How do we help a kindergartner who cannot complete assignments independently and gets distracted easily?
Dear Dr. Silver,
I have a 5-year-old son that is in kindergarten. Prior to this year, he attended some daycare but never attended pre-k.
We have been experiencing problems with his learning. His teacher complains to us everyday that he does not complete his assignments in class. She has shown my husband the packets they need to do in class and his are blank. I have noticed that if I sit down with him, he will finish the work. However, if he does not have supervision he gets distracted.
This happens consistently. Please tell me your suggestions on what to do. I am very concerned about his learning ability. He is a normal child - he communicates normally and understands my instructions when it comes to home duties. But when it comes to school he does not seem to get it.
Thanks
Malena
Ask to meet with the principal of the school. Explain your concerns and the comments from his teacher. Request that the principal assign the school psychologist or other school professional to observe your son and to talk with the teacher.
Then, ask that the principal, this professional, and the teacher meet with you to discuss their ideas on why he is having difficulty. (If you make this request to the principal in writing, the principal must respond and schedule this meeting within 30 calendar days.) Don't accept a no or a "let's wait until the end of the school year." If you hear this, seek help from a private educational consultant.
(April 2009)
Are memory difficulties considered learning disabilities?
Is the inability to memorize a learning disability? As a child, I was unable to memorize the arithmetic tables and to this day cannot add or subtract, multiply or divide accurately. As a teenager and an adult this inability to memorize has made it impossible to learn a second language because I'm unable to memorize and retain vocabulary.
Now at age 55, I'm under pressure at my job to learn a second language and even though I try to explain this problem, no one will believe that it is a learning disability. They keep pointing out that I have learned one language so I should be able to learn two. Of course, they all speak two or three fluently. I need some data to back me up. Can you help?
By the way, my IQ is 140 and I have an Ed.D. from Teachers College-Columbia University. I can learn, I just can't memorize.
Thank you,
Susan
There are many types of memory - working memory, short term memory, long term memory. And each type of memory is different for visual and for auditory processing. It is possible that you have a specific type of memory deficit that would make specific tasks, such as learning a new language difficult. I cannot be more specific. If it is important to you, you might request formal testing to clarify if you have a deficit in memory and, if so, in what areas.
(June 2007)
As an adult, how can I determine if I have dyscalculia?
How can I go about determining if I have dyscalculia? Do you know of anyone who can make this determination in an adult in the San Antonio, Texas area? I have always had difficulty with math but now that I am in intermediate algebra in college, it's impossible.
I use a tutor two hours a week, the professor is wonderful, and I still don't get it. As they explain it one-on-one to me, it makes sense. Twenty-four hours later, I might as well be looking at Japanese writings. It does not make sense. I can't even look at the examples given to figure out a solution. A friend suggested I may have dyscalculia. I thank you in advance for your assistance.
Dyscalculia, or difficulty learning and applying math, is considered a type of a learning disability. If you have never had studies done to answer your question, you should do so now. Go to the Office of Disability Services at your college and ask how you can be evaluated for your math disability.
(June 2009)
Can a child read well and still be dyslexic?
Is it possible for a child to be able to read at or slightly above grade level, but still have dyslexia? My nine-year-old son does fine in reading (he did have two years of Title 1 reading assistance), but has difficulty spelling and has handwriting that is often illegible.
Dyslexia is a name used for a specific type of learning disability, a language-based reading disability. Don’t focus on the label. If he is nine and still struggling with spelling and handwriting, you should ask your school special education specialist or a private specialist to assess and find out why.
(November 2007)
Can a person who writes but can’t read be dyslexic?
After learning about dyslexia in my AP psychology class, I've been wondering whether I had it. It would explain my constant and perpetuating difficulty reading, but I seem to be an ok writer and have always taken honors and AP English classes. Of course, I was never able to read any of the required novels. Instead, I relied on classroom discussions and summaries to help me understand the books. Would it be possible for me to be dyslexic if I can write but not read? I seem to have some of the symptoms but not all.
