Ask Dr. Silver

I was diagnosed with LD in math and reading when I was in eighth grade. Recently, my daughter has had problems with reading and writing. She is 6 years old and I was just wondering if LD is passed on to offspring.

How does one find out if their child has dyslexia? I have approached the teachers regarding this and they told me to seek help outside school. Yet when I speak to professionals outside school they say it is up to the school to test the child. Can you give me advice to help my daughter before she falls any further behind in school? She is entering third grade.

Thank you,

Heather

My son of 8 years old shows symptoms of learning disabilities. At first, his teachers thought it was due to vision problems. He is wearing glasses and still doesn't show improvements.

He reverses letters and numbers and has problems with reading. He also cannot see the difference between adding and subtracting, no matter how I teach him. I don't know if I should bring him to a psychologist or neurologist.

Please help! Thanks.

I have a 6-year-old son that is having trouble at school. He reads a lot of common words backwards, such as reading pan for nap or dull for pull. He can do basic math, but if the answer is 32, sometimes he'll write 23.

It was upsetting me that he was making simple mistakes because he wouldn't take the time to look at things, and then I noticed he was having trouble focusing his eyes. I had his vision tested and it's fine.

I asked his teacher if she would refer him to get tested for a learning disability. She told me the school's waiting list is about 60 days. Am I going about it the right way by getting him tested? Where do I go from here? Can my son's doctor have him tested or refer me to a testing center? What kind of test do you do to identify learning disabilities? I feel completely lost and worry that I am failing my son. Please help!

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!

My 6-year-old son was evaluated in 2007 by a neuropsychologist. She determined that he does have the precursors for dyslexia and what appeared to be the beginnings of it. I then had him evaluated for dyslexia and pre-screened for the Barton Reading and Spelling System. He is very intelligent and is reading above grade level. He can write, but it takes him time. His school refuses to believe he has dyslexia.

Where can I find more information to prove he has dyslexia even though he can read and write?

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.

My 7-year-old son has ADHD and an IEP in class at his school. He is very good in math, but when it comes too letter sounds, he cannot retain them so he can't read or write. How do I, as his mom, help him too remember from one day to the next? And why is it he can retain all the things to do with math and not reading? I am confused?

Vickie

My daughter is in third grade now and still struggles to read at an early first grade level. Her cognitive skills are fine. If I read the work to her from school, she can answer the questions. Reading for her is a new struggle every day. It seems like she will recognize a word one minute and the next, have no idea what it is.

She struggles with school at all reading-based subjects. She is getting learning assistance, but her progress is extremely slow. Her self esteem is starting to suffer and she is beginning to refer to herself as stupid. I am so worried about her state of mind as she sits in class with children who can do the work and she simply can't read the words.

She is very gifted in drawing and is very perceptive in understanding emotions, she is simply unable to read. I have told the school I believe her to be dyslexic, but there is little information available as to practical solutions to help her learn and be diagnosed. Where can I get affordable help for her? What techniques can I use to help her? How can I get a diagnosis?

My son was diagnosed at the end of first grade with short term memory problems and some phonics problems after falling behind in reading. His school is working hard with him, but it is a struggle at home to get him to read.

As soon as we say its time to read for a few minutes he is annoyed (he is now in the third grade) and gets quickly frustrated even with our help. He also seems to start to yawn soon after starting to read, even though he goes to bed at 8:00 p.m. and gets up at 7:00 a.m.) We let him pick what he wants to read and take breaks, but it is still a struggle. Are there issues we and the school could have missed and are there any suggestions on how to make reading less of a struggle?

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.

I have a 4-year-old that I'm afraid might have dyslexia. The other day we came to a stop sign and spelled out the letters backwards, and it's happened a few times since then. Is this normal or should I do something about it?

My son, who just completed Kindergarten and turned six in June, is one of the youngest in his class. He recognizes all letters and knows all letter sounds, but just CANNOT put the easiest three letter words together by sounding them out. We just had an appointment with a Developmental Pediatrician because he show difficulties focusing, he seems bright but only concentrates when something interests him. Math and other subjects are fine, but in reading, he is below grade level and constantly has to be redirected.

I wanted him to repeat Kindergarten but in an EPT meeting, it was decided not to because he has the potential. The Developmental Pediatrician said that some kids just can't learn how to read before they're seven. Could he have some "blockage?" He may be dyslexic.

The doctor told us to wait half-a-year and see how he does in first grade and then, if his reading is still below grade level, to see a speech therapist / specialist for dyslexia -- do you agree? Do you think there is anything we can do to help him before first grade starts? He is already aware of the fact that all the other children can read and he can't. He almost seems like he's giving up.

Birgitt

My son is in first grade. He is among the youngest in the class. He has a very extensive vocabulary, yet in kindergarten, they said it was uneven with his cognitive abilities. He has no motor skill difficulties, is very creative, artistic, and intelligent yet they recommended Reading Recovery for him. They feel he will reach his potential with this program.

His teacher feels he is very young and that is part of why he hasn't developed yet. The bulk of his class is turning seven and he just turned six, so we are hoping this will bring his reading up to speed. Yet at home, I feel he reads to me beautifully.

I don't now if it's the system pushing my child to have high scores in the district, if he has a learning disability, or if he is just young. Should I have him evaluated or wait to see if Reading Recovery works for him?

Mrs. Meyers

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.

My son struggled with reading but was a whiz in math and other subjects. We discovered he has auditory processing disorder just before third grade last year. An amplification system was placed in his classroom but he receives no other accommodations.

When the IEP team met, I was told he scored average to above average overall on all other educational testing except some subtests and does not qualify for an IEP or 504 plan. I asked for a meeting with the new teachers each school year and a specific accommodation page to be implemented for the teacher such as preferential seating and specifics about his disability because an amplification system does not resolve his disorder and was told that the former teacher would talk with them.

What are my rights? I was adamant to request the above but need further help.

Thanks,
JG

I have three boys aged 12, 8, and 6 and all three have been identified with dyslexia.

The oldest has been diagnosed with dyslexia, dyspraxia and visual stress syndrome. I am still trying to get him the best support possible. My middle son has been identified as having dyslexic tendencies and is being tested soon, my youngest son has shown quite profound dyslexic and dyspraxic tendencies, his school will be arranging something soon.

Does this mean it has been a genetic marker, as I also have visual dyslexia? What can i expect with my children, especially my youngest who has quite profound problems? Am I entitled to any help with them or are there any schools that are specifically for children like mine, a place where they can get the best education possible?

Many thanks
Michaela