What do you think of my Year 3 DS

[TweeterandtheMonkeyman]

When he was in Reception his teacher thought she saw “something” (she was very vague) - DS struggled to sit on the carpet / struggled to sit on a chair/ found holding his pencil correctly very difficult . However he met expectations at the end of the year and no more was said.
His reading and writing has been a little behind / below target all through KS1 . No SATS to look at obviously because of Covid .
Year 3 - his reading is improving (I don’t know how he compares to his peers but he could mange say a chapter of The Twits out loud with no problems) . So not dyslexia?
His maths is fine - although he struggles to concentrate for long. When he does he often amazes me with his mental arithmetic/ times tables. He does reverse numbers when writing.
His writing is SO SLOW and his spelling is really below where it should be. In school he has extra phonics group. He can manage a couple of lines only. He reverses letters .
He still can’t seem to sit on a chair for any length of time!!
Sorry this is long. My question is - does he need some kind of private assessment for any SEN? Will he catch up? Do I need to think about a private tutor so that he does catch up with his peers?
He does not enjoy school work at all (home schooling has been a struggle as you would imagine!) And he’s starting to notice that he’s behind his friends. Any ideas of what might help?

So annoying when teachers are so vague, leaving us to worry! Maths sounds brilliant which is good. My son has autism and dyslexia, he is below in all subjects, but dyslexia is so broad and some can have it really mild. Our school wouldn't test so we did an online dyslexia screening at dyslexia gold cheaper than others and just to confirm what we already thought really. They also have really good programmes to help with spelling, done in a way that helps those with dyslexia. Hope this helps, my 10yo is still reluctant most of the time to work but this really helped us just 10 mins a day. So stressful for you both if he's struggling and noticing peers. xx

Sorry you are worried, could be many things or nothing. My suggestion would be to have a read about dyspraxia and see if anything fits.

This sounds like a combination between my DD and DS. At least one of them has suspected ADHD/ADD. DD (yr 3 also) is pretty much the same as your DS but not the fidgety part (although she is easily distracted in class, only really picked up at the start of yr 3). DS is the fidgety one!

Also look up dysgraphia.

I have an 18 year old DS who has ADHD. As a young boy he couldn't sit still, was easily distracted, spoke when not allowed to, impulsive etc. He couldn't read properly till he was about 7 yrs old but soon caught up and did well in his SATS. He was at a little village primary where he had the same teacher for all subjects and always in the same room, so he was seen as a bit naughty but not anything else.

At senior school he started to fall behind a lot as the changing classrooms and teachers the whole time was a bit overwhelming for him. We went privately for an assessment and he was diagnosed with ADHD and also Slow Processing Speed at about 13 and put on meds which helped (at the time). He had extra time in GCSEs and got 10, grades 4-8.

My DS2 was similar but different. All through the same primary he was a fidget, didn't read till he was 7 either but wasn't seen as bright as DS1. He was also diagnosed as having Slow Processing Speed and also Poor Working Memory, but not dyslexic and not ADHD.

Thank you all, so helpful to read about other dc who sound similar.
I think the difficulty is that he doesn’t stand out as having one obvious SEN that anyone could put their finger on. Teachers always just pull a bit of a face if you know what I mean! He’s not at all badly behaved apart from the fidgeting , he’s quiet and quite shy in school. More of a day dreamer !
I’m starting to be concerned about Secondary school as @BigusBumus has mentioned with her ds . I really can’t see DS managing the organisational aspect! He comes out of Year 3 with bag gaping open , stuff falling everywhere, coat hanging off etc etc !
I need to look up dysgraphia as haven’t heard of that.

@mummax3 thank you I will look at online screening tests

It might be worth looking at Easyread, my DS really struggled at school and if I'm honest the teacher and SENCO really didn't help me. They said they "could" get him tested for dyslexia but it was a long wait, and then there were lockdowns, bubbles bursting etc etc. I took matters in to my own hands and Easyread do a 10 lesson free trial and in that trial there is an assessment. I found out DS has an eye tracking weakness and blending difficulty (as well as being a stubborn sight reader!) and it's been really helpful to actually know what is going on. Definitely get less frustrated with him now.

Thanks @anna114young

I would look to assess for dyslexia and look up some mild to moderate physio therapy for core strength and fine motor skills.

Not being able to sit still doesn't always point to ADHD. In fact if that isn't coupled with sensory seeking or avoiding behaviour, stimming (self stimulation through noise and or movement), tics (vocal or physical) inappropriate level of interruption without realising it... I wouldn't even consider ADHD.

Weak core strength and poor fine motor skills would completely account for your sons physical difficulties and dyslexia is often accompanied with some need or other for corrective lenses so an eye test wouldn't go a miss.

