How can we help a gifted fifth grader who is forgetful and lacks organization?
Dr. Silver,
I really hope you can help steer us in the right direction in seeking help for our daughter. She is in the 5th grade and has been tested as gifted (IQ of 135). She goes to a private school and is in a gifted pull-out program (one day per week), which she loves.
She is struggling mightily this year with organization. Her grades are just OK, but her effort is definitely lacking. She is not working up to her potential.
She says she is trying her hardest, but her teacher thinks that she does not use her time wisely and does not listen attentively. Her desk is the messiest in the class and no system of organization has seemed to help her. She generally does her work but often "forgets" to turn it in. Her handwriting is awful. I constantly have to remind her to head her paper and mind the margins.
I am at my wit's end with trying to get her to be more organized and responsible, and always give school her best effort. I should mention that she also suffers from anxiety. She has been in therapy for two years and is currently being medicated for it. The anxiety seems to be under control.
I don't know what else to do to help her or what kind of professional to turn to for help. I would love any advice you could give me. Thank you so much for your time and attention.
Respectfully yours,
Andrea
Most of the difficulties you describe suggest what is called executive function disorder — difficulty with organization of materials, tasks, and time. She also appears to have a fine-motor problem that is affecting her handwriting. It is important that the reasons for these problems be clarified.
She will need a psycho-educational evaluation. The results will explain why she is underachieving and what to do to help her. You are in a private school; however, you are entitled to services from the public school system. Meet with the principal of the public school she would have gone to and request that she be evaluated. The principal must schedule a meeting to discuss your daughter's difficulties. If the principal denies your request for such studies, you may have to have it done privately.
Do not wait until she is in middle school. Her problems will only become worse. Have her evaluated now so that the right help can be introduced now.
(June 2009)
My 6-year-old son is reversing letters and numbers. Should I get him tested?
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!
Sometimes, 6 year olds still reverse letters and numbers. If this is his only problem, you might wait a little longer. If, however, you find that he is not mastering his first grade skills (reading, writing, math), then I would not wait.
Don't discuss this with the teacher. The process is for you to write a letter to the principal, requesting a meeting to discuss your son's difficulties. The principal must call such a meeting. The school psychologist and special education person will be present. Discuss your concerns with this team. If they agree, they will schedule testing. If they do not feel testing is needed now, you will still have focused everyone on his difficulties. If in the fall he has not made progress, request another meeting.
You can always have him evaluated privately. The testing is called psycho-educational testing.
(June 2009)
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)
My sister's first grade teacher said my sister will be in special ed classes for the rest of her life and won't go to college. Isn't this setting her up for failure?
I am not a parent but my younger sister, who is in first grade, is having difficulties with reading and other basic skills. Today our older sister went in to talk with the teacher and the teacher told her that our younger sister is going to be in special ed for the rest of her life and that it is likely that she will not be going to college. I guess they are teaching her life skills at the school and they do not look at the homework that she is doing.
This aggravates me because it seems like they are just setting her up for failure. I read an article about one student who said that it is better for these kids to be challenged and placed in mainstream classes — he was placed in special ed second through eleventh grade and once they did put him in mainstream it was a lot more difficult to transition. His was a success story, but I completely agree students should be put in mainstream classes earlier. I would just really appreciate your input on this situation because I do not want to see my little sister fail.
Your younger sister is fortunate to have you as an older sister who cares about her. I do wonder why you and another sister are involved. Where are your parents/guardians?
It is essential that the parents request a meeting with the school principal and school professionals. What studies have been done to support this teacher's comments? A child cannot be placed in special education without studies to support this need. AND, no decisions can be made without the parents' consent. First, speak with your mother and find out what she knows. If there are no formal studies or no official meetings, this teacher needs to be confronted about such comments. If there have been such studies and your mother has not shared them with you, ask that they be discussed.
(June 2009)
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)
Our pre-kindergartner can only speak in words (not sentences) and shows little interest in learning. What should we do?
Hello Dr. Silver,
I have a 5-year-old boy that had craniosinostosis surgery when he was 3 years and 9 months old. Next year he is going to be in kindergarten but he can't talk well - he can say words but not sentences. He does not know his colors, numbers, or letters and he is not interested in learning. He has short attention span (2 or 3 minutes at most). I'm really concerned. Please advise.
