Help processing diagnosis and what to do next

[angelmama1209]

We have recently received a diagnosis for my 8yo dd.

 

1. Specific learning disorder, with impairment in reading (with impairment in word reading accuracy,reading comprehension, and reading rate or fluency)

 

2. Specific learning disorder, with impairment in math (with impairment in memorization of arithmetic facts and accurate or fluent calculation)

 

3. Specific learning disorder, with impairment in written expression (with impairment in spelling accuracy)

 

4. Oppositional Defiant Disorder- mild

 

She has been in therapy for 3 years and is making great progress. I'm not sure what changes I need to be making here at home, though. Especially with regard to writing. Is that a subject to be tackled with a child with these diagnoses? If so,what do you use? Writing is the bane of my homeschool existence anyway, with my oldest dd. Please help!

[Tiramisu]

I could be totally off-base but I wonder if you may also be able to find help if you search using terms like dyslexia, dysgraphia, and dyscalculia.

[Storygirl]

SLD in reading could be dyslexia. Dyslexia is a phonological disability that affects both reading and spelling. If it is dyslexia, a program meant for that is the way to go. For homeschooling, people praise Barton, but you could also hire a private tutor to instruct her in the Orton Gillingham or Wilson reading method.

 

If you choose Barton, I understand that it serves as a complete language arts program and incorporates writing.

 

DD10 has dyslexia -- her SLD is in both reading and written expression. We used many different phonics programs while homeschooling, and she did make progress in reading, but her phonological disability was not remediated. She is now getting private OG tutoring (and is enrolled in private school).

 

You can google dyslexia to see if it describes your child. The school will not diagnose dyslexia but just call it SLD reading. Dyslexia also commonly causes trouble with learning math facts. If you think it is dyslexia, I would choose curricula meant for remediating it, whether you have an official diagnosis or not.

[PeterPan]

Yes, DSM 5 calls them SLD Reading, Math, and Written Expression, but it's what we used to call dyslexia, dyscalculia, and dsygraphia.  The ODD I think was in both, but it's kissing cousins to ASD.  I would read across labels for that.  Labels aren't absolute anyway, and kids can kind of slide along the ladder of them.  

 

Has she had an OT eval?  And are you getting a referral to a behaviorist?  Actually I'm not sure what they do for straight ODD.  My ds has those 3 SLDs plus ADHD/ASD.  He's a real pistol to work with.  I can't tell the ages of your kids (because I really don't sit here doing math), but I can imagine you're having challenges, sigh.  

 

So she's in therapy for the behavior stuff?  That's fabulous that she's making progress!  You're looking for tutors for the SLDs?  And is there any issue with IQ?  

 

With my ds, I'm doing Ronit Bird and lots of real life stuff for the math.  We're using Barton plus speech therapy materials for the reading and reading comprehension.  For the dysgraphia, I have EZ Write, but my main goal is to get his speech good enough that dictation software can understand him.  Right now he's missing some key letters, so he's about 50/50 whether it will get him right.  I think having SOME means of getting things into print that works is essential.  I don't think it matters what it is, in the sense that I am not in the die on handwriting hill camp.  To me it just matters that SOMEHOW, by SOME MEANS, he's able to get something into print.  And if that means ereaders and dictation, I'm cool with that.  

 

Ok, things the experts didn't tell me, even with 3 psych evals and seeing tons of specialists?  Your kid can have lots of speech and have developmental language holes.  And if they have holes in their ability to communicate, it's going to come out in behavioral problems.  I've just spent the last month and a half focusing on getting my ds to ask a question.  He would come up to me and HIT or make a single word DEMAND, but he couldn't just say "Could you please hand me the milk?"  Nope, he'd just come and hit.  So now he's to where, when PROMPTED, he can, without melting down (and I do mean melting down), give/repeat the question.  That's progress!  So then I read in Joyce Show's book "Teaching Your Child with Skill and Love" (which is PHENOMENAL) that the response to aggression, after we cool them down obviously, is to help them say what they're feeling (I feel frustrated because I didn't get my way, I feel angry, etc.) and THEN they need to be helped to... drum roll... ask a question!  Because asking questions is how kids solve problems.  But no, instead they can't ASK the stupid questions, so the bolt and have these behaviors.