My DC3 was exactly like that in year 3 and although his reading has tsken off since home schooling and is flying (age appropriate books in 2 nights) his written work is below expected standards, especially spelling. He wrote half an A4 page (as a dictation read by his teacher, which they have to do where we live) and made 27 spelling mistakes - any child with 5 or more mistakes had to do it again, but I didn't make him as they get a solid 5 hours of work every day and it was too much.

Despite fairly fluent reading my son did get a dyslexia diagnosis last year, after very thorough assessment (paediatrician, occupational therapist and psychologist). His assessment gave him an exceptionally high score for verbal reasoning and understanding and use of spoken language, and the psychologist said his vocabulary was incredible for a then 8 year old - pretty impressive as he was assessed in his second language - but an exceptionallylow score for written language.

DC's handwriting and fine motor skills were terrible in year 3, and flagged up as significant concern at his assessment, yet his gross motor skills scored full marks as he easily completed all set tasks.

Anyway dyslexia was the diagnosis, and he now has occupational therapy which has helped loads with his fine motor skills and holding the pen in a way which doesn't hurt after a few lines. I've also bought him a special pen and he has special permission not to write in fountain pen (we live in Bavaria) and his spelling can't impact his grade - if we hadn't had the assessment and diagnosis his spelling would have reduced all his grades and therefore bared him from a lot of secondary school options.

Occupational therapy and the right pen make loads of difference.

His spiky profile suggests to me either dyslexia or dysgraphia - ADHD tendencies often come part in parcel with both of these. Luckily society sees dyslexia as a super power now so he will probably fly in real life - however the primary curriculum can be tough for dyslexics (secondary can suit their brains better - less grammar.)

Is he left handed?

No not left handed . I am ! However I’m an excellent speller

Thanks all, really helpful.

I’m dyslexic. As our my 2 eldest. We are all great readers.

I know people who have had a lot of success with "stareway to spelling". The book is available on amazon and its fairly easy to work through at home.

Ah ok. I am too and got told I was unusual in being a leftie and not reversing my letters.

@mummax3

So annoying when teachers are so vague, leaving us to worry! Maths sounds brilliant which is good. My son has autism and dyslexia, he is below in all subjects, but dyslexia is so broad and some can have it really mild. Our school wouldn't test so we did an online dyslexia screening at dyslexia gold cheaper than others and just to confirm what we already thought really. They also have really good programmes to help with spelling, done in a way that helps those with dyslexia. Hope this helps, my 10yo is still reluctant most of the time to work but this really helped us just 10 mins a day. So stressful for you both if he's struggling and noticing peers. xx

Teachers aren't educational psychologists so they can only be vague. They can't state or insinuate that a child has a specific developmental issue.

Is he hypermobile?

Children with hypermobility can sometimes find it very difficult to hold a pen properly, and sitting still for an extended period makes them uncomfortable, so they tend to move about a lot, which is interpreted as fidgeting.

OP

What is his routine like? I mean does he have difficulty with organisation?

He could be hyper mobile - how would that be assessed? He really struggles with sitting on a chair - it has to be seen to be believed ! He looks a bit knock kneed when he runs. He’s extremely accident prone , not clumsy but very impulsive, no sense of danger. We’ve been in a&e getting stitches recently.
Organisation - not good at school, struggling to get the right things out of his tray, loses everything etc.
At home I tend to do a lot for him - which probably says a lot. He comes across as slightly young for his age. (I have older dc and I see a difference) .

Don't necessarily rule out dyslexia! I was top of my classes all through school, way ahead reading wise at school, came out with all A*s but I am dyslexic!

It sounds like there could be something not quite typical there.
FWIW, bright children (and the maths suggests he has some strengths above his age) can often compensate for difficulties when young, as they can work out ways round things, or just use memory power. As they get older, these strategies start failing.

It might be worth also having a look at retained reflexes. There is a questionnaire that you can fill out here to see if this is likely: www.inpp.org.uk/child-screening-questionnaire/
A friend of mine had a child who sounds incredibly similar, and found an occupational therapist who worked with them with unbelievably good results.

Dyspraxia? The not being able to sit on a chair thing and slow writing makes me think, also the gait when running. Some good info here dyspraxiafoundation.org.uk/

Of course, it might not be at all, but it's a possibility to look into

I have a 9 year old asd and adhd kid.

He wasn't able to sit still, focus, he fidgeted constantly, he jumped up and down when he was watching something on tv, kicked over the table he was eating off several times, can't watch films, he runs everywhere, struggles with writing (reading fine) can do math and write math no problem but writing sentences is a ball ache and you need to sit with him, no attention span, loud, talks over you, shouts when he talks, accident prone, interrupts, struggled keeping friends, is constantly on the go but could chill with an iPad, struggles to fall asleep but once asleep is ok, can be in the shower for an hour and forget to wash, cannot follow 2 step instructions, appears not to hear you when spoken to, very forgetful and struggled to retain information like put your coat on.

This is just his adhd side.

If any of this seems familiar, then go for an adhd assessment. Meds have improved all of this drastically.