Is there anything more severe than severe learning difficulties?

[mummyloveslucy]

Hi, my daughter has recently been diagnosed with SLD. She is nearly 8 years old and can't read, write and struggles with the most basic of learning. She's mainly incontinant, but is improving with medication.
She can chat to anyone though. She remembers things that I forget. She has a wonderful imagination and a good vocab. She remembers huge chunks of words from musicals, and is musically tallented.
I'm just wondering why she's had this diognosis when there are children much worse off, eg that can't talk at all and have no capacity to learn anything. What would they be diagnosed with in terms of learning difficulty?
I'm only wondering this, as there are 2 secondary schools local to us, one for moderate LD and the other one for severe. As it stands, Lucy would have to go to the one for severe, where a great deal of the children are extreamly mentaly and physically disabled, in wheel chairs, unable to communicate, or severely autistic.
Lucy does have the ability to learn, even if it is a lot slower than other children.
If anyone could shed any light on this, I'd be very greatful.

[AgentProvocateur]

People with the most severe LDs are often described as having "profound" learning disabilites.

[mummyloveslucy]

O.k, thank you. That makes sence.

[TheTimeTravellersWife]

Picking up from Agent's comment, there is also a description "PMLD" which is Profound and multiple learning disabilities.

[TheTimeTravellersWife]

The other point I would make is that all children have the capacity to learn and develop, at their own rate, and from my knowledge of SLD schools they are fantastic at helping children to learn and develop.

[mummyloveslucy]

Thanks everyone. I'm glad she wouldn't be put in a school that wasn't appropriate for her. That was my main worry.
I am o.k with the diagnosis, it was a shock though. You think of severe as being as bad as it gets.
I'm just so glad that she's now getting the help she needs and is enjoying school so much. I'm sure she'll reach her full potential now.

[saintlyjimjams]

Go and have a look at both schools, you'll see which one suits her. My son who is diagnosed with SLD's can't talk etc etc (although did toilet train at 5).

You may find the issue isn't so much her ability to learn but rather her self help skills. An MLD school for example may not cope well with a child who needs help with personal care, or help working independently. Whereas an SLD school would take all that in its stride.

My son's SLD/PMLD school takes a wide range of abilities, from children who read/write/do academic work to those who cannot sit or feed themselves.

[CwtchesAndCuddles]

My ds has autism / sld and his special school takes children with SLD and PMLD,the school has quite a mix and they are grouped into classes by age / need.

I would go and have a look at both schools - just because they have some pupils with PMLD doesn't mean they won't challenge your ds to the best of her abilities.

[mummyloveslucy]

Thanks everyone. Saintly- she's suffered from chronic constipation most of her life. This has caused her to with-hold and she's damaged her colon because of it. She's on medication, but still soils very regularly. She also suffers from stress incontinance. She can't stand sitting on the toilet, no matter how fun we try to make it and hates being cleaned and refuses to clean herself. So huge problems in that area. Mainly due to physical problems but made worse with the behavural issues. It's been an on-going battle, but we are in contact with a bowel and bladder nurse.
It has been said that her main area of need is the SLD, rather than the incontinence.

[vjg13]

My daughter with SLD attends a MLD school because that meets her needs. She is one of the least able pupils but it is the right place for her.

You need to be proactive in choosing the school that will best meet your daughter's needs by visiting both.

[Lougle]

Hi MLL DD1's school take children with Moderate Learning disability (MLD), Severe Learning Disability (SLD), Profound and Multiple Learning Disability (PMLD) and Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The only reason I give ASD it's own category is that her school has specialist classes for children with very severe ASD, as well as mixed classes which include children with severe or moderate ASD and children with other conditions.

DD1 is 7 today. She can't read, although is starting to recognise letters which are contained in her school friend's names and can recognise 'biff' 'kipper' and 'chip'. She can copy a word if it contains familiar letters, although formation isn't great yet - she tends to 'draw' the letters rather than write them. She can trace over letters quite well now.

Maths-wise, she can rote count to 20ish, but misses some numbers. She can count objects to 10, although needs reminders to only touch one object at a time, and to start at the beginning. She can recognise 2d shapes and is starting to look at 3d.

She has a very good memory, and will remember things that she has been told, such as 'lemon juice and water stop apples turning brown.'

She is classed as having MLD. She is taught in a class with 9 children, some of whom have MLD and others SLD. Special schools are brilliant at targeting needs and making sure that each child makes the right progress for them.

[willowthecat]

ds1 is similar to vjg13's dd - He is verbal (after a fashion) and toilet trained. He attends an MLD primary school and is one of the least able there, certainly less able than your dd - but again it is the right school for him and he is learning. From what you say, it's maybe more likely that your dd would go to MLD ? Has any professional said the other SLD school might work for her? I think the terms are sometimes used in a relative sense - ie in relation to mainstream possibly your dd is seen as severe, but in relation to special school provision is not severe - IYKWIM

[devilishmangerdanger]

I agree, it's about getting the right educational setting. My son is also SLD, he's nearly 12, can not read or write, can not count to 10 consistently, is beginning to recognise a few letters but can't say them phonetically. etc etc

I would visit both schools to see what they are like 1st hand, make a list of q's you want answered and take it from there.

I remember the 1st time I saw severe learning disability wrote on a report. He was 3 year old and they parred him with an 8 month baby.........I thought, cheeky sods (putting it mildly) what do they know, he'll prove them wrong. lol, as the years have gone on, unfortunately the gap has widened. You do seem to get used to it and the love for your child never changes.

[mummyloveslucy]

I know how you feel. Whe I saw SLD, at first I though, she must have played up and not concentrated on the test. Then when the Ed psych went through her answers, I could tell that it was true to her ability. She was actually very eagre to please, that day.
Whatever the diognosis says, she's still Lucy. Nothing has actually changed. We're just better informed. I wouldn't change her for the world, she is such an adorable, loving little girl. All her teachers and friends agree, which is lovely.

[Strongecoffeeismydrug]

DS attends an ASD / sld school and he's deffinatly not the least able there,however it's the best place for him to learn.
Every part of his education is tailored to his needs and he's in a class of 6 with very mixed abilities.
I never thought he would need a sld school but I'm so glad I didn't rule it out as he's really coming on in leaps and bounds since starting there in sept. He is however doing my head inn at the minute as he wants to wear nappies like his class mates :) and he's been toilet trained 5 years ,but if that's all I've got to moan about then I'm happy .)

[mummyloveslucy]

Ha,ha! That's lovely.

[devilishmangerdanger]

So ImTom what do you do with the child who has severe learning disabilities (which is different to difficulties) when there is no suitable school? How do you help an SLD child who avoids social settings? lacks motivation? lacks accountability?

Sorry for the hijack.

[Lougle]

"Then, your daughter can most definitely be helped to improve and improve a lot. However even the best school and the best meaning teachers cannot do too much, why, because each child needs a specific strategy tailored for themselves and only few teachers would have the knowledge and experience, they for sure do not have enough time for implementing individual programs."

What an absolute fallicy!

DD1's school, for example. a 'Learning Disability' school. 110 children, 110 programs! Each child has their own targets, their own program.

[IndigoBelle]

ImTom - my DDs learning difficulties were largely caused by food intolerances. I cannot believe the difference in her once she went Gluten Free / Dairy Free.

But nobody believes me :(