I thought that finger tapping test (NEPSY maybe) was used to identify NVLD. I don’t know whether NVLD is or was ever recognized by the DSM. As I understand things, there are two types of SLDs for handwriting: the DCD SLD and the SLD of written expression. On the WISC IV IQ test, a subtest on the processing speed portion can help identify the SLD of written expression. It seems like a good NP should be able to parse the NP testing results ( looking at something like retrieval scores and writing fluency) to make an effective argument for the keyboarding accommodation, especially if you can demonstrate that all class work is typed. Testing that is less than 3 years old and taking outside classes with the keyboard accommodation would be a plus.

DS is living the dream on campus. He’s taking 12 semester hours, serving on SGA, and acting as the IFC rep. In his spare time he’s playing flag football and softball. He loves all of his classes and is using a new SmartPen called a NEO N2 because his Mac laptop software is no longer supported by Livescribe, the makers of his Echo SmartPen. So far, the N2 seems to be working. Three of the four classes seem to involve a ton of essay and large papers. Reading assignments have increased, so he’s incorporating more audio books. DS worked over the summer and met with the CBT 3 times. DD started playing violin in a higher level orchestra. Her hand continues to hurt whenever she handwrites, so I’m allowing her to type some of her work. I guess we need to start saving for a NP evaluation. We ditched her HOE timeline on day 3 of school and replaced it with an iPad timeline app. We started Apples and Pears for spelling last year and are currently on level D. A&P Spelling is awesome and made a huge difference with DD. Otherwise, she reads very well. I noted something immediately different this year. DD is easier to teach than DS, but I don’t know whether that was due to DS, DD, or me. There are certain curriculums that simply don’t bother me anymore. It does help that DD will basically read any book I hand her. She knocked out the child version of the Epic of Gilgamesh where DS hated it. It occurred to me as well that after this year, I will have taught grades pre-k through grade 12, and that fact feels crazy.

The book Overcoming Difficulty with Number by Ronit Bird lays out all of the multiplication pre-skills, and I used that info to teach DS his math facts.

And I didn’t use Barton, but if the writing is holding you back, letter tiles might help instead. I’m curious to know how others managed that.

None of the unis we looked at required the written essay scores for ACT/SAT, so we didn’t apply for the keyboard accommodation. College Board irritates me on multiple levels, and I know people on the board have had success with them. I still hate them. Anyhoo...We sought and received extended test taking accommodations with ACT. They were awesome and responded within two weeks. I’m not against penmanship practice, but there comes a time when you have to analyze your goals. I had to really push my son with typing. He was 11 yo and starting to be against it. That all changed afterwards, but it was hard at the time. He had dyslexic peers in 10th grade that hadn’t learned to type as they were so oppositional. Hormones maybe? Who can say, but DS wanted independence from me. I write all this to say, OP, you are doing a great job. Typing may be easier at aged 10-11 yo so don’t despair if she’s not ready in a years time.

OP, your weekly schedule looks good. LOE sells a lined dry erase board that might help with spelling and sentence writing. Eta: The Target dollar bins may have lined dry erase boards for sale. My DS was diagnosed with the written expression SLD and learned to type by late 5th grade. Typing is difficult for him, and he's never moved beyond 30 wpm. By 7th grade, he typed all of his school work with the exception of math. We quit handwriting practice by about 8th grade. I was more concerned about content subject output and organization, and he required explicit writing instruct. DS worked with an OG and IEW certified writing instructor for two years. He worked with an OT for 4 weeks and a ped PT for about 5 weeks to address developmental motor issues and core/pincer strength, not letter formation. His dysgraphia diagnosis was re-confirmed one month prior to high school graduation. As a college sophomore, his accommodations include extra time, keyboard, and use of a SmartPen. We would have preferred a notetaker, but the school prefers the SmartPen. Anyways, the irony is that after no handwriting practice for over 4 years, his handwriting is now legible. ETA: Dealing with the underlying motor issue while sorting the spelling and learning how to organize/express his thoughts on paper helped him way more than handwriting practice.

We use the microwave and a cube timer...

