is a LD diagnosis important?

[urban mama]

Hi.

I'm new here and have been homeschooling for a couple of years. I have a question about the importance of testing for a suspected learning disability. I suspect my dd (6-1/2) has some kind of processing disorder. She struggles with words when reading and numbers. She reads words backwards regularly and, when she was first learning to read she would have to painstakingly sound out a word even if she had just read the exact word on the same page 10 seconds earlier. All this to say that she is actually reading well, we have worked at capitalizing on her strengths and giving her tools when she gets "stuck" on a word.

 

My dh has LD and also taught high school for several years in an urban school. Most of his students had either diagnosed or undiagnosed LD. He seems to feel that, as long as she is progressing and we are providing her with multiple ways to learn things and not pushing her too hard, then we should just leave it alone.

 

This is a new realm for me. Does a diagnosis for a LD (probably more of a mild one) make any difference in the long run?

[Unicorn.]

It sounds to me like you are already finding ways to help your dd, and it's working. I don't think you need to get one now. Maybe later if what you're doing stops working, or she stops progressing, gets worse, etc. Unless you just want to know exactly what the problem is, and would like more info on how to help her. Just my 02

[Ibbygirl]

I think it is good to have her evaluated just so you know what you're dealing with. Then you can check out some books and read up on it and better tailor your teaching methods to her needs. In my county, the evaluation is free with a referral from the pediatrician and they do a thorough work up. I was referred by my pediatrician for my son. We spent an entire day at the Children's Diagnostic and Treatment Center where he spent about an hour each with a speech pathologist, an occupational therapist, a physical therapist and a pediatric psychologist. After they had done their observations and testing of him they called us into the room and told us their findings and gave us their recommendations. With disabilities, alot can be done with therapy if it is caught early. Just my humble 2 cents. :)

[Mom22ns]

The only advantage in a diagnosis in my mind, is to help you know how to work with her. If you are having good success, a diagnosis may not be necessary. However, I consider knowledge to be power. The more I know about what is going on with my kids the more I can learn about how to help them. By getting testing that shows exactly what her weaknesses are, you may be pointed in new directions that improve your teaching methods even more. I never want to miss an opportunity to help my kids.

 

One other thing to consider, when kids are young, they can go through testing and have no clue what they are testing for. If you wait until they are in middle school and start to struggle with more difficult materials, then they feel the label more strongly.

 

One last thing to consider is how your state handles diagnosed kids. Some states want more involvement if a child has a label. Mine doesn't so there is no downside. You might double check your state though, because if you are working with her successfully you probably don't want to have to mess with any state issues.

[EKS]

My son's diagnosis (actually he has a few of them) makes it so that he can get testing accommodations. This will be extremely important for him when he takes the SAT. Getting accommodations for the SAT is very difficult, and apparently one thing you have to prove is that the problem has been an ongoing one, so you can't just wait until SAT time comes and then get a diagnosis.

[Dobela]

First, have you had her vision checked thoroughly? My son was making the same kinds of errors and after the recommendations of several on the board here I took him for an exam by a developmental optomotrist. She found that he had serious tracking and perception problems. After just 4 visits his reading has much improved. I just cannot say enough good about what we have experienced so far. Visit www.covd.org for more information - especially the section called signs and symptoms.

 

I am a former special ed teacher and I have scheduled testing on my ds9. Personally I find it very valuable because the results give you more specific information about your child that you may not have known. That in turn can make it easier to find a curriculum, to fill in any gaps, and just to understand your child more. Sometimes it also helps having someone not so involved with the child to look objectively and give advice.

 

The previous advice about your state involvement is important. My state doesn't require more involvement thankfully. But they do require standardized testing starting in grade 3. I am having the formal evaluation done so I can request any adaptations my son may need for the tests. Without the formal testing, no special assistance can be granted.

[Renee in NC]

I am having my 8yo tested because I don't know *why* he is the way he is and what to do to help him. The results will help us to know where to go next.