 

Whatever.  It just peeves me to NO END that 3 SLPs have seen my kid and NONE of them really sorted out these fundamental things.  And I have no clue what's underlying *your* dd's ODD.  I'm just saying in my ds' behavior challenges, communication is an issue, understanding his feelings is an issue, problem solving appropriately is an issue.  So whatever, just a rabbit trail.  Definitely read across labels though, because you never know where you'll find the thing that will help you.

 

Well what do you want to do?  Do you need a hug?   :grouphug:  That's an awful whallop to receive.  Ours unraveled in doses, so we weren't so shocked.  Are you wanting to hire help or send her away?  Do you have options?  The other thing that has helped us is structure.  The visual schedules help us immensely.  They are in my ds' IEP (which is gets through the ps to receive a disability scholarship), and they make a big difference for us.  OT strategies can make a big difference with calming strategies, putting her in a better place, looking for retained reflexes.  My ds is *dramatically* better now in that department than he was a year ago.  And it's sort of an evolving thing, where the tools from OT become the things you bring into Zones of Regulation and your calming strategies, so that it's not so much about that one hour but about how it carries over to your home and the flow of your day.  

 

Do you have a grandma or someone to give you relief?  If your kids are young and you have no one, you need that.  Like you really need that.  Like line up with someone in the church or sign up for a mom's night out or something.  It is SO easy to get overwhelmed and burnt out.

 

Lots of people before you have gotten through this.  What worries you the most?  I've decided that, for my ds, social skills and self-regulation are probably going to be bigger factors in his long-term stability and employability than his academics.  Like I want to do right by his academics, but he HAS to have the ability to be calm, act appropriately, etc.  So once you decide your focus (which for this child might be different than the others), then you can kind of give yourself some grace not to be perfect on everything.  Sigh.

[Mom28GreatKids]

Oh my, that is a lot to swallow all once. I don't have much to offer as I am just beginning my journey down the alphabet of dx's, but if you hang here long, you will find oodles of help and wisdom. Hugs to you as you figure things out.

 

OhE, that is so interesting about the questioning = problem solving. So common sense, but not to these kiddos. Little dude just got his progress report from the SLP and one of the long term goals is that he will learn to make age appropriate requests and questions to solve problems. Seems like maybe she's read the book, lol.

[Guest]

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Edited February 10, 2016 by Guest

[Guest]

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Edited February 10, 2016 by Guest

[Incognito]

Well, we have used Simply Charlotte Mason copybooks successfully with someone who really struggles with the things you have mentioned.  It has example writing directly above the space for writing, and a lot of room.  It does graduate to smaller lines at the top of the page, but that is after many books of practice.

 

ETA: We've also been told to do typing, and we will, but I did want to have my child spend a number of years writing as well in order to be able to write when they NEEDED to when they are older.  I feel what we have done has been good, and while the writing isn't fancy or even or fast or whatever, it is DO-ABLE now.

 

I should also say that I specifically chose a style of writing that has directionality in the letters to help some with reversals.  It also transitions easily into cursive (and SCM has those books too) and has been great.

 

BBC DanceMat is a free typing program we've been recommended and will try when we have the time.

 

ETA again:

For the math facts, you can get a board where you push in a button with the problem and the answer shows.  You can allow your child to use that while doing math work.  We do this at times, but also have a separate math fact drilling practice activity where the cheat/answer board is not allowed.  So the facts (after years, again) are coming along.  It is just slower.

 

For the reading, I would see what kinds of issues you are looking at and see what the person you are working with thinks would be helpful.  If they don't have it in your report, ask them.  I gained a lot of insight by reading the report and then asking the person who wrote it (in a short email) if I was understanding the priorities and steps of what to do next.  What I thought we should do was in the report, but the psych responded to me with a different order of priority than I had intended and it was helpful.

