Learning Disability in a Preschooler?

gr8fulaa

Hi. I'm looking for some opinions/thoughts on having my son tested for LD. I don't want to be hasty. He tests on the low side of normal (but still within normal limits) on quite a few things, but he just started school in September, and he has made enormous progress in this short time. I would HATE to label him unnecessarily, but I also understand the importance of early intervention.

He has previously received Speech Therapy, but graduated, and he seems to be having some difficulty with concepts like identifying letters and numbers, and skills like handwriting, tracing, and cutting. He excels in other areas, which leads me to think there is a specific learning disability instead of a global issue (dyslexia and/or dyspraxia?)

I feel/felt like his speech delay was environmental (only child, no daycare, at home with mom, etc) but bc of this his preschool has labeled him 'special needs' and I'm not sure that is to his benefit. This label is much bigger, and basically lasts forever...So the short version of this long post - Is it better to give him a chance to succeed on his own, or get him tested knowing the results might be biased due to his inexperience?

Thanks!

AviatorJJ

You said you wanted to have him tested but then said "He tests on the low side of normal (but still within normal limits) on quite a few things,"

So, what other kinds of tests do you want done? If he is testing within normal range then I would think he is of normal ability. If he is within normal range he isn't going to receive any special services within the school system.

And if he had a speech delay and graduated why would he be considered special needs?

gr8fulaa

These are very good questions, and the answers to them are rather complicated, lol. DS was in private speech therapy, that he graduated from, but because he will not be tested in school again until he started kindergarten, we left him on the IEP to receive speech services through the school- this is more because the services are available, and as he is testing on the low side of normal with these supports, so i am hesitant to remove them, even though he would 'test out' if they retested him now.

I do not know what tests they do for LD, so I can't say what /how I would want them to test him. He tests ~85 in Speech and Occupational therapy. The research I have done on LD makes it sound like your kid would excel in some areas, but struggle in others....like reading? or fine motor tasks?

shouldbworkin

he seems to be having some difficulty with concepts like identifying letters and numbers, and skills like handwriting, tracing, and cutting.

At 4 yr & 4 mos, none of this seems particularly concerning to me, especially for a boy.  They are still learning letter/number recognition through KG and boys will keep working on fine motor skills through 1st grade.  I think it's great he's in PS now and he will be that much better off for it next year.  So much changes between now and then too. 

Did the teachers raise it as a concern or just areas where DS needs to keep working?  It's common for them to tell you what your DC can and can't do at this age, usually it just means that you should try to work on it a bit at home. 

KatFCo

Have you talked to his teacher about it? Labels don't always have to last forever, and if there is something diagnosable, early intervention is the BEST way to counteract it.

Like the PP said, they may say to wait a year and see, but if his teacher sees areas of concern, she can either give suggestions for how to help him in those areas or suggest testing now.

rsd12

The way I look at it, is I would eather get my child the help they need now if the services are available. I do not feel that my son's are labeled. One just phased out of speech (woo hoo), and the middle one I brought to a preschool evaluation this time last year where they agreed he needed servicces. Originally they saw OT issues, but I disagreed with them and after the 2nd eval they changed their minds and agreed with me (but we talked extensively about it, they thought he had a fear of jumping and this was right after spending time at a boune house ; )-. It is definitely hard knowing your child might need some extra help, but I think this is a great time to do it!

kmhunt11

It depends on what you want to get out of it.  If you want him receiving whatever special services are available, go for it.  If you want to give him a chance to work at his own speed to see if he'll mature into the more academic things, hold off.  It's hard to say without knowing your child, but if he's still testing in the normal range, even on the low side, I would hold off.  What you want to get out of it will depend on what services your school will provide and how you feel about him having a label this early.  Some school districts fulfill legal requirements for services, but that doesn't mean they're any good.  Others do a fabulous job.  In some ways and places a special education label will help, and in others it won't.  I've worked in a wide variety of schools in two different states and seen very different things.  I know I'm not being helpful, but this is such a personal, unique situation I don't think it would be appropriate to say one way or the other whether I think you should do it.  For me, in my experience, I wouldn't have my child tested unless there were big problems this young.  Being a little behind the curve academically, like it sounds like your son is doesn't mean he's got a disability.  Work with him at home to make learning fun and provide plenty of exposure to what he's missing.  In Finland they don't even start to teach reading until kids are 7 because that is when they are developmentally the most ready.  We push our kids too fast in this country, and some just need a little extra time to grow into the skills.  

