Most of you know we have been pursuing figuring out what it up with Thing One and Two.
For Thing Two, too many people started to assume there was an issue and wanted to input their advice into our life, and the kinder teacher said he would eventually be considered a behavior problem. For One, though she was PASSING school, things just seemed to be a struggle and the numbers just weren't adding up.
Sooo...flash forward, we get a referal from a friend regarding a great place to get a learning assessment, we get the assessments, and 6 weeks later we know have a report.
What does the report say? How do we feel about Thing One and Two now that we have a report and an idea of what is up in there crazy little brains? We do not grieve the average kids they will not be, we do not think different about what they may or may not have achieved, we do not regret the futures we mapped for them. We simply see a path that has been traveled, but not by many and a place to start to move forward to improve who they are and can be. Independently, Thing One and Two are hilarious, creative, bright children, who are just a little kooky, and it is our job to lead them through this world to be better people and continue to improve who they are and improve the world around them.
Lets start with Thing Two and his report and the current, maybe plan. Two is a little more cut and dry, there is nothing that no one else hasn't already suggested. He received a report stating he has above average intelligence and ADHD with a sub focus of hyperactivity/inpulsivity. Are you shocked? If so you haven't spent tons of time with him. Most likely the path to getting him more 'compatible' in the classroom will be a mix of medication and behavior therapy. The meds will help settle him down enough to teach him the tools for managing himself, no 6 year old should think it is funny to drop their draws any old place. There is a slight hink in the report, apparently he has some precision issues in regards to fine motor development. His ability to copy a symbol picture was not very accurate and additionally he drew in a non-typical fashion denoting a possible occupational therapy assessment down the road. This could all be due to his general activity level and it limiting his processing through inattention. He is happy at home and school and we will continue to teach him the tools, with his teachers help, to be the likable bright kid we all see in those not so active moment.
Now on to the main course, Thing One. Talk about a knuckle ball. We expected a possible dyslexia diagnosis, maybe ADD, something in that category. What did we get? Learning Disability Not Otherwise Specified, yep can it get any vaguer. Into the depth's now, she has difficultly decoding words, with outputting processes, process recognition, working memory, social problem solving and math fluency. Yep, that is one crazy set. Her intelligence overall is average, but was so varied that they didn't even feel that the tests were accurate long term. Her abstract reasoning and thought was in the superior range, freaky smart, her working memory, phonics and math were below average by over a year. The person who compiled the report saw that as off, usually a child with learning issues isn't exactly blowing out the higher learning categories but bombing the basics, she is. What is the plan for Thing One? Where are we headed? We are going to start with an intensive learning intervention while we are on break, 1 to 1 1/2 hours three times a week to start the process. We will then go to once a week for 2 hours and an additional one day a week with mom and hopefully some friends assistance, hint hint. At the end of the school year, we will assess where we have come from. The tutoring will start back at kinder level reading, math and processes learning. Based on what is and isn't picked up over the next 4 months we may do another intensive and additionally may start some social cognition learning.
So that is where we are. I am trying to convince myself not of buy a nook and then buy every book on the market I can concerning both the Things issues, while at the same time combing the Internet in search of ideas, options, and therapy interventions.
No matter what, the kids will survive, we will survive and they will become the people that hopefully make them content, happy and fulfilled.
That is all..for now.. I assume I will start updating at a much more frequent rate from here on out.
Wow, sounds intense. I had no idea Thing One was having trouble in school, she's such a bright little girl. Really enjoyed her at the sleepover. So much less drama than another little friend (he he). Where did you have them tested? I might need to get Hanna checked, she just doesn't get it when it comes to sounds and letters and how they work together. She gets 100% on her spelling because she has an excellent memory, not sure if it's an issue yet though. It's hard not to compare my two girls since they are so close in age and yet so amazingly different. Genetics really does play a role, along with that first year of life, trust me!
ReplyDeleteWe went to the lee pesky center and I have to say it was worth every penny, it isn't cheap, but now we know where we are.
ReplyDeleteThing One is actually doing pretty well academically speaking, the assumption is she would probably start struggling next year, but she just works so hard and didn't seem to be moving forward. With tutoring we are going to bascially start back at the kindergarten phonics and math level. Additionally, we will work on teaching her to paraphase, this helps move things into your working memory and she is struggling on that front. She also is struggling with knowing the information and not being able to get it out in a quick or normal amount of time, she is a slow processor. I have been combing the internet for two days and am not getting anywhere on the best route to help with this, I hope to find someting soon as the data shows that you need to get moving with this early.