Edited January 19, 2016 by Incognito

[PeterPan]

OhE, I have no idea why 3 SLPs did not work on an area as important as asking questions. I would be upset too! My only recommendation, grab a copy of Ittleman's book and read through it. It will put you in a better position to demand from them the things they need to put focus on with your son. It will also teach you how to work with your son to support and reinforce the work that the SLP is doing. It has been an invaluable resource here!

:grouphug:

I think it's because they pigeonhole so much.  Like my job is apraxia, or my job is this or that.  It's actually really complex  And I think I have high expectations.  He has a lot of speech now, and about this time last year when they were seeing him a lot of his narratives and things were actually recitations from things he had memorized.  When you got him in a real life situation where he had to ask a question to get what he needed, the skills were breaking down.  And even his speech therapy is always, always scripted.  Now they do more where he says something and then she gives the sensory input to say it correctly.  Think about that.  For 4 years, ALL his speech therapy was him being motor planned to say what they wanted him to say, usually something very repetitive like "Your turn, flip a card."  For the motor planning, that's what is effective.  But it's very hard, as a parent, to stop and figure out why you're getting behavior, what the behavior communicates, what was happening before, the whole ABC thing.  And then you read that most behavior challenges are communication.  Ok, but if there's lots of speech, then how is there a communication problem?  And we *had* the low CELF scores to tell us stuff was up.  I got that book through the library I think, so maybe I can read it today while he's sick.  

 

Well anyways, it's just a rabbit trail.  I think it didn't get examined in this way because we weren't working with a person who does that.  Every single one of these people is pigeonholed and very narrow.  None are thinking globally.  They just go my job is to work on X and that's it.  So if the op has done xyz therapy, something very similar but with a different job/task/training might fill a different hole, even if it seems really close.  Because these people are crazy pigeonholed.  WE are the ones dealing with the global effects and having to piece it together and say ok, if I bring this person onto my team or learn this skill, we could tackle this hole that is totally making my behavior car go thump thump.  Cuz I'm so tired of the thump thumps.  This is going total bad memory when it's behind us.  And, like I told my dh last night, I'm really encouraged at how the Show protocol worked (state the feeling, use a question to problem solve).  It showed (haha, show-ed) we CAN have peace and work together.  It just takes a lot of energy.  And that's where, to me, I look at the situation with the op and I go ok, who are you adding to your team?  You're mortal.  Clone yourself, bring in some help.  Help doesn't have to be *perfect* to be worthwhile, and in fact it's BETTER to bring in help.  When we bring in help and add to our team, we help skills generalize across people and situations.  It's actually better that way.  Homeschooling tends to be very isolating, and we can open ourselves up to having a team.  I love the people I work with and have around me, even if they maybe can't figure out every single little thing, because reality is they'll at least listen or hug or care or throw out some ideas when you're having a hard time.  That support network matters.

 

Ramble ramble.   :)

 

Edited January 19, 2016 by OhElizabeth

[Heathermomster]

Here is a link to an excellent webinar about dyslexia and writing.

 

My DS tests gifted with the reading/writing/mathematics disorder. DS received the diagnosis 8 years ago on his 8th birthday. At the time, the tester stressed son's verb comp and spatial IQ subtest scores and really drilled home the need to teach to his strengths and accommodate. The NP was very insistent that we not hold DS back and to feed his intelligence using whatever modality worked best for him.

 

For the reading, he received five years of Wilson tutoring followed by a Latin study. Even though DS reads fine, he listens to audio books using Learning Ally, Kindle Immersion, and Voice Dream. All during elementary and logic stage, DS studied vocabulary using a website called freerice.com . He mastered parts of speech late 7th grade.

 

For the math, we use concepts picked up from Ronit Bird, c-rods, MUS, James Tanton, and regular math curricula. I have a strong math background and could never find a math tutor that was even familiar with dyscalculia. DS is currently squeezing by in his Algebra 1B class. You could also use graph paper and a dry erase board.

 

For the handwriting itself, DS types most everything, uses an Echo SmartPen, or I scribe for him. DS also uses a mindmapping SW called Inspiration on the iPad. These kids are late bloomers and require a ton of scaffolding such as scribing and reduced writing assignments. Supports that these kiddos require feel like too much for their age. I taught DS to type in 5th grade. I was very reluctant to do so but looking back, he should have been accommodated much sooner. To this day, his numbers are legible but his handwriting is a hot mess, so much so that he spent the first three weeks of chemistry typing up all of his math calculations in Word.