I’m sorry it took high school and reading about dyslexia for anyone (you) to question why you have so much difficulty reading. Speak to your parents about requesting formal testing to clarify why you have this problem. Only by understanding the reason(s) will you be able to know what type of help will be most useful.
(May 2007)
Can a really busy person get diagnosed without spending much time at it?
Is there a way I could be diagnosed without having to go to my general practitioner? During the week, I have college and have to work so I never have spare time to go to the doctors. But I want an official diagnosis that I have ADD or ADHD. It would help me get a little extra help in college
There is no easy or quick way to diagnose or treat ADHD. You need to be seen by a physician to establish the diagnosis and to receive treatment. Maybe you could find someone at your college's Health Services so that you do not have to travel. Again, if you have a problem that is impacting on your success, you must find the time to get the proper diagnosis and treatment.
(April 2007)
Can a teacher place a child in a resource room?
I am a self-contained special education teacher in New Jersey. I would like to know if I can place my students in a resource room setting for subjects such as reading or math. In other words, I might teach this student reading, language, spelling, science and social studies and he might go to the resource room for math. Is this legal?
You must request a meeting of the special education team. In New Jersey, this is known as the Child Study Team. This is the group of professionals who will reflect on your concerns and answer your questions.
(December 2008)
Can a teenager have a receptive-expressive language disorder?
My 14-year-old eighth grade daughter has bipolar disorder and has an IEP under SED. She is in both GATE and special ed programming. She receives medical services from her HMO and from County Mental Health. She is currently stable and doing acceptable work in her academic classes. However, she has always struggled with written assignments (even before she became ill), and particularly struggles with answering the call of a question. Her grades on homework tend to be A's or F's, depending on the nature of the assignment.
Today her psychiatrist said that she almost certainly has a receptive-expressive language problem that is masked by her emotional problems and her intelligence, and that is definitely not part of the thought disorder.
However, the psychiatrist can't diagnose an educational problem so I'll have to ask the school to test my daughter.
My daughter has always had some trouble with writing mechanics and with organizing her thoughts on paper. However, she began talking at a very young age (full sentences before 12 months), has always had a precocious vocabulary, and reads well, so it never occurred to me that she could have a language-based disability. Is this possible? What testing should be done? Can a receptive-expressive language problem be remediated in a teenager?
Thank you so much.
P. Johnson
Your daughter's psychiatrist is right. In addition to her bipolar disorder (the SED program) and her learning disabilities (her special ed program), she appears to have a receptive-expressive language disability. This problem is often seen when learning disabilities exists. She needs a speech-language assessment to clarify these problems and then she will need speech-language therapy along with appropriate accommodations to succeed. Yes, it is not too late to address these problems as a teen.
(March 2007)
Can an ADD child get addicted to video games?
I have an 11-year-old son with ADD. A doctor has stated that there is research showing that a) kids can become addicted to violent video games and that b) gaming raises cortisol levels in people who play video games. A counselor says that ALL electronics can cause the above two situations. What is your take on this? What about active video games such as Dance Revolution or the wii games? How should a parent address this? Take them off all games, etc? Permanently or just take a break?... HELP!
This doctor is providing part of the research. May I refer you to a website that will provide more facts: notMYkid (then click on Internet addiction). Another site is MediaWise (then click on game addiction).
(January 2008)
Can an exercise program aimed at re-patterning neuronal pathways help children learn to read better?
Dear Dr Silver:
I wanted to ask your opinion regarding a controversial treatment of learning disorders. My daughter's school has begun a program of using what I believe is an old technique (40 or so years) that was found not to have conceptual or scientific foundation in the treatment of learning disabilities. They're using an exercise program aimed at re-patterning the neuronal pathways. The claim is that by doing exercises and crossing the midline of the brain the child is able to learn to read better.