Jinsy80

shouldbworkin:

he seems to be having some difficulty with concepts like identifying letters and numbers, and skills like handwriting, tracing, and cutting.

At 4 yr & 4 mos, none of this seems particularly concerning to me, especially for a boy.  They are still learning letter/number recognition through KG and boys will keep working on fine motor skills through 1st grade.  I think it's great he's in PS now and he will be that much better off for it next year.  So much changes between now and then too. 

Did the teachers raise it as a concern or just areas where DS needs to keep working?  It's common for them to tell you what your DC can and can't do at this age, usually it just means that you should try to work on it a bit at home. 

At 4 1/2 years old, my daughter still doesn't cut with scissors well. She's getting better at letter/number recognition, but it still needs improvement. She learns a lot in nursery school, so I would just give it a couple more months and go from there.

shouldbworkin

Jinsy80:

shouldbworkin:

he seems to be having some difficulty with concepts like identifying letters and numbers, and skills like handwriting, tracing, and cutting.

At 4 yr & 4 mos, none of this seems particularly concerning to me, especially for a boy.  They are still learning letter/number recognition through KG and boys will keep working on fine motor skills through 1st grade.  I think it's great he's in PS now and he will be that much better off for it next year.  So much changes between now and then too. 

Did the teachers raise it as a concern or just areas where DS needs to keep working?  It's common for them to tell you what your DC can and can't do at this age, usually it just means that you should try to work on it a bit at home. 

At 4 1/2 years old, my daughter still doesn't cut with scissors well. She's getting better at letter/number recognition, but it still needs improvement. She learns a lot in nursery school, so I would just give it a couple more months and go from there.

My DD got similar feedback at her conference.  She's been using scissors for a couple years now and uses them all.the.time at home.  I think she's just careless at school, honestly.  There's too much else to do there.

gr8fulaa

Well, first I want to say thank you for all of these wonderful, thoughtful responses! I really appreciate you all really taking time to respond.

 

If anyone comes back to check, I wanted to answer their questions:

1. I meant a learning disability as it's defined (dyslexia/dysgraphia/etc)

2. DSs teacher made a very casual reference to LD "Well, we've been working on letter recognition for some time, but Dominic just doesn't seem to be catching on- IDK what it is, maybe a learning disability" So when I push her for more, ie why do you think so, should he be tested, can he be tested at this age, she tells me she doesn't know, to talk to the psychologist. Of course I plan to follow up with her, but she always seems rather biased so I like to have some definite thoughts before I meet her.

3. I also appreciate the support of the parents who think that 4 1/2 is early to expect mastery of some of these skills. I am in school to be an Occupational Therapist, and according to those guidelines DS is doing ok- handwriting is an excellent example, they say Kindergarten for handwriting, but the teacher is concerned that DS can't write his name without prompts, even though he is 1 1/2 years away from K...

3.5 (hahaha) BUUUUT. it seems all the other kids are doing it, and I don't want to be in denial like PP said. It's a tough line to navigate....

helennsandra

Sometimes children do speak late. One of my relative?s children started with words at the age of nearly three years.  You are convinced that he is normal then wait for some time.

AviatorJJ

my son is PK but a little older than yours. he was born 10 weeks early and has had developmental delays. now he is showing signs of not catching on to letter/number recognition and a few other things. i went ahead and had him evaluated privately and he has visual memory disabilities. his OT is working with him using the Handwriting Without Tears Programs is it is a huge help. his teachers are doing a few small things to help him out too. i just had this feeling something was not right and so did his teacher.