 

Severity of the dyscalculia will radically affect outcomes. Be gentle and patient with your DD. It is kind of lonely dealing with so many SLDs and not many people understand how hard they try. Remediation is important but don't let it dominate school. Use audio, videos, and hands-on learning materials to help increase comprehension.

 

ETA: I forgot to mention the therapies that DS has received. He worked with an OT for 6 weeks and had Interactive Metronome (IM) therapy for retained reflexes. He also worked with a pediatric PT that helped with his posture, overall strength, balance, and bilateral coordination. Maybe, consider getting a one hour OT eval with a competent therapist that understands prim reflexes because motor issues can negatively affect behavior and attention.

Edited January 19, 2016 by Heathermomster

[Guest]

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Edited February 10, 2016 by Guest

[angelmama1209]

Yes, DSM 5 calls them SLD Reading, Math, and Written Expression, but it's what we used to call dyslexia, dyscalculia, and dsygraphia.  The ODD I think was in both, but it's kissing cousins to ASD.  I would read across labels for that.  Labels aren't absolute anyway, and kids can kind of slide along the ladder of them.  

 

Has she had an OT eval?  And are you getting a referral to a behaviorist?  Actually I'm not sure what they do for straight ODD.  My ds has those 3 SLDs plus ADHD/ASD.  He's a real pistol to work with.  I can't tell the ages of your kids (because I really don't sit here doing math), but I can imagine you're having challenges, sigh.  

 

So she's in therapy for the behavior stuff?  That's fabulous that she's making progress!  You're looking for tutors for the SLDs?  And is there any issue with IQ?  

 

With my ds, I'm doing Ronit Bird and lots of real life stuff for the math.  We're using Barton plus speech therapy materials for the reading and reading comprehension.  For the dysgraphia, I have EZ Write, but my main goal is to get his speech good enough that dictation software can understand him.  Right now he's missing some key letters, so he's about 50/50 whether it will get him right.  I think having SOME means of getting things into print that works is essential.  I don't think it matters what it is, in the sense that I am not in the die on handwriting hill camp.  To me it just matters that SOMEHOW, by SOME MEANS, he's able to get something into print.  And if that means ereaders and dictation, I'm cool with that.  

 

Ok, things the experts didn't tell me, even with 3 psych evals and seeing tons of specialists?  Your kid can have lots of speech and have developmental language holes.  And if they have holes in their ability to communicate, it's going to come out in behavioral problems.  I've just spent the last month and a half focusing on getting my ds to ask a question.  He would come up to me and HIT or make a single word DEMAND, but he couldn't just say "Could you please hand me the milk?"  Nope, he'd just come and hit.  So now he's to where, when PROMPTED, he can, without melting down (and I do mean melting down), give/repeat the question.  That's progress!  So then I read in Joyce Show's book "Teaching Your Child with Skill and Love" (which is PHENOMENAL) that the response to aggression, after we cool them down obviously, is to help them say what they're feeling (I feel frustrated because I didn't get my way, I feel angry, etc.) and THEN they need to be helped to... drum roll... ask a question!  Because asking questions is how kids solve problems.  But no, instead they can't ASK the stupid questions, so the bolt and have these behaviors.

 

Whatever.  It just peeves me to NO END that 3 SLPs have seen my kid and NONE of them really sorted out these fundamental things.  And I have no clue what's underlying *your* dd's ODD.  I'm just saying in my ds' behavior challenges, communication is an issue, understanding his feelings is an issue, problem solving appropriately is an issue.  So whatever, just a rabbit trail.  Definitely read across labels though, because you never know where you'll find the thing that will help you.

