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Original poster

Indigo DDs learnt to read!

54 replies

IndigoBell · 26/04/2011 07:30

Many of you know DDs story. She was totally unable to learn to read or write, despite intensive SP teaching, and huge amounts of interventions and 1:1. She was unable to learn either whole words or through synthetic phonics.

She started Y3 working at a level 1C and still being sent home with red band (level 1) books.

8 weeks ago (last half term) she did Auditory Integration Training.

This cured her auditory discrimination problems, auditory processing delay, and hypersensitive hearing.

Since then we have been doing 10 mins a night reading - working our way through a synthetic phonics program. Last night we finished the program - and she was able to pick up (an easy) Jaquie Wilson book and read it!!!!!!!!!!!!

The NHS Audiologist said there was nothing wrong with her hearing. (Despite it being clear on an audiogram that she had hypersensitive hearing)

The SpLD EP said dyslexia is caused by auditory problems - but all he recommended was a reading pen and dictation software (after agreeing that school were doing all they could to teach her to read)

To anyone else who thinks their DC has 'dyslexia' - don't give up, don't believe it can't be cured, def don't believe the 'experts' - keep trying everything till you find out what helps your DC.

OP posts:
camaleon · 26/04/2011 13:33

Indigo,
So many times I have felt tempted to write here just to say how much admiration I felt for your determination, your immense capacity to love, your generosity towards your dd and others you have always helped in this forum with your own experience... Done.
Well done! Congratulations to you both!

southofthethames · 26/04/2011 14:03

Well done, both of you! Thank you for sharing the story, it will be a great help and encouragement to many.

Feenie · 26/04/2011 15:15

FANTASTIC news, Indigo, well done to you and your dd. This has made my day! Smile

LilianCan · 26/04/2011 16:29

Well done to your DD!

DS also had great results with AIT. We were lucky enough to get it at his dyslexia school which was funded by our LEA. He needed a more intensive programme than your DD but it was extremely effective.

bigTillyMint · 26/04/2011 16:57

Wow, it sounds so simple! Fantastic!

mathanxiety · 26/04/2011 19:20

Well done -- I remember your DD's story from other threads. What a breakthrough.

PoppetUK · 26/04/2011 20:22

Brilliant. Awesome. I love hearing stories like this. It takes a lot from you as a parent and I admire that. Well done....

forehead · 26/04/2011 22:23

IndigoBell, you have made MY day.

allchildrenreading · 27/04/2011 10:18

This is really heartening news, Indigo, and fantastic perseverance. What an achievement!

ninani · 27/04/2011 12:48

I am really happy about your daughter Indigo!!!! I saw it yesterday but I was too busy Blush

I always felt strongly about people being interested in their children's education and general wellbeing but what you have achieved with so much perseverance I have is really remarkable!

walsingham · 27/04/2011 20:35

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
IndigoBell · 27/04/2011 21:18

Walsingham - I very strongly believe that all 'dyslexia' is caused by other problems, and that it is the least helpful label around.

We will never know how many 'dyslexics' would benefit from AIT and/or Vision Therapy because most people don't try them.....

(But DD does have a dx of Dyslexia from an EP)

And yes, we will start retained reflexes therapy with her in Summer :)

It doesn't make any sense that AIT should have corrected DDs memory problems - but it did.

OP posts:
mrz · 27/04/2011 21:31

AIT is sometimes used for ADHD and short term memory issues so I guess it's similar.

curtaincall · 28/04/2011 14:59

Well done to you and your DD. What a huge relief this must be to you both. Skimming the AIT link I wonder if this would be any help with a child who is tone-deaf too!?

curtaincall · 28/04/2011 15:00

Actually I think it was the Sound Learning Centre having re-read the whole thread and your earlier post.

everlong · 28/04/2011 16:45

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Jezabelle · 28/04/2011 20:22

Congratulations Indigo and baby Bell. Was thrilled to read this. Made my night!

blackeyedsusan · 29/04/2011 00:00

weyhey... great news... !!!!

Original poster
IndigoBell · 03/05/2011 13:32

I'm so cross.

I emailed the SpLD EP who DD has been under for a year, to tell him the good news.

He replied There is no convincing evidence that AIT helps reading. DD has been on Read, Write, Inc for the last 3 years. There must have just been a delay between her acquiring the skills and developing the habit of using them.

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! Angry

Honestly, anyone whose child is having problems learning to read (and we have threads like that most days on here ) - a dyslexia specialist is the last person who you can expect help from :(

Synthetic Phonics is a good way to teach children to read. But while the dyslexia industry refuses to look past it, children like my DD will continue to be failed by 'the system'.

It is so heartbreakingly unfair to all those kids who weren't as lucky as mine.....

OP posts:
Malaleuca · 04/05/2011 00:36

Indigo - it's possible that the Ed Psych is right. It's not a question of disbelieving you, it's simply that a correlation exists, between your dd's AIT and improvement in fluency which does not necessarily mean causation.

mrz · 04/05/2011 06:24

or could it be that AIT is the key that has unlocked the door stopping Indigo's daughter accessing all that phonics instruction?

As professionals we shouldn't dismiss alternatives when all else seems to be failing. I know as a parent I was willing to try almost anything to help my child with his learning difficulties.

Malaleuca · 04/05/2011 06:57

No, I'm not suggesting we dismiss AIT. Wouldn't you like to know for sure it was causation, not merely correlation?
I know several parents who have gone down the Fast Forword path, as the 'key' to unlock 'all that phonics instruction', to no avail.
These therapies must have some success otherwise I find it hard to believe that the providers would continue in business!

Original poster
IndigoBell · 04/05/2011 07:22

I know for certain it was AIT.

There is no way it is possible that AIT was not the key for DD.

One of her main problems (as you know) was her processing speed. She was unable to read not because she didn't know how to, but because her brain worked too slowly to be able to do so.

AIT improved/cured her auditory processing delay - and now her brain has sped up enough for her to be able to read.

Before AIT she made 20% errors in an auditory discrimination test. Afterwards she made 5%. So clearly before she couldn't hear well enough to learn via phonics and afterwards she could.

There is no way at all that after teaching DD using synthetic phonics for 3 years, to no avail, she should suddenly be able to learn straight after AIT and it be a coincedence.

I know for sure it is the causation and not merely causation. Because she can now learn normally, across the board. She can now read words she hasn't been taught. Her maths has sped up. Her language is better.....

AIT is not the same as any of the other listening therapies - including Fast Forward. AIT is the only one (that I know of) that starts with an audiogram of your child and creates personalised music. So it is not at all surprising that the other therapies, like Fast Forward, only work for some kids, while AIT seems to work for all kids.

Also of course the speed of which she has learnt to read says it has to have been AIT. She has gone from reading CVC words to reading chapter books in 8 weeks - with only 10 mins a day phonics instruction. After 3 years of Synthetic Phonics instruction including 10 mins per day of 1:1

There is absolutely no way it was not AIT. And the borough SpLD EP has a responsibility to keep an open mind. All he does is act as a literacy co-ordinator for schools. Out of all the many professionals who have failed DD - he is the worst. Because it really was his job to get Abby reading - not just recommend a reading pen and dictation software as he did.

But he believes that Synthetic Phonics (and specifically Read Write Inc) can teach 100% of children to read - despite all the contrary evidence.

OP posts:
claig · 04/05/2011 14:16

Great news IndigoBell. Well done for never giving up and for not accepting what the experts said as being the end of the story.

MigratingCoconuts · 04/05/2011 19:59

I love threads like this! So positive and heartening. Thank you and congratulations!