I pulled my DS from a private Christian 6th grade classroom, and that experience was extraordinarily jarring. When DS started attending co-op, I allowed him to only participate in PE. His first “academic” class was a Latin roots class with a former bio-chem engineer that we knew well from church. Prior to class, we sorted all the accommodations. If I had thought for a moment that there would be push back of any kind, DS would not have participated in the class. What was odd was that she placed disruptive boys on either side of my son hoping that my son would be a positive influence. That is classic by the way. Use a behaved child to encourage good behavior instead of dealing directly with a classroom menace. I had to speak with the teacher and the boys’ mother to make bad behavior stop because the boys started harassing my son when the teacher turned her back to write on the board. And it happened for weeks until DS told me. In the co-op setting, I have found that classroom management is not always a strength. If your student is highly distractible, be sure to stress the seating arrangement ahead of time. The only other problem we had was with devices. During lunch, a younger student would dig into my son’s backpack and grab his laptop and play keep away with it. DS started hiding his backpack in the building and never told me about the boys stealing his laptop. One day, I happened to arrive early during lunch and witnessed son’s laptop being used like a football. I called all the parents with students involved and asked them to speak with their children. The fear of replacing son’s electronics put that behavior to an abrupt end. Son took classes all through high school and never had any more problems. He completed all of the same work as any other student using a laptop, smart pen, and extra time.

I know that programs will say to do exercises for 12 weeks, but why not periodically check for reflex integration after 4 weeks? If they are gone awesome. Otherwise keep going and check every two weeks until integrated. Individuals with motor problems vary. I expect that 12 weeks would be a worst case scenario and a rough generalization to cover a broad group of individuals.

My take? The ped psych doesn’t accept insurance...You nailed the situation upthread.

I am not saying this happens to everyone; however, these meds are a little more serious than a trip to Starbucks.

Wow! OP, listen to the ladies. Does your DD have any diagnosed SLDs? Does she struggle with handwriting or math? If so, maybe dig deeper and consider getting her an educational and ADHD eval. I’m assuming that your family is in some sort of counseling for the trauma. I select materials that I can teach and my kids find Interesting. My kids would not tolerate being taught using a computerized curriculum and sheet work. Both my kids struggle with handwriting and have worked with OT/PT. Their handwriting is accommodated. We use a variety of curriculum that includes hands-on materials, living books, audio, documentaries, and plain old text books. I sit with my 11yo at the kitchen table where I teach and monitor her work. We keep a cube timer handy. She types at the table using her iPad and keyboard. We talk about history and science together and keep WTM style notebooks. Writing is taught across the subjects, and we drink hot tea together. Basically, I don’t expect my DD to be self-motivated in any subject except violin. Good luck!

Was the preliminary meeting and consult performed by a child psychiatrist? I ask because a child psychiatrist manages meds for attention and mental illness. If the possibility of triggering mental illness is a concern, work directly with the professional who is trained to deal with that sort of issue. I’m curious to know what EF skills training looks like with a 9 yo. Also, has your child been evaluated by an OT and are there other SLDs present?

I’ve been thinking about this more. New neural networks form as the prim reflexes are reintegrated, and the postural reflexes take over once the prim reflexes are inhibited. New neural networks are strengthened with use. Son’s ped PT stressed continued bilateral type exercise after PT because movement is good for the body. The fibers across the corpus callosum, which connect the two halves of the brain, strengthen and increase with practice. Once a person learns to read, their fluency and comprehension increase through practice. A reading impaired student requires more practice with reading, so I guess a motor impaired student would require more practice as well. Novelty with books, exercise, or whatever helps keep individuals interested because practice can be a drain, and we are all familiar with that.

Amen!!!

A friend of mine just delivered her 3rd DS. Each baby was the result of IVF.

Have you turned on RMT?

I’m sorry for getting upset with you. I get why you are skeptical about the reflex stuff. You are pushing through the weeds with at least 3 kiddos with dyslexia. You are teaching the kids to read and that is a painful, stressful situation. Therapies feel like they never end plus VT and reading and OT/PT work are very expensive and feel like voodoo and chicken feet. OT exercises are irritating and time consuming especially with a house full of littles and a needy child that you have to motivate. My major take away from the ped PT/OT experience is that any professional who tells you one exercise will solve reflex integration exercises must be inexperienced. Son’s PT used a variety of exercises. I asked the ped PT about some of them, and she indicated that the movements served multiple beneficial purposes. Clearly, I didn’t press the issue, but he did a lot of balance and agility work. Lastly, I asked my son if there was a moment when he realized the ped PT was working. He likened the experience to a light switch flipping. Suddenly, things became much easier to do.

