:blushing: I own the Adolescent Executive Functions Training book. I purchased it about 4 years ago maybe. So, I need to do that with DS and count that as health. Should I purchase or attempt to locate the latter two books on the page you linked? Is one book better than the other? DS tests gifted in both VCI and PRI. Visualization is not an issue for him. The kid can see in 3 space very well. How would VT benefit him?

Son's 2nd grade teacher (who later became my BFF) flat out ask me at our first parent-teacher meeting whether DS ever got mad. Teachers overlooked A LOT of his learning problems because he was so chill. Until he was diagnosed ADHD inattentive, I just assumed he was just super chill and then I started reading. DH and his brothers are super chill too and they are not ADHD. IDK, his attitude seems neat until he drives and then I wish he were more alert. Little kids love him, and he is very tolerant. While in school, I felt some of his same aged friends used him, but as a teenager he speaks up and pushes back. Son's room, locker, and bedroom have always been a hot mess.

Dp...sorry.

I don't know who to use for ef therapy. It is a pain and I feel you. DS did very well with IM. Bilateral coordination was addressed last winter with a pt. DS has never cried after any testing. That part about him has always been odd. He does get upset but not like other kids. He is really laid back and I think that is due to under arousal associated with inattention.

DH and I went out later last night and I missed all this good stuff. MIL becomes extremely frustrated about the people around her saying they have bi-polar. I have seen it up close and it is not pretty, and that is why I freak out about my kids having it. DS is primarily inattentive and his behaviors are nothing like what was described in the original link. I have read where low dose ritalin has been used to treat primarily inattentive. DS can drink tons of caffeinated drinks and then go to sleep, so I don't see how low dose ritalin would work. You mentioned IM. When DS did that therapy, he scored the highest on the computer that the OT had ever seen in her office. Son's only vision issues were related to developmental motor and that was covered with OT/PT. There are no other therapies that I know of other than working consistently on organization. As Kbutton mentioned down thread, EF requires a ton of consistency. It is just hard and I am not that good. It is hard to know when to dive in and help or let the teenager manage and watch them goof up.

I must be living in a bubble because I have always understood that meds for ADHD alone work in conjunction with deliberate EF/organizational strategies. Back when DD was late Kindie and working with an OT, I had a major freak out about her ambidexterity and motor planning issues. I came across a published paper that examined motor issues and mental illness. I lost the link when my last laptop died. :svengo: Anyhoo..The study correlated a higher incidence of mental illness with those with motor issues like DCD. 50% of people with diagnosed motor issues are also diagnosed with ADHD. It stands to reason that some people with ADHD may be more likely to struggle with addiction and mental illness. Son takes non-stim meds for ADHD inattentive. After having his DNA tested to ascertain his ability to metabolize about 6 meds, the ped psych recommend a non-stim med. Mental illness does run in DH's family and the Dr. did not want to run the risk of triggering bi-polar. The psych did mention that ADHD can actually cover up existing mental illness and that once the ADHD is under control, other issues rise to the front. I don't know what to make of that. Liz, it might be interesting to analyze the progression of meds and ADHD treatment. Perhaps the adults that you read about online never had the opportunity to try a non-stim med?

(((Hugs))) I hope that your DD starts feeling better soon.

Kbutton, I really enjoyed that link, but wowser. I sometimes wish that WTM came with a "EEEW" button.

Books by Esther Averill are good.

DH and I are BSEEs. :D Our eldest child has a maths SLD that his classroom teachers were utterly unprepared to manage. In the process of learning math teaching techniques to use with DS, I came across books written by a maths educator in the UK named Ronit Bird. From what I can tell, her remediative teaching techniques use concepts employed by Singapore and EM. EM is different in that it teaches multiple ways to perform basic math procedures like multi-digit multiplication. A procedure like lattice math looks strange, takes more time, and initially tends to confuse parents and students; however, lattice multiplication works great with students like my DS, who have a compromised working memory and slow processing speed. No conceptual understanding of place value is required for LM. It is purely a two step, rote exercise designed to achieve an accurate answer. When DS started using LM, his standardized test scores shot up and enabled us to move forward confidently with new concepts. In a classroom setting, I don't believe EM is really appropriate for high average to gifted math students unless the teacher is really good at differentiating instruction. I am not convinced that most early elementary math teachers have the math knowledge to teach it effectively. The program is spiral and would likely drive a moderately good to gifted math student crazy.

We used sections of the MUS fractions and pre-algebra versions, HOE, and this standard McDougal Littell Pre-Algebra classroom text, which I thought was awesome. My DS has dyscalculia so we used a whiteboard and manipulatives to work through these concepts over and over again. Chemistry with algebra has greatly reinforced his understanding because he can apply the concepts directly.

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/559283-primitive-reflexes/?hl=%2Bprimitive+%2Breflex&do=findComment&comment=6503343

TOG..I feel like I'd need a college course to comprehend what needed to be purchased. Saxon math because simply looking at the books make me physically ill, and I hold a science degree Abeka anything because it makes me think I'd rather poke a chopstick in my eye. The Biology and Spanish I materials are just "Whoa!".

