Help - Aspie DS new dx is Severely Dyslexic

[SallyBear]

Just received the EP's report. DS1 who has Aspergers is now classed as Severely Dyslexic. Relief that finally after 7 years of fighting schools and SENDIS we have a credible diagnosis, but I am soooooo sad for my beautiful boy when I think of how hard he struggles. He scored below average on word sounds, spelling and reading. Do you think that we should be looking at visual overlays to help him? What do I do now?
I have told the school that I want a statement for him, as he has above average intelligence and I know that he needs TA support in class. He is SA+, but only gets a scant amount of access to TA support if he is in a class with a supported child, namely his twin sister.

[Ineedalife]

I would definitely recommend a trip to a behavioural optometrist.

2 of my Dd's have benefitted from coloured lenses in their glasses.

Dd2 is dyslexic and Dd3 has ASD and other issues such as visual percection difficulties and major co ordination probs which i am pretty sure impact on her reading.

Quite a few people on her have used BO's with success.

Good luck

[SallyBear]

Is the a list of them online somewhere? Are they available via NHS?

[SallyBear]

Bump!!

[EllenJaneisstillnotmyname]

Ah, there's a association, British Association of Behavioural Optometrists. I saw Keith Holland in Cheltenham, but I think there's a BABO website.
www.babo.co.uk/ Other's have used Aston University for free, I think. Some LAs have them on NH. I saw KH on NH, I think, it was ages ago, way before my MN days.

[SallyBear]

Thank you. Discovered one local to me but she is private. Dread to think how much that will cost, but will cross that bridge later. X

[Jerbil]

We go to Warrington and Halton hospital n the NHS. Not all boroughs have them. Ours doesn't so we got referred out of area by the GP. In this case they are within the ophthalmic surgery dept.

[Ineedalife]

Sorry sally, wasnt ignoring you, was travelling home from holiday.

They are mostly private but if you are anywhere near Aston University they have a visual sciences department who will do the testing. You still have to pay but it is cheaper and if you are on certain benefits it is quite cheap.

Good luck

[EllenJaneisstillnotmyname]

OMG, just spotted a stray apostrophe in my post. I'm so anal about them normally...

[Ineedalife]

At least you read yours ellen LOL, I have just written more or less what you wrote and not even noticed[hgrin]

i just dont use apostrophes!! then I dont get into trouble for putting them in the wrong places[hgrin]

[SallyBear]

Thank you ladies! I will certainly check out Aston Uni Virtual Sciences!
So my next question is.... What suggestions would you give to help DS with his organisation skills. He is a nightmare. Paper scrunched at the bottom of his bag, lost pens, list planner and calculator etc. also loses his locker key frequently, and his PE kit. Drives me mad, but what can you do. I feel like a nag. Have you got this, catering tomorrow you need your ingredients, where's your hw, have you done your hw? And so it goes on. Any tips that have been a success?

[EllenJaneisstillnotmyname]

I have a checklist by the front door, but it's really for me as DS2 ignores it!

[SallyBear]

Ha ha Ellen! Mine would be a very lonnnnngggg list with four of them to get out the door.

[EllenJaneisstillnotmyname]

I've only got 3, but even the most NT 15 yo still needs reminding...

[Ineedalife]

I had a timetable in the kitchen for Dd1. We also colour coded her books with those little round stickers so she knew which days she needed them.

Dd3 has a visual timetable and i check her bag daily. We do sometimes miss things if she is given verbal messages but I am working on that at the moment.

[SallyBear]

That's a good idea, labelling the books. I keep a copy of his timetable in the kitchen too, as the twins secondary school have a two week timetable. Very confusing. You also never get feedback on their work, so you don't know how they've done. I've emailed the teachers asking that they all write in his planner what his home work is. They use planner live, but that only works if the teacher has uploaded the hw!

[yawningmonster]

Our ds has had an Aspergers diagnosis for 4 years and for the last 3 years of school I have been battling to say that the Aspergers doesn't account for his academic lag. Finally we have a dyslexia diagnosis (and are in the process of other assessments but that is by the by). Organisation is a complete nightmare. We have a chart by the door with MON, TUE etc down one column. Part of his homework routine is to fill in the what's on in the next column (only list things that are out of the ordinary). So for next week it looks like MON: blank TUE: gym WED: K coming to play THU: Maths homework due FRI blank. He then has a file with charts of what he needs for various things so for GYM the list says: Runners, PE shirt, Folded bag. There is also a chart with everyday stuff on, so Lunch, Hat, etc. He needs to pack these into his bag when he reads it if that makes sense. For pens and stationary he has a set at school and a set at home and gives teacher his pencil case at end of day to put on her desk so that he can find it next day. All school notices are emailed so no scrunched paper at bottom of bag. He also has a small laminated card on his desk which the TA writes up each day with his daily schedule, he is supposed to black line things as they happen so he knows what he needs to do. All great in theory, takes loads of adult input though!!!!. Ds is only 8 though.