No, my son absolutely had reflex issues related to sitting. There is absolutely no question about that. Posture and left side weakness issues developed as he got older. OP, I really find you offensive. If you don’t think that reflex integration exercises are worth the effort, don’t do them. HOWEVER, don’t pick apart what I wrote. It’s your choice to believe me or not. As a rule, I try to answer honestly.

My DS was completely toast after 45 minutes of Wilson.

When DS was 10th grade, I took him to the ped PT to be evaluated. The PT had advanced training, and she was clearly eager to help children with motor difficulty. She never tried to sell me anything, and I actively sought her out. She interviewed and asked a series of health questions. Afterwards, she evaluated my son and pointed out the motor issues that she was seeing. She then developed an exercise plan with a clear timeline. We committed to 2 hours per week at the office plus about 40 min at 5 times per week of exercise at home. Within 2.5 weeks of the 4 week plan, the benefits were obvious. There is no autism in my family, but there are generational, diagnosed motor function issues such SPD, dyspraxia, and ADHD. My son is dysgraphic, but the ped PT believes he has DCD. I do too because of son’s EF issues. Whatever the case, DS performed multiple exercises so any one of them could have integrated the retained reflexes that affected the ATNR/STNR. I really don’t care which exercise helped the most. All I know is that he benefited from the efforts, and the ped PT was highly competent. The bottom line is this: if you think OT work for reflex integration is an ineffective waste of money, don’t do it. The OT should be able to give you clear and testable measures to determine whether the exercises are helping your child.

DS worked with an OT during 7th grade for about 5 weeks, and the spinal galant, ATNR, and STNR reflexes were not integrated. He performed exercises at home and IM, but I never felt good about the OT. In 10th grade, a friend recommended a ped PT who identified the ATNR and the STNR, left side weakness, postural issues, balance, and bilateral coordination issues. DS worked with her for about 5 weeks performing agility, balance, and weight training exercises. He also performed exercises daily at home. Once he completed the ped PT work, his gait and posture changed, he started sitting straight at a desk without extending his legs, and he learned to swim. The ped PT work was life changing, and I wish we had found her sooner.

I think it would also depend upon what precisely you said, the tone, and whether you have a relationship with them.

I don’t know that there is right way to introduce a calculator. By 7th grade, DS used a calculator and a laminated multiplication sheet. If you think your DS will benefit from a fraction and decimal information sheet, print up a sheet, review it with him, and hand it over. DS needed a calculator with a large display, but even with a large display, he was prone to input errors. There were times when the calculator was of no benefit so I took it away. He often practiced math facts for 5-10 minutes in the morning using the computer. Math fact practice was a separate exercise from an actual math assignment. James Tanton is awesome. I taught DS how to factor, multiply polynomials, and derive the quadratic equation using the galley method that Tanton promoted during algebra. I watched his videos and used one of his Thinking Math volumes. Basically, Tanton taught me, and then I taught DS. DS has never watched or heard of JT. When we used Khan, it was to review a concept that DS was struggling to learn from me. I sat with DS as he watched KA, and we worked problems together. Might I add that some of those Khan problems were a bear. I never expected my dyscalculiac to self teach. Now I did promote going online and seeking answers when there was an issue, but DS often did not always know the right question to ask. I guess I’m trying to say, use the resources that Pen mentioned for yourself.. I sat down and repeatedly worked through his explanations and contacted JT directly because some of his answers were incorrect. My DD is about to finish Singapore 5, and it was loaded with fractions, decimals, and word problems. I’ve been thinking a lot about how helpful the bar models were. Your maths disabled DS covered that information a year early. Did he understand the math at that time? Have you considered repeating Singapore 5A and portions of 5B and then moving on? Maybe supplement with Hands-on Equations and start teaching integer math. Throw in the Dragon Box game and call it good.

I was looking at Hands On Equations and discovered that they sell Fractions materials. Maybe check it out.