There are women here that can speak with much more experience than I can. DS was evaluated and diagnosed ADHD inattentive by a PhD Neuropsychologist during a full ed evaluation which included a NEPSY II, and he is currently under the care of an eminently qualified child psychologist. The reg ped is no where in that loop. The child psych told me that she does not prescribe meds automatically and often sends her patients to an OT that can evaluate for developmental motor issues. OP, in your case maybe seek a one hour OT evaluation that looks at developmental motor, motor planning, visual perception, and static/dynamic balance. If any issues are present, the OT will work out an OT plan and then seek the guidance of a child psych afterwards, It is fairly common for parents with kiddos who suspect their child is either hyper or combined type ADHD to monitor diet, look for food allergies, and use omega supplements.

Well, you know your child is young for the subject and you know he starts to make careless errors as time progresses. Use that knowledge and administer half of the test followed by a substantial snack. After his working memory has had time to rest, go back and complete the second half of the test. Maybe plan on extended test taking from the outset, and if he still is having problems then you know the subject is too much or he needs to be evaluated. Test anxiety is no easy thing and you may want to explore coping strategies. Good luck!

DS is a 10th grader too and his accommodations are typing and extra test taking time. That is it. There is no crutch or advantage unless you see schlepping a laptop to class as a plus. :p Even in Spanish, he types his work with the spell checker turned off. My child took five years of Wilson Reading and did not learn parts of speech until 7th grade but recently scored a 97 in his first semester Spanish I class. He was tested and diagnosed 2e with 3 SLDs at the beginning of 2nd grade. Logical sequencing is a problem but not impossible. DS worked with an OG and IEW certified writing instructor for two years. DS completed an Elegant Essay class in 9th grade. DS now writes summaries in history and we are making our way through EIW. For writing organization, maybe have your DS use mindmapping sw such as Inspiration. It costs maybe $10 on the iPad. Son's writing instructor was very insistent that I scaffold DS. I scribe for him and have far more input with talking him through the writing process than I would prefer. I recall reading where EKS (maybe?) had her older DS write and write and write. These kiddos need to internalize the writing process and it takes longer than we moms would prefer, but good writing is possible. I cling to that thought anyways as we muscle through school.

Sorry I did not mention this sooner. You could call and speak with the director of your local dyslexia school. You want an experienced tester.

If he wants to continue, support him at home and then see how he does. Supposing there is an issue, he will need to learn to study and adjust for classes even with accommodation. He may need to spend less time on another subject. One thing about having a 2e kiddo is they have to learn to adjust and persevere. Low grades will come but the real test is how do they modify and adjust to the situation. Last year, I begged my DS to drop a logic class because I accidentally signed him up for too much. DS would not allow me to pull him and he studied more and earned all As in his outside classes.

We used a PhD Neuropsychologist. Maybe call around and speak with them and ask about their testing. We always have testing completed over two days. Since your DS has been compensating all these years, he is likely quite smart. Try to get a neuropsych that is accustomed to working with 2e clients.

Maybe seek a COVD certified VT to evaluate convergence, tracking, and binocular vision and a PhD Neuropsychologist for a full learning evaluation. If a problem exists, start seeking extra time on standardized testing. Also consider downloading the VoiceDream app on either Android or iPad/iPod and have him practice listening to audio books at a high rate of speed. When my son starts making careless math errors, I have him stop and walk away. As a 10th grader, his attention to detail is much improved from logic stage. As I recall, Algebra 2 starts introducing radically new concepts. Your DS is technically an 8th grader? There is no harm in slowing down and working sideways for some time. Extra time and reduced number of problem sets at one sitting are the accommodations for working memory or processing speed deficits.

Is math the only issue? Processing issues for us are a global thing and affect all learning. Has the slownesss been an ongoing issue? If this issue only affects Algebra 2 right here and now, then maybe just back up and slow down. Look for novel ways to explain the math using other modalities and give it time.

How old is your DD and what level of math is she working at? What are the SLDs that she is dealing with?

My experience has been that staff at the upper logic and rhetoric stage neither know how or want to accommodate. I had two teachers balk at placing small printers in their classrooms so that DS could hand in hard copies of his schoolwork that he typed. The school would not give him Internet access in spite of the fact that faculty members gave their own children school network passwords and faculty children were posting videos online of themselves pranking one another during school.... DS was expected to complete the same amount of work in the same amount of time. We are talking about a 2e dyslexic/dysgraphic. Son's NP suggested I pull DS simply because his IQ was higher than the majority of the staff. I agree with OhE. Hire an excellent OG tutor with the tuition that would be used. Make an extraordinary attempt to keep the student connected with her friends while encouraging new friends at a co-op. My DS loves his friends at private school and is still connected with them but also made a whole slew of new friends by homeschooling. He attends high school classes three days per week at the co-op and his former and new friends all speak and get along well during afterschool activities. There has been a crossing of the streams. I forgot to mention that the curriculum the school used was terrible and in problem areas, these kiddos need one-on one, direct and explicit instruction. Son's SAT-10 scores jumped once he came home.

Yes, a private school that accepts no Federal monies can do that. We used to pay an additional $100 per month with DS for feeble helps.

Yes...I meant OT and will fix that now. :D