Special needs or gifted and talented?

[claw3]

Hi everyone

My 4 year old son is currently seeing an OCT and she thinks he may have SPD, because he basically has some heightened senses. She has also commented that she thinks he may be gifted. He also has a speech delay ie saying some physical sounds probably caused from being deaf for a year with fluid in his ear.

Is it common for gifted children to have sensory difficulties or speech delays?

Is it possible to have special needs, but also be gifted?

Id be grateful for any advice or experiences

sorry posted twice!

Alleve - My 15 year old son is exactly the same, he doesnt go out unless he has somewhere to go ie cinema etc. Socially i would say she sounds like a sensible girl, just hanging around must be mind numbing dull!

At the moment my 4 year old isnt doing too well socially, he does try to interact, perhaps it will get better as he gets older.

Mollie - Sorry to hear about your ds's problems, its heartbreaking isnt it when they are so young and you feel helpless.

You could be right about being in SCBU etc having nothing to do with my ds's problems. Its just when i went to see the OCT, it was one of the first questions she asked me, also in the book 'The Out of Sync Child' it did state being a prem baby as a possible cause of SPD for the reasons i state previously. Just struck a chord with me, seemed to make sense. I dont think enough research has been done into the causes as its a relatively new theory.

Just feeling a bit frustrated at the not knowing after 2 1/2 years.

claw3 I'm seeing an educational psychologist today to talk about my teenager who is predicted to get A or A* grades at GSCE but is also dyspraxic. Yes you get very bright kids with other issues but its very unlikely that you will get a diagnosis. It does happen - the girl who wrote Caged in Chaos (book about dyspraxia) has a Cambridge degree and very severe dyspraxia. However the problem has to be very severe before it is recognised. If you manage the problem well and develop coping strategies you get no help at all.

If that sounds bitter - it is. I don't want labels or much help, I'd just like a chat and pointing at some books or someone I can see privately. I'm getting the chat today but have low expectations of anything more than I have found today on mumsnet.

sorry forgot - Madeline Pertwood (educational psychologist) suggests that dyspraxia can be improved by fish oil supplements and possibly GF/CF diets. So if you think a child may have issues with gluten get them a blood test first and then try the diet.

Tatt - I feel my ds has been prodded, poked and tested from the moment he was born, at times i do feel like screaming "leave him alone". Just like you, all i want is some information so i can better understand his behaviour and help him to cope, which is hard to do without a diagnosis!

I dont think he has any problems with gluten, what would be the signs?

and good luck with your appointment

sorry it was Tiggiwinkle who mentioned gluten, been reading so much this morning I lost track.

I put my daughter's speech/spelling problems down to ear infection but now realise they may have een a motor problem. Unfortunately if their speech develops slowly they lose confidence in their ability to speak out. I''ve read an interesting thread on Mumsnet today about an American book to help with speech. Going to have a longer look later. Try searching mumsnet for apraxia kids

Tatt - I know the feeling, seems like all ive done for the last 2 1/2 is read about different suspected problems, kinda all merges in one!

I feel like i keep seeing a light at the end of the tunnel, then running into a dead end. Will go and have a read of what you suggested, thanks

the american book has a 27 $ delivery charge so I'm going to look instead at Kate Ripley's books instead. However I suspect that the most important thing in improving your child's speech is to ensure that they do lots of it!

v interesting!
dd2 was born term and spent 5 weeks in scbu. most of her issues (lots of tactile defensive/ and other sensory issues esp noise but also bright light) are always put down to the brain damage she suffered at birth (and subsequent dx of cerebral palsy) but how interesting to hear other ideas.
dd2 started yr r this year, but has been more than ready for ages - taught herself to read last year/ very numerate etc, and also has a whole raft of imaginary friends, alongside her real ones. i had kind of assumed it was a regular kid thing, but now not so sure lol. neither of my NT kids had imaginary friends at all .
we are in the slightly surreal area of having a statement of sen, but they have to differentiate her work for ability in the 'other' direction lol...

Romy - Its a minefield, trying to establish what is 'normal' behaviour for their age and what is attributed to their condition and how much is just my ds 'milking it'.

I was worried that although my ds may have SN, he is as bright as a button and i didnt want him being held back by the SN problem. Hopefully they will take his individual needs into account.