You should be concerned. Have you discussed your questions with the professionals who have been working with your son? Given your descriptions, I suspect that you have had evaluations and services since he was three. If not, you should know that you are entitled to a full assessment and services from your public school. Discuss this with the principal of the school where he would attend for kindergarten. Don't stop asking until you get your answers.
(May 2009)
My son had the precursors for dyslexia in preschool two years ago but is reading well now. Should I still be concerned?
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?
Your child was tested when he was in preschool. The results were based on levels of expected performance for that age. It may be that what was seen as a weakness then (precursor), improved with maturation and is not an issue now. You say he can read and write at grade level. So, he does not appear to have any deficits that might suggest dyslexia at this time.
It is difficult to use these data to assess if he has learning disabilities. I suggest that you stop pushing for a diagnosis (dyslexia) and ask the school to help clarify if he has any problems at this time.
(May 2009)
Should a 6-year-old boy who struggles with reading be evaluated?
Hi Dr. Silver,
How early can a child be tested for disabilities? I have a 6-year-old boy who is now in first grade and struggling with reading. He reads below grade level and is unable to comprehend what he reads.
When he was in kindergarten, I was told that something was not right, but they didn't know what it was. So, in first grade I have been pushing the school. We are now going to do testing for learning disabilities. They said that they do not think anything will show up because of his age and that they will recommend retention.
This is so frustrating! He currently has B's in everything except reading, in which he has a D and sometimes an F. Is it too early to tell?
If your child is struggling with reading, testing should clarify why and how best to help him. If he is doing well in all other areas, retention may not be recommended. He might continue on to second grade but receive remedial help for the rest of this year and for next year. And, if you wish, you can supplement this help by getting the right private help over the summer.
Don't let your fear of retention stop the school from clarifying why he is struggling with reading. Only with this information will the appropriate interventions be clarified.
(May 2009)
How can I prove to my workplace that I have a learning disability if my high school records don't indicate a diagnosis?
Hi and thank you for taking my question. I'm an adult male in my late 30's. I was diagnosed with a learning disability in the early 1970s. I was in special education classes from elementary school through high school. Just recently, I put in a request for my high school to send me copies of my transcript to see if they had me listed as an LD student. They responded by saying that at that time, they didn't use the terminology of a learning disability. My high school transcripts show that indeed I was in special education classes, but do not list a learning disability.
I want information about my diagnosis because I want my workplace to know that I have a learning disability. I have no other record about my disability and I know my workplace will want something in writing or on file. Any suggestions about what I can do to prove my case?
Thanks for your advice,
Gerald
Gerald: You are correct in needing documentation if you are to use the Americans With Disabilities Act to request accommodations at work. The federal law that established a formal need for special education services was not passed until the mid-1970s. Thus, your school may have provided special education services without the formal documentation needed today. Also, many schools kept a formal record on each student that could be read and released to the proper people and a confidential record that contained any testing or evidence of a disability.
Most important to you is that when you request accommodations based on the ADA, you need evaluations that are not more than three years old. Thus, you will have to find out who does formal studies, known as psycho-educational evaluations, for adults with learning disabilities in your area. The professional who does these studies will help you document your disabilities as they relate to work.
(April 2009)
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)
Our daughter is in preschool and doesn’t talk to anyone except us. How can we get her to open up?
Dear Dr. Silver,
My daughter is 4 years old and she does not speak to anyone except to us, her parents. She started going to preschool a little before age 3 and for nine months did not speak to the preschool teacher. We tried seeking help from the school district and they wanted to place her in a special program.
If she is with children who have disabilities, will she progress there? I am not sure that is the proper environment for her. I honestly think she needs more individual attention. Unfortunately, the preschool setting does not provide that. They usually have 24 kids with two teachers. What can I do in order to help my daughter open up, participate, and communicate with kids her age and other adults?
Please help.
Thank you,
Shirley
Your daughter has what is called selective mutism. There are several possible causes. Have her evaluated by a child and adolescent psychiatrist. The interventions needed will be based on the reasons for her behavior. Don't worry about the impact of one program or another on your daughter. Focus on the cause first.
(April 2009)
How can I get my daughter to stop procrastinating and do her homework without a fight?
I have a 12-year-old daughter who procrastinates terribly when she is supposed to be doing homework or studying and we are constantly threatening, bribing, reasoning with her to get her to do her work. She is often up late at night still doing it and we're always fighting. She frequently refuses when told to do things she doesn't want to do and I just can't make her.