 

Well what do you want to do?  Do you need a hug?   :grouphug:  That's an awful whallop to receive.  Ours unraveled in doses, so we weren't so shocked.  Are you wanting to hire help or send her away?  Do you have options?  The other thing that has helped us is structure.  The visual schedules help us immensely.  They are in my ds' IEP (which is gets through the ps to receive a disability scholarship), and they make a big difference for us.  OT strategies can make a big difference with calming strategies, putting her in a better place, looking for retained reflexes.  My ds is *dramatically* better now in that department than he was a year ago.  And it's sort of an evolving thing, where the tools from OT become the things you bring into Zones of Regulation and your calming strategies, so that it's not so much about that one hour but about how it carries over to your home and the flow of your day.  

 

Do you have a grandma or someone to give you relief?  If your kids are young and you have no one, you need that.  Like you really need that.  Like line up with someone in the church or sign up for a mom's night out or something.  It is SO easy to get overwhelmed and burnt out.

 

Lots of people before you have gotten through this.  What worries you the most?  I've decided that, for my ds, social skills and self-regulation are probably going to be bigger factors in his long-term stability and employability than his academics.  Like I want to do right by his academics, but he HAS to have the ability to be calm, act appropriately, etc.  So once you decide your focus (which for this child might be different than the others), then you can kind of give yourself some grace not to be perfect on everything.  Sigh.

 

Thanks for all the replies. This will probably be very rambly but here goes

...

 

I wondered if the diagnoses translated into those 3 terms. She did say the first was consistent with an imaginary dyslexia diagnosis she for some reason thought we already had. The ODD caught *ME* by surprise (I expected ADHD), but noone else- hubby, grandparents, therapist, even a friend- even blinked an eye when told. Fortunately it is a mild diagnosis- only 1 or 2 points- but it is enough that we are trying to figure out the best way to deal with things.

 

She has not had an OT eval. It was recommended for grip strength and related issues, but she works on that in her current therapy. It is on a back burner, in case we feel she needs it in the future. We also suspect some sensory stuff, so it's not far fetched, but doesn't significantly disrupt her life right now. Kids are 10, 8, 6, 3, 2.

 

She is in educational therapy  Has been since she was 5 (she's 8). And, yes, she is making wonderful progress. Her IQ tested 100 even. That did surprise us as we expected quite higher. The psychologist said it could have been her processing speed that dragged it down. She is very bright and clever. Her therapist has suggested a tutor or outsourcing of some sort, but I don't even know where to look for that and finances are very tight right now.

 

Honestly, math is her best subject. We are currently using math mammoth and she is doing just fine with it. She reviews math facts with xtramath on the ipad. She also has started doing simple math in therapy. Her therapist was a bit skeptical on that diagnosis, but wondered if reversals came into play there. I will look into Barton again. The price is what holds me up on that.

 

I need to look into a dictation program for the laptop. She just got my old iphone for Christmas to communicate with her cousin/best friend without stealing my phone to do it. She uses the talk to text and voice speak on that and I believe it will really help her. With talk to text, she proofs before sending and with voice speak, she's reading along with it. I don't know why I didn't think of that already. She actually has beautiful handwriting, but can't do much at a time and has zero spelling.

 

Structure, consistency, and visual charts were all recommended. We already have the visual charts for chores and such. Consistency  and structure is much more difficult for us. We are very relaxed homeschoolers and follow more of a loose routine than a schedule. We also school year round so we are able to  take lots of time off throughout the year. mental health days. park days. lazy days. etc.

 

My hubby is really good about letting me get away. I generally go shopping alone and he's always encouraging moms night outs.

 

I guess I just don't really know where to go from here. What we're doing at home seems to be working fine, but I don't know if it's the BEST and I feel like I leave a lot to the therapist. She's teaching her how to read. She's teaching her how to write. And now she's started math. I also expect things to get more difficult in the next couple of years. My oldest was doing lots of independent work starting in "3rd grade". This child won't be able to do that any time in the near future and I will be adding more school age kids into the mix. I already feel like school takes up a significant part of our day (more than I would like) and it will only increase, the less I can pass off to them. Also, the writing had me freaked out a bit. Like I said, it the bane of my homeschooling existence already. My oldest is in "5th grade" and waaaay behind in writing because I just haven't found what works for us. Scribing and dictating will take care of that worry, though.

