I am needing a recommendation for a tutoring, counseling, or other place that I can get some help with my 8 year old daughter. She has LD in math, reading, and writing with a super low working memory score. We are plugging along and she is progressing, but I think I need someone to confirm we are on the right path. I keep worrying I could be doing more or something different and help her even more! I may just be second guessing myself. I recently had a conversation with an education specialist with DCS and she was rude and I got the feeling she thought my daughter should be in school. :( Anyone have a recommendation? Thank you!

I am going to try to answer some of you questions. She was tested by a counselor with an MA and "senior psychological examiner" after her name:) Her IQ test did have subtest scores. Her overall IQ was 88 tested, but her general ability index score was 94. I don't know how specific to get and if it will even help, but most of her subtest scores were 8-11 (average-ish), but her working memory "digit span" subtest was a 3. Her overall working memory score was a 77. Her composite scores were all in the average range except for working memory. She can't manipulate information in her head is what it came down to. She can't tell you numbers backwards, etc. Her auditory learning seems fine because she tested average in oral language, expression, and listening comprehension. The rest of her academic scores were very low. I should add that "processing disorder" was also diagnosed. She seems to be fine in the auditory processing arena, so that is why the vision therapy was recommended. The therapist thinks she has some visual-perception problems that will be helped by VT. I just read over your questions and I forgot to say were she is in math. She has finally come to the point that she can consistantly put the numbers 0-10 in order and identify and write them. She does some really weird finger stuff to remember what they look like, though. The pediatrician and the therapist had never seen a child do it. For an example: if she add 2 + 2 on her fingers and puts up 2 fingers on one hand and 2 fingers on the other, she thinks the answer is 7 because that is the number she has tied to the 2nd finger on that hand. It is so weird. She can add very simple problems but she has memorized some of them. She does seem to understand the concept of addition, though. (and we try to stay away from adding her on fingers)

Thank you all for the suggestions so far. Logic of English looks amazing! I do love "new and shiny" curriculum, though. :) I have looked at the I See Sam books. They look ok, but it seems incomplete. I like a teacher manual and more direction than it seems to provide. Our evaluator did not offer any suggestions for curriculum. She did say that we should be trying to do multi-sensory teaching and also said curriculum designed for dyslexia would be great for her. She did suggest some memory games to help with her working memory shortfalls, so we will be doing those at least once a day. The therapist strongly thinks that vision therapy will help my daughter a lot. She said she may still struggle, but if we "fix" the vision issues her learning difference are likely to get better or even disappear. I still feel like I am in a holding pattern until we get into the VT! Does this end??

I have no idea were to go from here with curriculum. I am a long time hs mom, so I am familiar with your run of the mill stuff and use it with my other kids. However, it isn't working with my 6 year old with processing issues. I need to teach her to read and SSRW is not working well. Her strenghth is in auditory processing and she has visual processing issues. We are getting an eval and probable vision therapy ASAP. In the meantime, what should I be doing curriculum wise? Her working memory is borderline, so we need to work on that (memory games, etc.). Should I just keep remediating what she knows (letter sounds, number id, etc.) until we get the vision therapy done with? Should we continue with our "mainstream" math (saxon) and reading (sing spell read write)? I would prefer to go ahead and start with another curriculum for at least reading, but have no idea where to turn! Help! PS I know you probably get this same SOS posting at least weekly...feel free to point me towards a search I can find them at:)

I am wondering if I am a bit in denial. I keep thinking that if she had serious IQ issues she would be further behind. She can do SO MUCH and remembers everything. That just doesn't scream low IQ to me. She was in a Spanish speaking home for her first 7 months before coming to us (foster home...no trauma besides move to us). She was a tiny bit late in talking, but we attributed it to the Spanish to English and also her 1 year older brother "talked" for her. She has learned the letter sounds, but doesn't know their names. She is starting to string sounds together to make words, but it is slow going. I keep thinking that it is just harder for some kids and she is ONLY 6. Is this denial? Do some lower IQ kids with LD present this way and get further behind as the years go on? I have had a son that was a late reader, but I never suspected a LD or other issue with him. I just knew he didn't like doing it and couldn't care less. With my daughter it is different. It is physically and mentally hard for her to learn new concepts. I am sorry...I am just rambling now. I should just wait for the results. Thanks all! *edited to correct spelling

I want to thank each of you that have responded. I keep looking at my little girl and I just know she will be ok. I went through my "mini-freak out" and now I am on to a plan! :) I have ordered a few books on LD and special needs, so that is a start. I will update when I have the official results of her testing. One more question: The phsycologist has another set of tests that she said she just got in that she offered to administer for free. She said that test will likely test about the same, but it never hurts to have more information. I tend to agree, but I don't know what the point will be if we expect the results to be similar anyway. I may just have to ask more questions about that. Would you get as much testing as possible (considering we are paying a good bit to have it done in the first place)?