Her behavior is so stressful to the rest of the family and we are all constantly on edge. How can I get her to complete her assignments without all the defiance and yelling? She is on Focalin and is a good student (with a lot of our badgering to do her work).
Please stop the arguing, bribing, threatening, etc. It is not working and does not work. Shift your focus to why she is acting this way rather than trying to make her change. I have yet to meet a 12-year-old who really wanted to fail or to disappoint his/her parents. There must be a reason and it is your job to find out what it is.
For example, I assume she is on Focalin because she has ADHD. If she takes the medication in the morning, it has probably worn off by about 4 or 5pm. Could this be a reason she struggles at night? Second, if she has ADHD, there is a high likelihood that she also has learning disabilities. Has she been tested to see if she might? If not, do so.
The answer to your question is not to increase the consequences and hope she will change. The challenge is for you to find out why she is struggling and to address the reason. Have you ever sat down with her and said, "I know you don't like to do poorly in school and I know you don't want to disappoint us. Let's work together. Help me understand what is hard about doing the work. Let's figure out together what we can do to help you be more successful."
(April 2009)
I have a learning disability and suspect my 7-year-old daughter does, too. I want to get her tested but my husband thinks we should wait. What do you suggest?
My daughter is 7 years old and young for her second grade class. As a past special education teacher, I am pretty sure I have a learning disability (never formally diagnosed) and I'm pretty sure my daughter has one, too. She struggles in school. And after reading the information on visual processing, this seems to fit my daughter and me perfectly.
We've seen her problems increase since preschool - difficulty with writing, flipping of letters (I still do this!), finding relevant information in reading, writing quickly, and judging distances. Teachers have noticed her problems but have always brushed them off because she is young. My husband wishes to wait to see how she does in three years.
My problem is that I know how hard school was for me and I don't want my daughter going through the same thing. To make things more complicated, she also has strabismus (a vision condition in which the eyes are misaligned) and juvenile diabetes. Should I push to have her tested at the very least? Or wait as my husband suggests? Thanks!
Your daughter has real problems and needs help now. Your history only reinforces this fact. Try to explain to your husband that the "wait until she fails" tactic not only delays getting her the help she needs now but does a real number on her self-esteem. (If this does not work, get a copy of my book, The Misunderstood Child: A Guide for Parents of Children With Learning Disabilities, and ask that he read it.)
She needs a formal assessment that might include psychological, educational, and occupational therapy testing. These data will clarify the areas of difficulty and the types of interventions needed.
Don't give up. Push for a formal assessment to clarify her areas of difficulty and the types of services needed. If you are not successful with the school and you cannot afford private testing, seek a private educational consultant to advise you on your rights.
(April 2009)
What can you do if you suspect the child you're advocating for has a learning disability but the school refuses to test?
Hello and thank you for such a wonderful resource! I am a former teacher and school psychologist. I'm currently providing supplemental reading instruction and trying to advocate for my second grade niece.
She has a long history typical of a child with a specific learning disability or dyslexia. Her language development was slow, particularly with regard to articulation. Letter and number recognition was difficult and her general phonemic awareness still has not been mastered in spite of consistent and systematic reading instruction for the past six months. She has trouble expressing herself with the appropriate vocabulary and word sequence.
When she reads, besides the usual misread words, she still confuses b and d and she often substitutes synonyms for words (i.e. house for home, mom for mother, dumb for stupid, etc.). Independent homework completion is impossible because she cannot read the directions accurately.
She was retained in kindergarten and now is receiving extra small-group reading instruction at school three times a week. Even so, the school has yet to initiate communication or collaboration with her mother or me. The only reason we knew about the extra reading group was because it was mentioned during parent/teacher conferences.
When her mother asked if it might be time to refer her for a special education evaluation, they said she could request it but probably wouldn't get it because her daughter's problems aren't that bad. I'm concerned that all the help my neice has received will ultimately prevent her from qualifying for special education because the school only uses the discrepancy model (and she may be too young to show a significant discrepancy).
Is it enough that a student's mother and advocate suspect the presence of a disability to get the special education evaluation? I've worked in three different states and never heard of a school denying a parent request for an initial evaluation.
Also, can I, as her advocate, make the case from the vantage point of Response to Intervention that she has a learning disability? Or should we stop helping her and let her fall further behind in order to access the services she needs at school? We cannot afford a private evaluation and because I'm not currently employed, I don't think they are going to take my opinion too seriously. I hope you can help!