 

 

Not sure if this helps at all, but here are her scores.

 

WISC

 

Verbal comprehension 108 (70%)

Visual Spatial  108 (70%)

Fluid reasoning  106 (66%)

Working Memory 97 (42%)

Processing speed 86 (18%)

 

Ancillary index scores

 

Quantitative reasoning index  88 (21%)

Auditory working memory index  97 (42%)

Nonverbal index  100 (50%)

General ability index  108 (70%)

Cognitive proficiency index  89 (23%)

 

Woodcock Johnson

 

Broad achievement  74 (4%, age 6.4)

Broad reasoning  66 (1%, age 5.10)

Broad mathematics  87 (19%, age 6.11)

Broad written language  82 (11%, age 6.7)

Academic skills  73 (4%, age 6.3)

 

Woodcock Johnson oral language

 

Broad oral language  91 (27%, age 7.0)

[PeterPan]

Did they give you a GAI?

 

It doesn't make sense to be worried about writing when she's not writing yet.  It sounds like your tutor/therapist person is tackling the SLDs, so as long as you're able to fund her and give her enough hours, that's taken care of.  

 

It sounds like what you *don't* have a game plan for is the ODD, and I think it's a little concerning that you're not pursuing the OT, etc. but have enough symptoms that relatives are seeing it and professionals are diagnosing it.  Since your academics are taken care of by the therapist/tutor person, seems like the ODD/sensory/behavioral component is what falls to you.  Fortunately, that's something insurance, children's medicaid, the ps, whatever can pay for.  That would be your next step, figuring out who would pay for that to make that happen.  The OT could give you instruction in using visual schedules, understanding antecedants to behaviors, etc.

 

Hmm, loose homeschooler.  Btdt.  Is that your personality?  Or you feel overwhelmed?  You thrive on that?  Some introspection there about yourself can help.  Ultimately, it doesn't matter what you *like*, because you'll suck up and do what she *needs*.  Most kids with these challenges are going to respond well to consistency, structure, predictability.  With that many kids, the whole house runs better with consistency, structure, predictability.  Maybe view this as a learning opportunity?   :)   And I'm not meaning to criticize you there, because that's where I WAS for a lot of years.  Seriously.  But I get it now, the structure, clear expectations are important.  It doesn't have to be rigid and blow freedom of choice or spontenaity.  In fact, it's just the opposite, that structure INCREASES your ability to choose!  

 

Here I show some pictures of our visual schedules.  There are lots of ways to do things.  With multiple kids, you might have several running parallel.  There are definitely lots of ways to do it.  How much is the tutor/therapist working with her a week?  That's creating structure there for you, which you can build on.  https://flic.kr/s/aHskmyxzcN

 

The other thing you can do is just reread your report over and over.  I find each time I read the reports, more jumps out at me.  It takes time to filter all that and turn it into a game plan.  There have been gems in the reports that ended up taking me a long time to figure out how to do anything with.  It's just the learning curve, and it's ok that you're confused right now.  You'll get there.   :)

 

 

Edited January 19, 2016 by OhElizabeth

[Heathermomster]

OP, there is a window of time for when sensory may be addressed eta: most effectively.  An SIPT OT can evaluate your DD and determine what helps she needs. 

 

There are a whole series of measurable areas that a competent OT can look at and address.  If your DD has poor pincer strength, it is not reasonable to expect her to write with a happy attitude because writing with poor pincer strength is painful.  Anyhoo..

 

I have found the OT eval to be the easiest and quickest evaluation that led to substantially positive results for both of my children.  Maybe talk to your child's ed therapist about these issues.

 

As to your eldest child and writing, take heart and watch the video webinar that I linked.  Take notes and apply the scaffolding to whatever writing program that you use.  My DS started writing by himself when he was late 7th grade.  Get the 5th grader typing or using speech to text sw now.  We have moms on the board with children who use Siri and speak into an email program to dictate their work.  Introduce your 5th grader to mindmapping sw like Inspiration or Kidspiration now.  DS has used mindmaps to outline science, history, and logic assignments.  You will need to sit down with the 5th grader and demonstrate what you want to see in her writing until she internalizes the process.  Use Socratic type questioning and scribe for her.  Don't be upset about the 5th grader.  With supports and direct explicit instruction, the writing will come around.  I seriously don't understand why 5th grade is somehow the standard for when kiddos are kicking out incredible essays.  Who made up that rule? Whatever the case, if writing remains a problem, you may want her tested too to determine whether an SLD is present.  Good luck!