The school is not only having kids with LD do the exercises but the entire school. As an adult with a learning disability who believes exercise is extremely important for many reasons, I disagree with the use of an unfounded method of treatment. I believe it gives parents false hope, wastes precious time in the classroom, and takes away from time that could be used with proven methods. I know that the American Academy of Pediatrics has denounced such methods. I respect your knowledge and expertise and I wanted your opinion on whether you believe patterning is an effective treatment for LD.
Thanks for your input.
David Kalis, LCSW, Ph.D.
You are correct. This method - originally proposed by Doman and Delacado - has been long shown to be incorrect in the concepts proposed and not successful as a treatment. You will need help in approaching the school board. First, you might contact the American Academy of Pediatrics and request their position paper on this approach. Second, you might look through the chapter on "Controversial Therapies" in my book, The Misunderstood Child, Fourth Edition, published by Random House/Three Rivers Press.
(April 2009)
Can LD be unrecognized until a student goes to college?
Is it possible for a learning disability to go unrecognized until a student first enters college? I struggled intensely my freshman year of college to keep up with the readings and writing papers. It is difficult for me because the vocabulary I tried to develop over the course of high school seems like it has left me. I used to memorize vocabulary words and use the thesaurus a lot in high school to help me but it seems like new and complex vocabulary words don't stick.
I am also a very slow reader and the ideas and concepts I'm trying to understand are difficult to remember after reading. It seems as though I can't quickly process the information. I end up highlighting passages like crazy and going back to re-read them again and again. It makes it difficult to remember what was read and summarize it.
It is also difficult for me to do mental math which limits my computational skills. All of these struggles actually led me to become so frustrated that I attempted suicide. I am now in recovery for depression and anxiety but still wonder if all of my academic problems are directly related to depression only.
Most people are telling me that since I was never diagnosed with any disability earlier in life, it would be impossible for me to have one. But I definitely remember struggling in high school to keep up with my peers. School was pretty much my life. Are there any tests which could be done to investigate this further?
I am sorry to hear of your problems. First, may I comment on your emotional difficulties. Anxiety and depression might be the result of adjusting to college or to the frustrations resulting from poor academic performance. However, more often, they are the current expression, maybe more intense, of a chronic problem. That is, I suspect that you have had periods of anxiety or depression since childhood. It is critical that you continue psychological help beyond getting through the acute phase.
Yes, it is possible to have learning disabilities and not be recognized until college. There are several possible reasons. Perhaps a parent or both parents provided much support with homework and projects during school, covering up any areas of difficulty. You might have gone to a school that cared enough to adapt their teaching to fit your abilities to perform or that provided much support and assistance during school. You graduated with a sense of competence that might not have been there.
What ever the reasons, meet with someone in your college's Office of Disability Services. Arrange to receive the necessary testing to either document your learning disabilities or to clarify other possible problems. Based on these findings, seek appropriate help plus accommodations.
Note from LD OnLine: For more on diagnosis, see What Do You Do If You Suspect Your Child Has a Learning Disability. For more on the social and emotional problems, see Social and Emotional Problems Related to Dyslexia. Good luck.
(July 2008)
Can our daughter be both gifted and learning disabled at the same time?
My daughter is in a Gifted and Talented program in our school corporation and is in the fourth grade. Since starting the program last year, we (along with her teachers) have noted a difficulty in spelling. She excels in everything, except reading aloud, retaining what she reads and spelling. Her state tests came back and confirmed she belongs in the gifted program. All her scores were well above average, especially Math. Her spelling score was in the 39th percentile, still in the average range but on the low end. It has also been noted, whenever she works on her own in class, she is not able to sit still (she rocks or shifts back and forth) and has even been seen to flex her hands so bad she is not able to type on a computer, hold a pencil or even write.