First, please do not stop helping her. She should not have to experience any more pain than she is experiencing already. I suspect that she is in a school system that waits until the child fails third grade before they do any testing. Why? As you mentioned, they use a discrepancy formula to determine if a student has a learning disability. And, the student has to have failed third grade before he/she is far enough behind to meet this discrepancy. I hate this "wait until you fail before we will evaluate or formally help" you strategy.
Have her parents send a formal letter to the principal requesting a meeting to discuss their daughter's academic difficulties. This request must be in writing. The principal must schedule the meeting within 30 calendar days. The principal, appropriate school professionals, the teacher, and parents should attend this meeting. (You can come as well.) At this meeting, her parents should formally request testing to find out why their daughter is struggling. If the school agrees - great. These studies will be done and then shared with the parents.
If they do not agree to do testing at this time, have the parents say, "This decision is not acceptable to us. We wish to have the minutes of the meeting reflect that we do not agree. And, we would like to be informed of our right to appeal this decision." The school must comply with these requests. Prior to seeing someone within the appeal process, seek help from a private educational consultant on what to say.
Good luck. Your niece is very lucky to have you for her aunt.
(April 2009)
I have LD and ADHD and struggle to regulate my emotions. Could I have Asperger’s Syndrome, too?
My name is Rachel and I am 23 years old. I was diagnosed with combined-type ADHD and a learning disability when I was 8.
As a child, I had a delay in fine and gross motor skills, I had trouble expressing my emotions, trouble communicating with others, and threw constant, severe tantrums when I didn't get my way or for no reason. During these severe tantrums, I would slam myself on the ground kicking and screaming, and I would rock and bang my head. I also did not know how to make friends or keep them.
As an adult, I have been diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder and depression. Do you think I have Asperger's Syndrome, too?
Rachel: I am so pleased to hear you describe your problems. All too often, I see young adults who spend all of their time blaming others for their difficulties. You are correct. Something is not right in the way you regulate your emotions. Plus, there are other learning problems.
What you describe does not sound like Asperger's. If you have not done so as an adult, ask to see a psychiatrist for a comprehensive assessment. (Even though you are an adult, you might find that a child and adolescent psychiatrist would be best. These professionals are trained to work with adults as well. And, they are more likely to know about the types of difficulties you describe.) Don't give up until you have answers and a treatment plan to help you.
(April 2009)
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)
What can we do for a bright ninth grade student who does not qualify for services but is failing most of his classes?
We have a 15-year-old that has been tested through the school system two times and all they seem to come up with is immaturity. We have consulted with a child psychologist who thought, after reviewing his prior evaluations, our son may have a problem with his executive thought process. Because of insurance issues we could not continue with the psychologist.
We have turned back to the school district. They are in the process of evaluating him again for the third time.
Our son is thoughtful, caring, and loving, and he is a self-taught percussionist. He loves to play the drums and the African djembi. He plays amazingly well! He loves to write poetry and song lyrics. I think he is quite gifted. But he can't make it in school.
He's in 9th grade and only passed English and Gym. He tries very hard and when he fails he tends to give up. He says "Mom why do I have to try so hard?" Please help us with a suggestion on what we can do for him. Where should we turn next?
Thank you,
Anne
Dear Anne: I feel for you. Your son sounds like he has difficulties. The important question is why. If he only passed English in his current grade, this means that he failed at least four other major subjects. You are correct. You do need to find out why.
Here is what I suggest: First, clarify with your school professionals what testing they plan to do. At a minimum, these studies should include an IQ test (usually the Wechsler) and a battery of educational testing. If they do not plan to do this, ask why. Second, request that you receive a copy of the results of these studies before you meet with the school to discuss them. You need to review the results with an educational consultant. It is important to learn what is going on and to rely on other inputs.
If you cannot find a consultant on your own, contact the Learning Disabilities Association of America and get the name and phone number of your closest chapter. (go to www.ldaamerica.org - click on your state for the state chapter then look for information on your closest chapter).
Don't give up on your son. Best of success.
(April 2009)
Our second-grade daughter is struggling with depression and ADHD. What do we do?
I have a 7-year-old girl who is in second grade and struggling. She was diagnosed with Adjustment Depression and ADHD last March. She was treated for depression with an SSRI and counseling. She is currently on an ADHD medication and has stopped the depression meds. The counseling was stopped this fall because her counselor could see no reason to continue.
