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I am so lost, feel so alone, unsure where to turn...
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<blockquote data-quote="InsaneCdn" data-source="post: 459036" data-attributes="member: 11791"><p>Fine motor skills issues = guaranteed MAJOR problems at school.</p><p>You see... he "can" write - sort of. Its just that he cannot write when he has to "use" it... think and write, for example, or listen and write. Because he is having to spend all his brain power trying to write... </p><p>But because he "can", teachers think he just doesn't want to. been there done that. Do NOT buy into that line. Your son's life depends on it. </p><p></p><p>This problem ALONE is enough... but there may be more.</p><p></p><p>I'd take a multi-sided approach to this if I were you... </p><p>1) schedule an Occupational Therapist (OT) evaluation - no dxes come out of this, but highly useful info plus follow-on therapy ... ask for testing on sensory issues and on gross and fine motor skills issues. Occupational Therapist (OT) can make recommendations to the school... including TECHNOLOGY for all writing.</p><p>2) while you're at it... see if there is any way to schedule a private Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) evaluation - looking at non-typical auditory processing problems (for example... hears fine and understands language well, but cannot pick out the important sounds when background noise is present) OR minor hearing issues (they can screen for both). This would result in recommendations for FURTHER TESTING - but its a good start.</p><p>3) in the US,we the most common comprehensive evaluation is neuropsychologist... but even then, its not 100% consistent. You need someone who can test for the whole spectrum of issues (but they don't usually do the stuff covered by Occupational Therapist (OT) and Speech Language Pathologist (SLP)... so if you have that first, they will make use of the reports and recommendations). The question for this evaluator is... here is what we and the school are seeing for issues... we need to know all the reasons for this so we can come up with an appropriate plan - medications, interventions, accommodations, etc.</p><p></p><p>But before that? I'd be fighting the school head-on to allow a trial-run of technology support... get him to do 100% of all written work on computer only. I mean almost zero pencil. What happens if you take the physical writing component out? It might be magic... or it might simply reveal another layer... maybe he has dysgraphia as well (a learning disability... where even in the absense of motor skills issues being a factor, they have trouble producing writen output).</p><p></p><p>And while you're at it, go to <a href="http://www.canchild.ca" target="_blank">www.canchild.ca</a> and look up Developmental Coordination Disorder. If that seems to fit at all, <u>share that info with your son.</u> HE needs to know that he is not being bad, that there are disorders like this out there - whether he has it or not - and that you are going to get help to find out exactly what his issues are. You need to find ways to help HIM understand what is going on... so he can stop beating himself up all the time - which might in fact have a major impact on the mood disorder. Because... kids with motor skills problems and/or learning disabilities and/or auditory issues (ok, pretty much any un-diagnosed or insufficiently-supported-diagnosis) usually ends up with a mood disorder... anything from depression to anxiety to insanity... or all three.</p><p></p><p>Hang in there.</p><p>This is absolutely NOT your parenting.</p><p>But... to be fair... school probably doesn't know much about these things either (I'm having to wear out my soapbox all the time).</p><p>Don't make this a war. Try to get school on your side. Share what you've just found out, ask them to track patterns, symptoms, etc. so you have more info when you take your fight to the medical side of things... Help them understand that you and they have the same goal... to enable difficult child to be successful in school and in life.</p><p></p><p>And yes - start pushing for that IEP. He'll need that to get the technology support... for starters.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="InsaneCdn, post: 459036, member: 11791"] Fine motor skills issues = guaranteed MAJOR problems at school. You see... he "can" write - sort of. Its just that he cannot write when he has to "use" it... think and write, for example, or listen and write. Because he is having to spend all his brain power trying to write... But because he "can", teachers think he just doesn't want to. been there done that. Do NOT buy into that line. Your son's life depends on it. This problem ALONE is enough... but there may be more. I'd take a multi-sided approach to this if I were you... 1) schedule an Occupational Therapist (OT) evaluation - no dxes come out of this, but highly useful info plus follow-on therapy ... ask for testing on sensory issues and on gross and fine motor skills issues. Occupational Therapist (OT) can make recommendations to the school... including TECHNOLOGY for all writing. 2) while you're at it... see if there is any way to schedule a private Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) evaluation - looking at non-typical auditory processing problems (for example... hears fine and understands language well, but cannot pick out the important sounds when background noise is present) OR minor hearing issues (they can screen for both). This would result in recommendations for FURTHER TESTING - but its a good start. 3) in the US,we the most common comprehensive evaluation is neuropsychologist... but even then, its not 100% consistent. You need someone who can test for the whole spectrum of issues (but they don't usually do the stuff covered by Occupational Therapist (OT) and Speech Language Pathologist (SLP)... so if you have that first, they will make use of the reports and recommendations). The question for this evaluator is... here is what we and the school are seeing for issues... we need to know all the reasons for this so we can come up with an appropriate plan - medications, interventions, accommodations, etc. But before that? I'd be fighting the school head-on to allow a trial-run of technology support... get him to do 100% of all written work on computer only. I mean almost zero pencil. What happens if you take the physical writing component out? It might be magic... or it might simply reveal another layer... maybe he has dysgraphia as well (a learning disability... where even in the absense of motor skills issues being a factor, they have trouble producing writen output). And while you're at it, go to [URL="http://www.canchild.ca"]www.canchild.ca[/URL] and look up Developmental Coordination Disorder. If that seems to fit at all, [U]share that info with your son.[/U] HE needs to know that he is not being bad, that there are disorders like this out there - whether he has it or not - and that you are going to get help to find out exactly what his issues are. You need to find ways to help HIM understand what is going on... so he can stop beating himself up all the time - which might in fact have a major impact on the mood disorder. Because... kids with motor skills problems and/or learning disabilities and/or auditory issues (ok, pretty much any un-diagnosed or insufficiently-supported-diagnosis) usually ends up with a mood disorder... anything from depression to anxiety to insanity... or all three. Hang in there. This is absolutely NOT your parenting. But... to be fair... school probably doesn't know much about these things either (I'm having to wear out my soapbox all the time). Don't make this a war. Try to get school on your side. Share what you've just found out, ask them to track patterns, symptoms, etc. so you have more info when you take your fight to the medical side of things... Help them understand that you and they have the same goal... to enable difficult child to be successful in school and in life. And yes - start pushing for that IEP. He'll need that to get the technology support... for starters. [/QUOTE]
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