Could this be Dyslexia/asd/other??

[littlelegsmum]

Dd is 10 (11 in may) and we feel she's showing some 'different' behaviours to other girls her age. For example:

She's dependant on me or her brother in most situations.

We cannot reason with her whatsoever.

She can't explain what she has to do. Even though she seems to do it in her room and hand it in.

Overwillingness to please people in authority and needs to be liked by everybody.

Doesn't care how she looks, what she wears unless we push her.

Very immature and would prefer to play with children of 5 than her own age.

She seems to be copying her friends behaviours and mannerisms.

Very naive and will believe everything she's told.

When she disagrees with us she hasn't usually got anything to back up her opinion other than - just cos.

She will interrupt when I'm talking to people.

Doesn't like walking to places by herself.

Repeats things over and over that she hears other people say.

Doesn't have an imagination to make things up and isn't deceitful (which I'm obviously pleased about).

Only talks about getting what she wants with "puppy dogs eyes" as a friend told her what it meant.

Although she seems to have friends they never bother with her and she's only got 1 friend who she's known through school.

Obviously there is more but you have a good idea where I'm coming from now.

Any advice will be a huge help x

I wonder if she has a language difficulty. Problems with understanding and expressing herself would explain: difficulties reasoning and explaining - may well have the ideas in her head but just can't put them into words; prefers to play with younger children - easier to interact physically and at their language level than with own age peers; difficulties keeping own age friends - can't keep up with age appropriate conversation; interrupting adults - doesn't get the rules of conversation and not following what you are saying anyway; copying and repeating- trying to fit in and be like everyone else.
Have they noticed anything at school? Talk to the SENCO and her teacher about your concerns. Ask for a speech and language therapist assessment to check out the language (comprehension and expression). POst back how you get on!

Hi and thanks for your reply.

DD is very quiet in school, very very helpful to teachers and says she knows how to do things (when really she doesn't have a clue) - she is basically a 'model' pupil to the school. They have alot of pupils who are challenging and stand out and cause disruptions therefore they think DD is ok. Unfortunately, they won't refer her as they say there are more people who really 'need' assessments and they've been waiting along time as it is!!

How can I respond to that?!?! :(

If I had a £ for every time teachers say "so and so is far worse"......
It depends so much on where you live as services are available differently. In most areas you should be able to contact speech and language therapy directly and ask for an assessment yourself, or if not, go through your GP maybe. You could also find out if there is a local parents support organisation for Special Needs - you could ask for advice on how to get the school to arrange more assessment.

Unfortunately a lot of children with more 'subtle' difficulties, who don't cause major disruption in the classroom just don't get a look in for assessment at school. Then you have to decide whether to go privately to a local speech and language therapist and/or educational psychologist. That will probably cost you a couple of hundred, but you will know exactly what the problem is, and then have some leverage to get some help at school. Let me know what happens!

If you are genuinely concerned ask your GP to refer to a paediatrician. We did with DS (7) and were seen in 6 weeks, rather than having to wait ages to go through school.

can any one tell me my dd as been diagnosis with attention deficit disorder and oromotor dyspraxia with speech and language delay can i claim dla for him

"If I had a £ for every time teachers say "so and so is far worse"......
It depends so much on where you live as services are available differently. In most areas you should be able to contact speech and language therapy directly and ask for an assessment yourself, or if not, go through your GP maybe. You could also find out if there is a local parents support organisation for Special Needs - you could ask for advice on how to get the school to arrange more assessment.
Unfortunately a lot of children with more 'subtle' difficulties, who don't cause major disruption in the classroom just don't get a look in for assessment at school. Then you have to decide whether to go privately to a local speech and language therapist and/or educational psychologist. That will probably cost you a couple of hundred, but you will know exactly what the problem is, and then have some leverage to get some help at school. Let me know what happens!"

UPDATE:

Well, after not getting anywhere with the school, I decided to go ahead with a SALT assessment and she's been booked in for a private EP assessment for July (earliest date available).

I also contacted LA, who's EP came out in the Easter holidays and went through a ASDs form. He has said he will refer her (poss Asperger's), but it's a huge wait (which we'd expected it to be)

Also, HV referred her to a community paediatrician and that 1st appointment has already come through for June . . So, i've covered all bases :D

We had the private assessment for SALT this week and here were her results

Subtests
Receptive language
Concepts and Directions - SS = 4 (mean = 10)
Word Classes - SS = 3 (mean = 10)
Semantic Relationships - SS = 7 (mean = 10)

Expressive Language
Formulated Sentences - SS = 5 (mean = 10)
Recalling sentences - SS = 6 (mean = 10)
Sentence Assembly - SS = 7 (mean = 10)

Receptive Language Standard Score = 70 (mean = 100)
Expressive Language Standard Score = 78 (mean = 100)
Total Language Score = 73 (mean = 100) normal limits for

The SALT said the average scores were based on giving her time to look, process and respond . . Not sure if this makes a difference or not.

Oh I forgot to add that health visitor has been fab. I've shown her the private assessment results and she has made an immediate referral.

Hi All

Just a little update from a full cognitive assessment we had today - we have to wait for the full reprt but this is what I managed to remember from the initial feedback:

Understanding of words and vocab can puzzle her- ie whats being asked and what she's reading

weakness in short term auditory memory and short term working memory

weakness in phonological processing skills in some areas

basic numeracy skills are better than literacy skills - although when reading a question or word problem will find it tricky if it's not just numbers

spelling and single word reading low to below average range for age - mild degree of dyslexia

So, as well as recent SALT report things are coming together nicely - I just don't know what I should be doing now