Whenever we look over our daughter's work, we have to ask her for clarification on several of her words because her words are not spelled anywhere close phonetically. Her teacher suggested that an evaluation be done to determine what kind of learning disability our daughter has. This teacher has been working with the gifted program for over ten years so we feel very confident in her opinion of the situation. We were told testing would not be granted because she does not have the scores or classroom grades to support her difficulties.
How is it that our daughter can read through her entire state tests, score well above average, do well in all her subjects and not be able to spell or restate what she just read? Is this a simple case of needing to learn phonics or could there be a disability that needs diagnosed? Your help and any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Meredith
Meredith,
I strongly support her teacher's suggestion that an evaluation be done to clarify why she is having these difficulties. You can be bright and gifted and still have learning disabilities. In my mind, contradictions are clues. The testing should help to clarify the reasons for her difficulties. If, with the support of this teacher, you still cannot get your school system to do formal testing, you might have to seek a private professional to do these studies.
(March 2008)
Can you suggest ways to ease the job interview process for someone with a learning disability?
Is there a specific learning disability that refers to someone who has trouble getting information from his head to the paper? He can learn well in a lecture atmosphere, but is working to read, study, and write. My son spent 14 years in the school system and never graduated. He has been working in a pretty good job for some time now, but the company is making some changes and I am worried that he will be laid off. Job searching, especially the interview process, is impossible for him. He is now 25 years old. Do you have any suggestions?
What a failure on the part of your school system that he spent 14 years and never graduated. I wonder if he was ever evaluated or if he received services during his education.
Learning Disabilities might involve reading skills. Some individuals have difficulty learning to decode and read. Others might have difficulty understanding what they have read (comprehension). Still others might have difficulty retaining what they have read and comprehended (fluency). Same thing with writing. Some may have difficulty forming the letters correctly and getting the words onto the page and in the proper place. Others might have difficulty with what is called “language arts,” spelling, grammar, punctuation, and capitalization.
Still, others might have difficulty getting the thoughts and words needed to respond in writing pulled from memory and organized. These students have difficulty organizing thoughts and getting them onto the page (writing fluency). The more difficult the task, the more difficult organizing one’s thoughts and writing is.
Many students might also have problems with math. They might have problems recognizing and using the number symbols and/or getting these symbols onto the page in the proper place. Some might have difficulty learning such concepts as addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division. Others might have difficulty reading and understand the word problems. And, still, others might have difficulty retrieving from memory the necessary math concepts, applying these concepts, and getting the steps written on the page (math fluency).
In order to get accommodations from your son’s employer, it will be necessary to document the disabilities. It might be necessary to have formal psycho-educational testing done. Such testing will clarify why he has difficulties. With this new knowledge, he might want to think about taking the GED with accommodations as well. LD OnLine has information on taking the GED tests and requesting accommodations.
(August 2007)
Could a pre-kindergarten student who identifies numbers but not letters be showing early signs of dyslexia?
I teach early childhood special education and have a student who is pretty good at identifying numbers, but is not identifying letters or showing much interest in emergent reading. He likes books and looking at the pictures or singing the songs, but not identifying letters or sounds.
The child is 4.5 years old. His speech is good — he has received SLP therapy and his receptive and expressive language are both high. Could any of this difficulty in expressing letter knowledge, but not number knowledge, be an early sign of dyslexia? Is it perhaps just a matter of being 4 and not wanting to answer the questions? Also, his parent had a learning disability as a child — could this be genetic?
Thank you!
The problems you describe could be the initial clues that this child might have learning disabilities. The fact that he needed language therapy adds to the possibility of this diagnosis. If this child is in your class, it suggests that he is already seen as in need of special education services. The current approach would be to try remedial interventions and see how he responds. If he does not respond, then formal studies might be done.
(June 2009)
Could the long hours it has taken me to do well at my studies be due to an undiagnosed learning disability?