 

My 11yo, on the other hand, is progressing fairly well with the interventions I have started. I know what his problem is and how to remediate it. The reason for getting him tested is for SAT/ACT accomodations in case they are needed. I don't know how well he will be remediated by then and I don't want to get there and then not be able to get accomodations because he was never diagnosed.

 

The other reason for testing is that a reading disability diagnosis will allow your child to receive books on CD from the Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic.

[Dobela]

of children with LD or other special needs. Check out this link to their recommendations : http://www.hslda.org/strugglinglearner/sn_TwoSteps.asp

[urban mama]

Thank you all so much for your well thought out and insightful answers. You have each given me something to think about. I will definitely have to check into our states requirements in terms of involvement if we go ahead with testing. I will also look more closely into the vision therapy website. I greatly appreciate all your comments!

[MommyJo]

I have experience in the Special Education field as this was my major in college. I completed my program all except for student teaching (thanks to the cost) and have a child who has had a speech disorder and has SPD. Anyways, I see it one of two ways.

1) You can leave the diagnosis alone and just look into ways to help her (it seems you are already doing a great job of it) and also utilize all these free websites online that teach you how to teach children with dyslexia, etc. There are also specific homeschooling materials for individuals with LD's.

2) You can look into getting a diagnosis for the purpose of her receiving services she may need. In case she ever needs any kind of therapy (which is doesn't sound like she will need if she just has LD) or any meds then it would benefit to have a diagnosis early on.

Honestly, I strongly believe that we should not label children. There is no need for them to feel different when in all reality, they are special in God's eyes. God made them just the way they are for a reason. Anyways, I think in your particular case you are doing a wonderful job and I strongly suggest you just utilize extra materials as you can. She will eventually learn to "beat the LD" in a sense if you can help her through it. Children with LD learn eventually how to adapt and that's what's most important at this point, labeling may cause her to think she has a reason to not do some work. I had a neighbor whose son was diagnosed as ADD and he would always tell her that he couldn't do his homework and blame it on the ADHD. I just believe altogether that diagnosis aren't always the most important thing!

WHEW! Sorry for the long post!

[hferguson10]

The main reason it helps is to just narrow down what exactly you are dealing with so you can accommodate your plan of action. It may be that you wouldn't change anything, or you may, once you knew for sure, want to take a different route. We just had our daughter tested and while we had already made changes over the course of a fe months, it was helpful to take the mystery out of what was going on with her - and it has helped with my patience.:)

[hferguson10]

The main reason it helps is to just narrow down what exactly you are dealing with so you can accommodate your plan of action. It may be that you wouldn't change anything, or you may, once you knew for sure, want to take a different route. We just had our daughter tested and while we had already made changes over the course of a fe months, it was helpful to take the mystery out of what was going on with her - and it has helped with my patience.:)

 

Heather

[tex-mex]

Hi.

I'm new here and have been homeschooling for a couple of years. I have a question about the importance of testing for a suspected learning disability. I suspect my dd (6-1/2) has some kind of processing disorder. She struggles with words when reading and numbers. She reads words backwards regularly and, when she was first learning to read she would have to painstakingly sound out a word even if she had just read the exact word on the same page 10 seconds earlier. All this to say that she is actually reading well, we have worked at capitalizing on her strengths and giving her tools when she gets "stuck" on a word.

 

 

I think to test your child is a bit early at her age... her reversals with numbers or letters could still be developmental. Usually if struggles with daily learning become worse at the 3rd grade level -- that is the typical time to begin assessing the problem. Be aware that a LD is legit when it is below 2 "deviants" of their age/grade level... the testing you are asking for will only point in the direction. You will see it strongly in daily work. Have you given her a basic reading comprehension test to see where she is at grade level wise -- again, she may be a late bloomer?

 

I do agree with your hubby to wait on testing for a LD at this point. Look to your daily work and school chapter tests to prove your concerns. Document it. Take a pre/post assessments of the school year. Get her reading comprehension skills versus oral fluency skills documented. If she is a little below grade level... there are many great programs out there to help her. But I don't agree with labeling her with a LD at this point.