Backwards writing - is this still normal in yr3?

[EverettUlyssesMcGill]

We wondered if ds1 was dyslexic since he started reception, but the teachers seemed to think it was just immaturity.

We had him tested in yr1 (privately, school weren't interested) and it came out as borderline - could be dyslexia, could be immaturity. None the wiser (though we found out his IQ was over 140!!)

Now he's nearly 8 and we've been doing some work at home, and he's having real trouble knowing which way round to write numbers and letters. b and d, p and q all get randomly assorted and numbers are consistently back to front. He also can't seem to see when they are backwards, even when he's just written them. And he struggles to know which end to start at, iyswim - so to start a 6, he'll sit looking at the paper and putting his pencil down on the top right, then left, then right, saying 'Ohhhhh' in a frustrated manner.
He is clever and bright but this is bothering me.
He brings home maths quizzes and they have consistently backwards numbers too, also he never finishes them on time so gets graded badly as he is so slow, despite getting most of the completed ones right.

Should school be doing something now? They have not mentioned it at all.

My DD is almost 7 and does it too...the school said that if she is doing it at 8 then it needs looking at. Though they also said thatit isn't necassarily anything oher than her developmnt in that area being slightly slow...as she has no other troubles.

I think if it is worrying you then you should make an appointment with his teacher.

I would suggest a specialist eye test - normal opticians don't look in detail at how the eyes function and in some cases an optometrist can prescribe glasses that are effectively 'medicine' and are only worn for a while to correct eye muscle movements. I would also be asking for an update on your assessment. The fact that he is so bright but what he is producing on paper does not match his ability may well indicate a dyslexic issue. Be forceful with the school. Good luck

The best place to get his eyesight checked is at a behaviour optometrist.

The trouble with a label of dyslexia is that it brings you no extra help at all. The school should be doing everything they can to support him, whether or not he has a dx. But if you come in tomorrow with a dx of dyslexia they won't do anything diff for him. They are already doing everything they know how to.

So by all means talk to school and tell them your concerns and ask them if they think he needs any extra support, and ask them if they think he is showing his potential in the classroom. But don't get hung up on whether or not he has dyslexia. It is truly irrelevant.

They might be able to test him for visual perception difficulties, and if it shows problems give him some things to do which might help his visual perception.

To help get their numbers the right way my kids were always had a number line on their desk which they had to refer to to get their numbers round the right way.

DS still got his numbers round the wrong way in Y3 and it resolved itself during that year. He has severe visual perception problems which we have not been able to cure. But he no longer reverses numbers or letters.

DD is in Y3 and still reverses her letters and numbers. She is getting an enormous amount of help, but none of it specifically to do with either her reversing numbers or her working slowly. She has a dx of dyslexia, which just confirmed what everyone knew already and bought her no extra support because the school are already doing everything they can.

I would also try omega fish oil if you haven't already. It has helped both DS and DD a lot. But in particular it has helped DD to speed up.

Is he left-handed? And does he try to properly mirror write? If he is left-handed this is totally natural & just needs gentle correction see the 'anything left-landed' website'.

my Y3 lefty does this. Teachers not worried, said it willcorrect itself as he gets older.

thankyou all, some interesting thoughts - his eyes haven't been checked lately, not sure how I would find a behavioural optometrist though?

I don't know if school is doing all it can. We had him assessed with a dyslexia specialist locally and I know some of his class go to her for extra help, I'm not sure if this is worth doing which is why I think you're right and I need to follow up the assessment.

The number line on the desk is a great idea.
Not sure if he is left handed or not. He has a tendency to do lots of things left handed but school never followed this up with actually seeing whether he wanted to be LH or RH, they just persuaded him he was RH as far as I can tell, though I tried to get them to investigate at the time. They weren't interested so we don't know.

I'm glad to hear it can self resolve. He has problems processing instructions, can't tie shoelaces properly and forgets left and right frequently, as well as not being able to sort out time, months, days etc.

"The trouble with a label of dyslexia is that it brings you no extra help at all. The school should be doing everything they can to support him, whether or not he has a dx. But if you come in tomorrow with a dx of dyslexia they won't do anything diff for him. They are already doing everything they know how to."

As I have already explained on another thread, I'm not sure this is always the case. Sometimes schools suddenly get more supportive and sympathetic to problems when they realise a child has dyslexia. I've seen this happen in both state and independent schools! This I think is especially true for the bright child who despite the dyslexia is still managing to achieve at average to above average levels.

I have to say he sounds very much like my DD (8 & yr4). She has had trouble withthings like laces, sewing & even playing the recorder & she is left-handed. I'm not sure if she would have been if it wasn't for me being a 'lefty' too as many teachers will push towards right hand whenever they can as they think it will be easier for him in the long run. Trust me, it will not!

DD now has a fantastic teacher who has helped lots with handwriting, tripod grip etc. Also, try a fountain pen - that really helps them to stop being too tense when working. Hama beads help with dexterity too. It sounds like he needs time and support whether he turns out to be left-handed or not. It's all about which half of the brain controls the muscles. Lefties tend to be very creative & think in a different way - watch some of the videos on the anything left-handed website to see if any of it fits.

HTH

Sorry, Sarah.

I do think you're right a dx helping some schools. But that's because the school is bad, not the dx is helpful / good IYSWIM.

But I even more strongly think that if instead of focussing on a dx of dyslexia people focussed on ruling out all the underlying problems (including, but not limited to, bad teaching ) - no one would get a dx of dyslexia....

I agree with Indigo a diagnosis won't make a difference in a good school because they will have identified the problem already and teach effectively.