Throughout school, I have always tried to be a good student and would constantly put in a tremendous amount of effort to keep up with the material of my classes. I'm 20 years old and recently had to withdraw from my classes at University of Wisconsin-Madison due to my frustration with school. I've been put on medication for depression and General Anxiety Disorder although I'm not certain it is helping.
Ever since this has happened, I've been re-examining my past as a student from grade school all the way to high school. I would get good grades but I would have to put in many extra hours to keep up. It seems like I would memorize the information required of me through constant repetition, take the test on the information from the class, and then forget all the material after. I could never remember details from books and would constantly have to highlight almost every sentence and then return to it through repetition until what was read was ready to be spit back out on an exam.
My social life suffered because I always seemed to be studying and never found very much time to discover what actually interested me in life because my nose was hidden in a book.
Here are some of the problems I'm discovering about myself: inability to do mental math; difficulty understanding percentages, decimals, fractions, measuring, and financing; difficulty remembering numbers; difficulty retaining information that I've read; difficulty concentrating in a noisy environment; inability to understand abstract concepts; poor vocabulary; difficulty with writing and expression; difficulty reading maps and poor sense of direction; difficulty trying to navigate and remember directions/street signs while driving; and the list goes on. Is it possible that I may have an undiagnosed learning disability?
Emily Whitlock
Emily,
Yes, yes, yes. Sadly, you describe someone (yourself) who has had to struggle with unrecognized and untreated learning disabilities. Find a way to be evaluated. Then, find out how to get help. Should you return to college, these studies will open the door for better services and accommodations. Don't give up. Find out what the problem is and act.
(March 2008)
Debbie - 11 - 03 - 2004
Debbie,
Pennsylvania
I don't blame you for being confused. I am also. If four comprehensive evaluations found your son to have LD, I would accept that he has LD. I can not comment on the current teacher's statements; however, I would trust the test results over the teacher's observations. Of great concern is that he has developed serious emotional problems and now appears to need a special program for students with emotional problems. It will be important for you to work closely with the professionals working with him. If some/many of the emotional problems are a result of the frustrations and failures he experienced because of his LD, he will need help with his academic deficits as well as his emotional and social problems. If he is treated for his emotional problems only without being aware of the impact of the LD, he will be discharged back to a school program set up to fail again. Debbie, first discuss your concerns with the professionals working with your son. Bring along all previous test data. If this meeting is not successful, find a consultant to help you.
(November 2004)
Do you have any helpful hints or tips for adults with LD that struggle with test anxiety?
I have a question concerning the NYS Teacher's Certification Exam. I am an adult with a learning disability and I am struggling to pass these exams. Do you have any helpful hints or ideas that I might be able to try?
I am not a test-taker and often "flip out." Part of me doesn't know if it's my learning disability or test anxiety.
Thanks
Megan
Under the American's with Disabilities Act, if someone has a documented disability, any testing program must provide the appropriate accommodations.
If you have Learning Disabilities, you will need current test data to document this. You will also need to have a professional define how your specific disabilities will interfere with the specific material and style of questions in the exam. Only with this data can you request the accommodation of extended time.
If you have an anxiety disorder that flairs up in test situations, you need to discuss this with a physician who can prescribe medication to use prior to taking the test.
So, go to the website for the exam, click under accommodations, click under your disability, and download the requirements to request accommodations. Then, try to address this list.
If everything fails, you will need to do practice exams until you are dizzy. You must learn to be efficient with the types of questions and types of problems you will be asked to know.
(November 2006)
Do you have any tips for teenage drivers with ADHD and/or LD?
I am a 17-year-old girl who has been diagnosed with ADHD and a type of LD. I have had my license since August of 2005. Since then (not including the minor bumps against the garage), I've had two severe car accidents resulting in totaling both cars. The first one was inexperience, but the second one was failure to pay attention and my reaction time.
My parents are restricting my driving right now but they don't want to take it away because they don't want me to lose my freedom. Do you know of any tips or books for teenagers living with ADHD and driving?
