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Special Needs
CaptainSerious
member
Dyslexia?
CaptainSerious
member
Hi, I was wondering if someone here could point me in the right direction. My husband and I adopted our son from Peru last year. He's 8 on paper, but probably almost 10 in reality, and we are starting to be more and more convinced he has dyslexia. He's very smart, but has had a lot of difficultly learning to read and spell and shows all the warning signs of dyslexia. We've researched it some, and he even has some of the non-obvious symptoms like not being able to understand spacial/time concepts or memorize math facts, even though math is typically one of his easier subjects.
Have any of you had your child tested for dyslexia? Was the testing done by the school? If not, who did the testing and was it covered by insurance? If you wouldn't mind telling me how much the tests cost, I'd appreciate it.
I'm working with his pediatrician to try to find someone to perform the tests, but am running up against a lot of walls. The eye doctors don't or won't do it, the educational therapists are keeping me running around, and the neurologist we saw last fall said it was too early (at that time) to do so. The school is telling me it's too early, given his age and the new language, to get meaningful results. I'm frustrated, and don't understand why this is so difficult to pin down.
Can anyone here offer some advice?
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Re: Dyslexia?
I feel for you. As a teacher, I can tell you that you probably won't get far with the school system at this time because of the little amount of time he has been exposed to English. It is frustrating, but it does have a reason. They don't want to erroneously label a child in a special education category if they suspect that language plays a role in the poor testing performance. The policy is designed to protect the child, but sometimes can be a hinderance. Getting an ESL kid qualified for special ed services is HARD!
Honestly, every child that I have ever had test for dyslexia had it done privately (the school system won't test at the age I teach since so many "errors" can be developmental). I would consult the neurologist again. I'm sorry I don't have experience to tell you who to go to.
I'm a special ed/ESL teacher, and in my experience, districts will hold off on any kind of testing until the student has had a full year of ESL services. There is such an overlap of ESL/Spec ed, and many educators/administrators are misinformed. If he has had the full year, then I push for an evaluation.
Also, I recognize your screen name and see your ticker! You decided to pursue the adoption of the child with NF? Exciting! I hope it's going smoothly for you
Thank you both. We are definitely going to do whatever it takes at this point to get him tested, be it through the school or privately. We also are having to reconsider having him attend public school (he was in a small private school last year), if he does have it and they can provide better special services.
Yes we are! We submitted our paperwork and official request to adopt him last month (all the time in-between was spent redoing our homestudy and getting the paperwork ready). We hope to hear soon and be able to adopt him before the year's out! Thanks for the kind wishes!