Edited January 20, 2016 by Heathermomster

[PeterPan]

No, there is no limit on addressing sensory, mercy.  I was doing joint compressions on my dd16 just last night because she was struggling with the strong taste of the inhaler for her current affliction (bronchitis).  If you have sensory issues and don't get them eval'd young, they'll just be sitting there, afflicting the person, affecting life, making self-regulation harder, yes, but it's not like they just become set in stone and can't be worked on.  It's more just that the person (and all those around him/her) are suffering needlessly.

 

This link is not sensory but about dysregulation vs. self-regulation in our students.  It's brilliant and made a LOT come together for me.  

 

http://praacticalaac...-barry-prizant/

 

For instance, the ps had said one of the things they would do, if they changed his disabling condition in his IEP, was to give him more frequent sensory breaks, like literally every 15 minutes of activity would be followed by another sensory break.  We did that Monday, and WOW what a difference!  It's not attention but his *self-regulation*.  And when he's more regulated, more stable, EVERYTHING goes better.  

 

So far this school year, I've been choked (with marks that stayed a week), scratched to bleeding, etc. etc.  We have serious issues here.  This is amazing to me that this little thing that doesn't cost anything, just takes effort to organize, could be so significant in stabilizing him.  We still have issues, because I'm having to prompt him through and help him say his feelings, ask a question to problem solve.  

 

Andrew Pudewa says this, I think mirroring something someone else says, but the idea is: IF OUR KIDS COULD DO BETTER, THEY WOULD.  Steve Green (The Explosive Child) says the same thing.  So I don't know what problem behaviors you're dealing with, but I definitely think the answer is probably going to come with structure and support and that it's something the child can't make happen for himself cognitively or he WOULD.

 

This is the thread with the Prizant links and discussion.  Definitely worth your time.  For fans of Uniquely Human: link to 2 webinars by Dr. Barry Prizant - The Learning Challenges Board - The Well-Trained Mind Community

Edited January 20, 2016 by OhElizabeth

[Heathermomster]

I was referring to the SIPT Praxis test, where the top age for administration is 8 years, 11 months.  I wrote that wrong.. :ohmy:

Edited January 20, 2016 by Heathermomster

[PeterPan]

I was referring to the SIPT Praxis test, where the top age for administration is 8 years, 11 months.  I wrote that wrong.. :ohmy:

I didn't know that!  Learn something new every day!  :D  But even so, there are sensory and praxis tests for older kids.  There is no window that closes, only unnecessary suffering without the tools to improve the situation.  My dd didn't have her OT eval until 11.  We waited WAY too long.

[Heathermomster]

I didn't know that!  Learn something new every day!   :D  But even so, there are sensory and praxis tests for older kids.  There is no window that closes, only unnecessary suffering without the tools to improve the situation.  My dd didn't have her OT eval until 11.  We waited WAY too long.

I don't disagree with you at all.  There are tons of things that can be done to alleviate sensory beyond aged 8.  When I wrote the above, I was referring to the SIPT evaluation.    

 

ETA:  I added the words most effectively to my posting.  

Edited January 20, 2016 by Heathermomster

[kbutton]

Structure, consistency, and visual charts were all recommended. We already have the visual charts for chores and such. Consistency  and structure is much more difficult for us. We are very relaxed homeschoolers and follow more of a loose routine than a schedule. We also school year round so we are able to  take lots of time off throughout the year. mental health days. park days. lazy days. etc.

 

 

Consistency and routine are compatible without totally going to "schedule mode," but the adjustment and support might look different. Spontaneity is an opposite, but routine is not opposite, just a different kind of structure. You might have to assign a routine to days off, for instance.