Homeschooling child with CP?

[Guest MaryKate]

My son has mild CP. Anyone know what that's like? Scattered skills, delayed fine motor ability, genius language abilities... Would love to find some help in how to choose curriculum that allows me to adapt and modify all over the place. Would love to know that I am not the only mom dealing with these physical limitations.

[Dmmetler]

Not homeschooling one-but I AM one. I have to say that there are a lot of things out now that I wish I had access to when I was younger (like the one I'm typing on). Typing was much more reliable for me than writing, from an early age, and it's now very, very reasonable for me to carry my netbook almost everywhere and to send most messages digitally, so I rarely have to use those writing skills which were PAINFUL, very literally, to develop. Voice recognition would now, possibly work (we made a few baby steps towards this for me at various times, but my speech wasn't clear enough). Word prediction software is MUCH better now than it used to be. And that's only going to improve. When I started working with an OT to teach me to type, we were using a manual typewriter. By the time I went to college, I was pulling a portable computer behind me on a luggage cart. By grad school, I had a laptop computer-big, but a laptop. I started out recording on a big tape recorder with extra microphone. By college I had a compact lecture recorder that fit in a pocket. Now, I just record directly onto my cell phone. I struggled to dial a rotary dial phone accurately and to learn how to manage it. Now, with a click on a picture, my cell phone dials for me, and the only struggle is putting the number in one time.

 

It's gotten so much better for me that it's almost scary. I suspect that this will only continue to improve.

 

As far as curriculum, my recommendation is to look for .PDF files as much as possible. Things that can be edited and marked up on a computer (the typing thing again) and can be printed in different sizes. Enlarging materials was a big help to me because it enlarged the space needed to write. And, of course, keep the length to what he can handle writing. Writing needs to be taught explicitly, in short segments, for a kid with CP, because fatigue sets in quickly. You'll get a lot more bang for your buck if you spend 15 minutes a day on HWOT, and keep the rest of the writing to a minimum, in the early years and work on those fine motor skills in as many ways possible (with an OT, if you can possibly get one paid for), and to work on typing simultaneously, with the goal of being able to type almost everything by secondary than if you try to expect handwriting. I do feel that legible handwriting should be a goal-but the emphasis is on legible. Cursive was easier for me than manuscript. Try different pencil/pen holders and types. My favorite pens are actually cartridge fountain pens, with a grip. Otherwise, don't wait-just go on, do it orally, scribe for him, and work it out.

 

Get the documentation in line for a 504 plan now, and keep it up to date for standardized testing. Eventually, at some point, he'll have to take a test, and those stupid bubble sheets are a nightmare when you have fine motor issues (and if you're like me, and have visual-spatial issues too, that's even worse). You want that record intact. In my case, I was stubborn and tried to do the SAT the first time without accommodations (this was pre-ADA when taking it under special accommodations was flagged), and ended up with an 1090. With only one accommodation-circling answers in the test book vs filling in an answer sheet, and having the test hand scored, I ended up with a 1530. After that, I didn't even TRY to say I could do without the accommodations.

 

Good luck!

[Guest MaryKate]

Thank you so much! It is always encouraging to hear from an adult who has experienced what my son is experiencing. I'd love to know what you think about touch screens versus keyboards when learning to type.

[Dmmetler]

I have a very, very hard time typing on a touch screen. It's too sensitive, so I get a lot of spillover, where I'll get 3-4 keys at a time. I have similar problems if keyboards are too "Soft"-that's why I like ones that are very, very "clicky", preferably those with metal springs for each key. I can see where something like SWYPE might work well for some people with motor disabilities since you don't have to lift, though, although I detest it, so it may be something that you just have to try. It also may be different depending on what you learned on first. My first OT-taught lessons on typing were actually on typewriters, so it may not be surprising that I prefer computer keyboards which feel much like typewriters.