Thanks! We have finished testing and will be getting a more specific diagnosis. I am reading books about homeschooling your LD kid. I guess my hurdle right now is the possible low IQ. I just wasn't expecting that. I have a call in to the lady who evaluated her, but she has been out sick. I guess I just need more answers right now. It is a lot to digest all at once. I keep telling myself "this is not cancer...it will be ok." :)

Hello all, I am new to this board, but not to WTM forums:) I have an adopted (from foster care) daughter who is 6 and doing K work. I have suspected a LD for a couple of years because of the difficulty she has learning new ideas and her obvious processing differences. We "bit the bullet" and had her evaluated with a psychoeducational eval. I do not have the official results/dx, but the evaluator suspects low IQ combined with processing issues. This child does not seem low functioning. She is actually "advanced" in her life care and general abilities (taking care of little sibs, taking care of herself, etc.). She is super compassionate and so eager to please. She knows her letter sounds and is beginning to sound them together into words. Her "issues" seem to be a bit more math related, but she does know basic addition. I should add: her birthmother was mildly mentally retarded with lots of other DX, but most of that can likely be attributed to her terrible birth and life (no other MMR in family tree). I have a few questions. I am freaking out about my daughters future. Will she be able to function normally? It seems she will, but she is only 6! Also, how much more difficult will it be to teach her? I know I will need more hands on time with her and it will likely take longer for her to "get" concepts. My husband insists that the actual IQ number doesn't really matter, but I tend to disagree. It will tell us what might be her limitations and I will have to work around those. Should I even worry or think about the actual number (whatever it is going to be)? I would love some encouragement and "been there, done that" stories. I know it will be ok and it could be worse, but I am still worried about her and my ability to teach her. I should add that she has a bio sibling that is 7. He has no issues whatsoever and is reading beyond his grade level. Thanks for reading this and any advice or encouragement you can lend! :) Carly

Thank you for this! I have friends with little 2 year olds that know letters. I feel terrible, like I have done something wrong. I have done "play-learn" stuff with them since they were tots and she still hasn't "got it" ... at least with math. I think the fact that her biobrother is 1 year older, but looks like her twin doesn't help matters. They are so close in size, age, and everything that they get grouped together in my mind. She is an entire year younger and that makes a big difference. We may break out the UNO cards tomorrow. I LOVE Uno! :)

We don't have extra services, per se, but we do have supplemental medical insurance as a back up to our regular health insurance. I think at her age we would have to start with a developmental pediatrician and move to the public school system for services.

Thanks for all the replies! I don't think I will pursue any testing just yet. I don't want her to *think* she has a problem if it is just a maturity issue. She doesn't seem to mind schoolwork in general. We do play games and have fun with it when possible. I think it is her biomom's history that has me worried. I have a (bio) 10 year old that was a LATE reader and I never once thought he had a learning disability! I think that is because he had other strengths and didn't have a problem learning more "general" knowledge stuff. The same is true for her, also. She has a great memory and is doing fine with phonics (though not reading). I will keep trucking along and incooperate some of the ideas you all have mentioned here. Thanks so much!

Thanks for all the replies! I don't think I will pursue any testing just yet. I don't want her to *think* she has a problem if it is just a maturity issue. She doesn't seem to mind schoolwork in general. We do play games and have fun with it when possible. I think it is her biomom's history that has me worried. I have a (bio) 10 year old that was a LATE reader and I never once thought he had a learning disability! I think that is because he had other strengths and didn't have a problem learning more "general" knowledge stuff. The same is true for her, also. She has a great memory and is doing fine with phonics (though not reading). I will keep trucking along and incooperate some of the ideas you all have mentioned here. Thanks so much!

I posted this on the SN board, but they are not very active so I though I would try here. Here is my original post: Hello ladies (and random gent!), My daughter is struggling already and we aren't even really in Kindergarten yet! Little backstory: her and her brother are adopted from foster care, but both came to us as infants. Their biomom is mildly mentally retarded with a ton of other mental diagnosis. Neither child (at 5 and 6) has shown any issues at all (until now). My 6 year old son is bright and learning to read with no issues. I started them both in K this year (he is doing SSRW 1 and Saxon Math 1) and she just couldn't keep up. So, we pulled back with her and taking it slower. I changed to Saxon K. She seems to know her letter sounds with little problem, but her numbers are a different story. We have been working on identifing numbers for months (1 through 10). She knows them sometimes (when she is picking the Advent calander day for example), but not consisitantly. She "forgets" how to count practically every day, but other times can count easily to 15 or so. I think she might be playing games with me, but I don't want to miss a possible learning disability and make the next several years terrible on both of us. What do you guys think? Her fine motor skills are good and she doesn't seem to have the same issues with letters. Is it possible she just finds math hard so she "plays dumb" while doing it? I should note that her memory is excellent. If you ask where she left a book from 3 weeks ago she will take you right to it.

Hello ladies (and random gent!), My daughter is struggling already and we aren't even really in Kindergarten yet! Little backstory: her and her brother are adopted from foster care, but both came to us as infants. Their biomom is mildly mentally retarded with a ton of other mental diagnosis. Neither child (at 5 and 6) has shown any issues at all (until now). My 6 year old son is bright and learning to read with no issues. I started them both in K this year (he is doing SSRW 1 and Saxon Math 1) and she just couldn't keep up. So, we pulled back with her and taking it slower. I changed to Saxon K. She seems to know her letter sounds with little problem, but her numbers are a different story. We have been working on identifing numbers for months (1 through 10). She knows them sometimes (when she is picking the Advent calander day for example), but not consisitantly. She "forgets" how to count practically every day, but other times can count easily to 15 or so. I think she might be playing games with me, but I don't want to miss a possible learning disability and make the next several years terrible on both of us. What do you guys think? Her fine motor skills are good and she doesn't seem to have the same issues with letters. Is it possible she just finds math hard so she "plays dumb" while doing it? I should note that her memory is excellent. If you ask where she left a book from 3 weeks ago she will take you right to it.

Hello all, I am using SSRW 1st for my 5 and 6 year olds. We are on the farris wheel step and have been for a week and a half. My question is: How well do they need to know the blends before moving on? They can sing the song for all the sounds, but it takes a little for them to "get" the blends when asked to spell words. For instance: BA might take a minute to go from "buh, ahh" to "ba". Does that make sense? Do I keep working on it? Thanks! Carly