Thanks
Ashley
You are wise to ask for help.
Start by learning what type of LD you have. Hopefully your parents or a school professional will know. You need to find out if this disability might be contributing to your problem. For example, if you have visual-spatial or visual-motor difficulties, you might have trouble judging distance, closeness.
Then, clarify in what ways you have ADHD. Are you hyperactive? Are you inattentive and easily distracted? Are you impulsive? If you are any or all of these, it would be important that you be on the proper medication when you drive. This medication would reduce or stop such behaviors.
Now, to be more practical. Ask your parents to check with the driving schools in your area. Ask if any program has a teacher that works well with students who have ADHD or Learning Disabilities. Even though you already have a license, it would be helpful to take more practice lessons with someone who understands and who can give you practical advice.
Good Luck.
(November 2006)
Does a university student need a medical assessment to receive accommodation for learning disabilities?
I always did very well in school, but I always suffered with writing and presentations. My anxiety level has always been high, and I was diagnosed with GAD. When I reached the university level, I asked to be tested, but didn't have the $800. I completed two degrees after this, and when I was in the last semester of my third degree, I was told by a disabilities office that I could be assessed by a graduate student for a small amount.
I was assessed and a learning disability was confirmed, but the assessment was very vague and did not give a specific diagnosis. Now I am completing a Master's degree and am falling far behind. I showed the University the letter confirming my disability status that I received from the disabilities office, but they insist that it must be a medical assessment. I cannot afford further testing. I am working and studying. What can I do?
Jane
First, my deepest respect for your perseverance. Wonderful. If the earlier testing was comprehensive and confirmed LD, you should not need additional testing. If the concern is the wording of the report, contact the person who did the testing.
Explain your problem and ask that he/she edit the report and send you a new copy. If this is not possible, you might need updated testing.
A medical assessment would be needed if you request accommodations based on your Generalized Anxiety Disorder or if you had ADHD. There is no need for such an assessment if your disability is a learning disability.
(August 2007)
Does my inattentive disorganized teenage son have ADHD?
My question or questions concern my son who is now 15. He has had struggles his entire tenure as a student thus far. His teachers say that he is to often off of the task at hand. He tells me he has trouble concentrating at times. Having him sit by himself is very little help in terms of him not getting distracted. I had him tested four years ago for ADD and he doesn’t seem to be a ADHD candidate because he has no problem staying still, with the exception of his concentration problems. He gets good grades at times and then it seems at testing time he fails. Teaching methods attribute to some of it, but not all.
He is very disorganized and even if I take the time to get him set-up to be organized (i.e. notes), he often gets classes mixed up. This leaves him with a result of mixed-up paperwork that needs to be deciphered for determining which notebook it goes in. The doctor who gave him the test years ago said that the results were such that he didn’t think he was ADD or ADHD and that he would probably always be a high maintenance student. He is now a freshman struggling and I cant help but feel he is slipping through the cracks. He does not cause problems, although when he is off task and tries to socialize during class, it can cause additional distraction for his teachers. Please advise on where I should go from here.
Thanks,
Harold
Your son is fortunate to have a father who cares and is concerned. Your worries are appropriate. How would a 15-year-old reflect that he might have ADHD? First, he would have difficulties with activity level, ability to attend, or with impulsivity. For adolescents, we often also find problems with organization and with time planning. You describe him as distractible and inattentive. He is also disorganized.
The second step in establishing the diagnosis of ADHD is to show that the identified behaviors have been present since early childhood (chronic) and that they occur in most life situatiions (pervasive. I believe that you describe such a chronic and pervasive pattern. Finally, you need to show that these behaviors are having a significant impact on areas of his life — home, school, peers. The answer again is yes.
Based on your description, your son seems to have ADHD. I encourage you to see a physician who is knowledgeable about ADHD. If my impression is correct and he does have ADHD, treatment will make a significant difference.
(February 2009)