We have struggled since she started school. She is a very strong-willed little girl who knows a lot more than what she is willing to show us or the teachers. Her work at school fluctuates from day to day. She can do the work with ease one day and then struggle the next with the same work. Her teachers are as perplexed as I am. I have tried many different things for her such as Hooked on Phonics, Sylvan, special tutoring at school, and working with her in different ways at home. The things we try seem to make an impact the first couple of weeks but then she no longer is interested in them and does not want to participate. There seems to be a battle of wills.
How do we go about finding the thing that will allow my daughter to be as bright as we know she is without traumatizing her or bringing back the depression and making things worse? Her teachers feel she should continue counseling. They are disagreeing with the diagnosis of ADHD even though we went through several hours of testing. I fear that if she is held back (which I am thinking may be next) that she will be traumatized from this and will not recover.
Her social skills are lacking. She avoids crowds and does not warm up to people like a typical 7-year-old. She would much rather play with younger kids and avoid group activities. She has no problems making new friends as long as it is just her and the other child. Could her social behavior be contributing to her academic behavior and, if so, how do we go about making changes?
Your questions and concerns are on target. You need to find out more about why your daughter is struggling. It is possible that her depression was the result of her frustrations and difficulties at school. Once some of these were addressed, her depression went away.
If you feel that you are not getting the answers you need from her school professionals, you might have to seek help from others. First, meet with the person who did the hours of testing to conclude that your daughter has ADHD. Discuss your concerns with this professional. Why is she struggling in school? Why is she inconsistent? Were there any test results that might suggest that she has a learning disability or is at risk for such a disability? Discuss the fact that her school staff do not agree with the diagnosis of ADHD and ask for help in responding to the teachers.
If these efforts do not help, seek a private special education consultant who can review all of the records and testing (by school and privately) and advise you on what is best to do.
One added thought: Many professionals within the school and private sector use a guideline for diagnosing someone as having a learning disability. They must be significantly behind expected grade level. If a student is in second grade and a year behind, he or she might be shown to have difficulties, but the degree of deficit is not great enough to use the formal term learning disabilities. Discuss this theme with both school and private professionals. Challenge them by asking, “Are you saying that I have to wait until she fails third grade before you can identify her as having a disability?”
(April 2009)
How can I parent a 5-year-old with multiple diagnoses?
What should I do with my 5-year-old child? He has been tested and the people who did the testing told us that he has early warning signs of dyslexia, an undeveloped central nervous system, and the fine motor skills of a 2-year-old. They haven't told us what to do or how to parent such a child. He goes to an occupational therapist two times a week for the fine motor problems.
Unfortunately, he is also having severe temper tantrums at school and at home. He won't sleep by himself. He has issues going to the bathroom. If I am not home, he goes in his pants. I just want somebody to either let me know these issues are normal in kids his age or what I can do to parent a child with severe emotional outbursts all day. I am exhausted and afraid I have him in the wrong learning environment. Please give me some insight if you could.
I can appreciate your concerns and frustration. What you describe is not normal. You need to act. First, it will be important to fully understand what learning, language, and/or motor problems he has. With this information, it might be possible to find professionals to improve the areas of weakness and to advise you on ways to help him. These studies might be done by your school professionals. Since he is five, you should discuss the need for such assessments with the principal of your local public school. Or, you might have the studies done privately. Without this information, it is difficult to know how best to help your child.
(April 2009)
How can I get an accommodation at work for my difficulty with handwriting?
I'm a 28-year-old male and am currently a head of department at a school of media and design. I suffer from a form of dysgraphia (at least I think that's what it is) in that I have terrible handwriting. I actually draw the shape of the word rather than spell it out (my spelling is terrible) and I cannot control the placement of capital and lowercase letters if I write by hand (though with a keyboard I don't have a problem).
I've recently enrolled in an advanced assessors course where all the work submitted has to be hand-written. It takes me hours to write out a single page, which is then only mostly illegible. And although each sentence starts with a capital letter, extra capitals crop up throughout the sentence.
I just wanted to know if there is a specific name or diagnosis for this so that I can plead my case.
Thanks in advance,
Guy
Guy:
You need appropriate accommodations — possibly permission to use a computer to write responses. First, you must document your motor-based writing disability. This can be done by a psychologist who does psycho-educational testing. Once documented, you are entitled under the Americans with Disabilities Act to such accommodations.
Meet with the Office of Disability Services at the institution you are attending. Explain your problem. Possibly, they can arrange for such studies. If not, they can direct you to the right person to do this assessment.
(March 2009)
