Parenting: 4 & 5-Year-Olds Community

Sounds like you are seeing progress at home - I hope these meds do work out for you guys. Do you keep him on them through the weekends too, or only school days?

I have found that it is easier on him to keep him on the meds all the time. Otherwise we see what I call a rebound effect. The first day he starts taking them again they don't help much. Also they will ask for them if we forget them on the weekend. Jacob explains it the best. When he takes his meds he isn't in a fog. If he doesn't take his meds then he is in a fog all day, can't concentrate and will be so hyper that he is like an energizer bunny who keeps going and going and going and doesn't accomplish anything.

Deb..I know you were/are an early education teacher. Have you had any experience with Dsylexia? Just something that I'm noticing in Cristopher. He can spell t-o-p out loud but when he writes it it will be o-t-p. When he writes numbers most of the time they are reveresed 14 will be 41 for him with the 4 backwards. Trying to read a book is hard. He can know the words but when he sees the pages something changes. We can read a book to him and he can tell the story back to us. I don't know if it is just the age or something else to be looking out for. He will also use both his right and left hands when writing. It like he hasn't decided which is his dominant hand. I asked about testing at school and they told me they didn't do that any more. It will be $1500.00 if we have him tested ourselves insurance doesn't cover it. I have a call into the Department of Education because I think the school would still have to provide it. I've had to fight this school on many IEP issues so I'm used to it. Cris' IEP isn't for another month but I know I have to be prepared going into it.

I have primarily worked with kids under the age of 5 so I don't have any working knowledge of dyslexia. I do know that reversals like you mentioned are common until children are 7 or 8 so they may tell you to wait and see. That being said, I think you are right to be concerned. I would definitely bring it up at the IEP meeting at least.

Is he in private or public school? Public schools are legally required to do the testing - and many have diagnosticians or psychologists on staff who are qualified to do so. You know you have mediation and other due process rights if you need to pursue them but I hope it wouldn't come to that. Also, many universities that have programs that educate Reading Teachers will have clinics that will take kids for free in return for letting the prospective teachers practice on them. I think you've mentioned you are fairly remote so I don't know if that would work for you or not. Your pediatrician may also be able to point you to someone who can help. I would be mad about the "we don't do that anymore" response - it's not like they are fixing mufflers for a living, right?

I did some research today. I was told that Dyslexia isn't a condition covered but that all the issues it involves are. So basically it is all in the wording of what I am asking. I will write a letter to the principal and superintendent this evening. Our special education co-ordinator quit the begining of August and a replacement hasn't been hired. The Department of Education told me to ask for a reevaluations of his academics in reading and math, language to ensure that he has effective communication and OT for fine motor skills. Since it has been 2 years since he has had an evaluation I can legally ask for it. The down side is if they determine he has no disability but if they did that I would appeal that decision.

We live about 30 minutes from a large city. We actually have a college though they don't teaching degrees. We have a few other colleges that are about an hour away. I will check with them too.

It really amazes me how hard I have to fight for them to get a public educatation. Yes I know my boys have ADHD but really you can't blame everything on it. I have worked with a disability rights foundation for children and families. I have an opportunity to receive some training in IEP's. It is a 9 month program with one weekend a month (Friday to Sunday 8 hours each day) of training. I am seriously thinking about taking it just so I can know the ends and out and actually feel comfortable making these decisions. These kids are our future. Why can't we (schools and parents) work together. I just want basic services. I'm not asking for expensive equipment (though they told me they had funding for that. Go figure)

Sorry this is where I get on my soapbox. It happens every year. I just want the boys to receive a good education. My SO won't even touch this topic. He tells me to do what I think is best. He has a learning disability so I know how important it is to get it right when they are younger. By the time my SO was in High School the school was tired of dealing with it and he had a para who did all his work for him. He learned nothing but they got him out the door and with a dipolma so the school was happy but he literally can't read at a 3rd grade level.

It seems to me that with all of the laws and rules (and history) regarding special ed that schools should be good at dealing with kids with special needs, but they really are not. And it's so different from district to district, it's unbelievable. I think it's a shame that parents are left feeling like they have to take courses just to understand the process and make sure they are being treated fairly - there's really something wrong with that IMO. I have two kids in speech and with various health issues, and I feel like if I had not had the background I did I would not have gotten half the services I ended up with. So you are not alone on the soapbox. Hopefully the new coordinator will be helpful. Your kids are lucky to have you - you are their best advocate.