Its early days with the OCT, so cant really say whether receiving help for his sensory problems has helped or not im afraid.

that was my main worry re school - i'm aware how the cash strapped system works and strongly believe in every child achieving their potential. in dd2's case it is extremely obvious that parents in the playground automatically assume she isn't very bright (admittedly it wouldn't be the first thought that popped into your head if you came across her lurching across the playground, or having a meltdown because there has been a change of routine or a workman has appeared with something that makes noise lol) but as long as the teachers have the time and energy to 'unpick' the kids a bit, it has to be possible for individual children to get what they need in the classroom... ever the optimist!

Romy - Youve hit the nail on the head, with all the cut backs etc, i am worried that it will just be easier for them to put him into a special needs group and not take into account that he doesnt have any learning disablities.

LOL same with my ds as he walks along chatting away into thin air (George and Thelma his imaginary firends) wearing his dinosaur suit!!

Im sure when he starts school, all my fears will be laid to rest!!!!!

My ds is due to start 'big' school in January and we went to visit the school on Friday.

All the parents sat in a circle and we were told of uniform etc. During the reception year the teacher explained they will be learning their letters and phonics and will receive a certificate once they have learnt them all.

My ds already knows his letters and phonics, but when she asked if anyone had any questions, i didnt ask what they would do with him, but yet if it was to do with his SN i wouldnt have hesitated!! Anyone else feel there is more stigma attached to admitting you have a very bright child??

oh yes. people automatically assume you are being pfb and exaggerating ability. when we had our 1-1 time with the teacher before she started, i did mention that dd2 read virginia woolf over my shoulder (and laughed lol) but said something like 'i'm sure you're more than capable of working out what level she should be on' in a jovial manner. i don't ever say anything to other parents unless they ask me directly (usually the uber competitive ones). fortunately all our professional reports (from OT/SLT etc) all say what a bright child she is, but it's a real juggle... i've learnt to be forthright about sn, but haven't quite got the nerve to be forthright about being clever lol. ridiculous really! i do ask general questions about extension work for junior school moves lol, but then i think at that point you've got an 'academic' authority behind you, so you don't feel so braggy.

Romy, the imaginary friends is a kid thing IMO. Dd had loads of them, including imaginary children and a boyfriend. My nephew had them, my niece had them, I had them. Ds had a whole imaginary country, complete with a different language.

i'm sure it is, cory - it's just interesting to hear it described alongside more ascribed asd/ sensory issues.
i had one myself (she was called tibdy lol) - it just does make you wonder when there are other things going on, that certain kids might be more susceptible than others
how's dd today?

It is pretty commonplace for a child to start reception knowing their letters etc or even being able to read. It's not proof of genius and teachers are used to it. I do not think there is any 'stigma' attached to having a clever child at all. What people dislike is bragging (I'm not saying you are bragging by the way) so that's why you are, rightly, careful not to sound as if you are showing off about your child. The reason it sounds like bragging is because there is no stigma about being clever. Everyone wants a bright child.
Nobody thinks you are showing off if you talk about your child's sn. Nobody wants a child with sn.

not disagreeing with any of that. ime it's not a commonplace expectation though for a child with sn to know letters/ be reading going into yr r... and i think that was my biggest concern - an able child who would automatically be included in the 'sn extra help' group by default really.
i certainly found it a weird old line to tread - one where you are focused on individuality and the avoidance of stereotyping whilst being careful not to appear accusational lol. and differentiation of work for a child who is academically advanced but has a motor disability requires lots of imagination from teaching staff
i'm dead fussy, me.

rofl at that already though - obvious charge of academic v play in yr r lol, but alongside that, hopefully you get my gist!

Dd still a little fragile, Romy, but less focused on the Norway thing. I think she's feeling rough for all sorts of reasons, not least the flu. It will pass.

well my son has SN (Aspergers, dyspraxia) as well as other more minor problems and he could read by the time he started school (a large state primary) and it was not considered remotely unusual or tricky.

that sounds like a great school
there is just so much focus on statementing and explaining what the child can't do, that sometimes what they can do is overlooked. good schools will always start with the 'can' and work on the 'has trouble with'...
budgetary constraints can mean that children who require additional help are all 'looked after' in a group by one LSA though - and that can cause issues with differentiation of ability.
fwiw i'm very happy with dd2's school so i guess ours have found the right place with staff that recognise their individuality.

Well, actually my son is both unusual and tricky but his combination of difficulties and abilities was not considered unusual! That's not to say I haven't had to battle away like any other parent of a child with SN to get his needs met and a dx etc etc etc

What do you think causes G&T, are children born that way?

Take my son for example has having heightened senses made him more aware of the world around him?

Just wondering what your thoughts are?