Edited November 15, 2016 by OhElizabeth

[4KookieKids]

Could you link to some of these other threads on working memory? They’re not popping up when I do a search for them.

[PeterPan]

Well I'll do one better and teach you to fish for yourself. :)  To google site search, you go to your google browser bar, type in the terms, and add site:welltrainedmind.com   So I forget what we're wanting here, but you could put in your google bar something like "Heathermomster metronome instructions site:welltrainedmind.com" and see what comes up.

 

https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=heathermomster+metronome+instructions+site:welltrainedmind.com&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

 

It will look like this and pull up tons of hits. I do google site searches all the time. It's what a boarding does on a boring Friday night, haha. No seriously, you can put in usernames, so think about the potential. Like say you're like wow I really want to know more what Heathermomster did for spelling... You could put in Heathermomster spelling site:welltrainedmind.com  Or say you wanted to know more about curriculum for dyscalculia or math for autism or what OneStep did for 3rd grade or whatever, boom, search it. 

 

I use site searches to find the wisdom of the past on the boards. We're not just who is here now but who has been here over the past 10 years. Well I don't remember when the changeover happened, but you get what I mean.

[4KookieKids]

Man. Always forget that you can search with Google here. The search feature on this forums never gives me what I want! I need to remember to just use Google instead of the Built in search function here

[exercise_guru]

I have actually read that some adhd meds help working memory so that is worth looking at more deeply.

 

I think she should take those test results to an independent neuropsych and get some answers the school probably won't help.

 

For processing it depends on if it is visual or auditory that is hanging her child up or both.

 

I would start with a vision therapy eval and a language eval by an SLP if she has insurance it might be covered. My son had convergence insufficency but good language. At that point we were sent to an audiologist who diagnosed capd but I circling back to add because the often exist together.

 

My son did vision therapy and that helped with many things. He has apd and wiith fast forword he jumped 2 grades in reading and his auditory memory improved. I am still trying to figure it all out.

 

I am looking into the home interactive metronome for processing and cogmed for working memory.

 

I am not sure when I will be able to retest to know if everything we have done worked. I have seen improvements in time it takes him to do work and respond to directions but I have no data to contribute.

 

 

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