Does this sound like dyslexia, sensory processing disorder or something else?

[Livingmagicallyagain]

I have just met with my DS's (5) teacher, in his second year of school (I think Year 1 in the UK system, Senior Infants here in ROI). Last year he struggled with reading and concentrating but (as they start later in ROI) he is one of the youngest (December so he was 4 years and 9 months starting) so not unexpected.

This year they are already flagging big concerns, he is finding everything hard, not taking in instructions, reading not clicking as it is with the others, not mixing in groups with the other kids.

At home he is hugely empathetic, loves books (just loves them - being read to, looking through one for ages etc). Plays brilliantly with older and younger sister. Is funny and curious. Stubborn! Very kind. Fine/gross motor skills.

He was a "late" talker but understood everything early. Full sentences started coming age 3.

We are a bilingual family, German and English (and now he learns Gaelic in school), full receptive language in both but usually responds in English.

Teacher suggested Sensory Processing Disorder. They do not screen for dyslexia until 7. I am meeting with the SNA next week.

I want to know how best to help him. So far I have been giving him chance to ply, go to parks and woods etc after school but I now may need to step in to support him to enjoy school (I am not worried about him being "academic" or not, just happy!).

I used to be a teacher (secondary and university) but don't want him to feel any pressure.

How best to help him? The main issues are concentration, literacy and social.

TIA!

PS eyesight and hearing perfect

It sounds like an ed psych assessment would be helpful.

What support is the school providing? Does DS have any other sensory difficulties? If DS’s difficulties are in part due to sensory differences an OT can help. Do you have any sensory toys/equipment? Many find a trampoline helpful. Is the school allowing sensory movement breaks? This is a good booklet on sensory difference and this is a useful website. Some people find the Out of Sync Child helpful.

When you say hearing is fine, has auditory processing disorder been considered?

Thank you.

He hasn't been screened for an auditory processing disorder so I will look at that, or at least ask about that in the meeting next week.

School are taking him out for one to one and the school has plenty of TA/SNA support in the classroom. Teacher is lovely, small nurturing school. The curriculum here is quite different to the UK, more like 2 or 3 years of kindergarten and then more formal learning starts at age 7, with school finishing at 1pm until then (even then school finishes at 2pm until age 12!). After school he will chill for a day or two, sport/swimming for a day or two then park/woods.

He doesn't seem to have (m)any symptoms on the sensory checklist. In fact, nothing seems to describe him there. He can focus on things for a long time at home/with his sisters. He can play for ages alone or with friends here. No issues with touch. Watch full movies, spend ages pretending to read a book etc. He doesn't seem to "need" a trampoline or any special toys, but I have looked at the sensory diet before to have in my toolbox just in case.

The booklet you linked is excellent and I wish something "jumped out" - I just want to help him enjoy school.

The environment, sensory and otherwise, is much different at home than it is in schools, and DC often present differently.

If it doesn’t appear to be sensory difficulties have you looked at executive dysfunction?

Thank you again (love your user name! Our house too, all three obsessed!).

Nothing jumping out there either, would be so much easier if something did! The only thing that I have read about that rings any bells is dyslexia but t almost 6 he is too young to be screened, and as he is working towards being trilingual his literacy can present differently at first.

I am thinking of teaching him to read at home with me to remove some of his stress at school.

You could try the online nessy screening program at home for dyslexia.
We also used SNIP LITERACY PROGRAMME. This is free to download, and print out, it has different levels and my ds found it very helpful.

Even if they won’t diagnosis dyslexia, an ed psych assessment would cover all the same areas and it would help.

At home insurance renewal time, DH jokes lego is our most expensive possession.

Thank you @mermaidsvssuperheros I will look at that.

And thank you @OvertakenByLego - I will look into how it all works here in ROI and do as much research as I can head of the meeting on Monday.

Your post could have described my 6 year old (Year 2 in UK schooling). He's very empathetic, caring, communicative, and focused when it is something that he likes. However writing is a major problem (letter formation but also independently sitting and writing a sentence) and he is behind his peers in reading. He loves books and stories but cannot seem to keep his concentration to read accurately.

Whilst boring we have tried the toe-by-toe book to help with reading and I think that it is helping (although difficult to get him to do). We've also tried the Write from the Start books to help with handwriting. Both of these programmes were suggested on here and I'm very grateful for whomever posted them, He has ear defenders to help him concentrate in class and SPD was suggested to us as well.

We are currently trying him recording his sentence and using that to remind him what he was writing plus being a pen pal with a friend down the road. Anything to get him to think and write a sentence on his own. We have also been told that they cannot assess for anything yet and to give it a bit more time (although everyone agrees that we will need to step in at some point).

It is very frustrating for us as parents but also for them as they see their friends being able to easily do something that they struggle with. Deep breaths and do your best, it is all you can do.

Thank you, so interesting to hear the response of someone with a similar child!

I’ll know more after the meeting on Monday. There are 2-3 assistants/SNAs and I spoke with one briefly yesterday. She was amazing so I’m confident the school with be supportive.

I’ll update!

Good luck with your meeting, it is amazing what impact just one supportive teacher can make. They might suggest things like countdown timers to get him to focus for a longer time. The timer didn't work for us, it just increased the panic and stress so just be aware of that. There is a way forward for both of you but it might take a while to find it.

Thank you. We had an initial meeting a few weeks ago which confirmed that he just doesn't engage in school then we had a really bed week where he didn't want to go in at all. But we worked with him and he goes in happily, enjoys it mostly and has great fun with friends upon collection.

He whizzes through the maths homework (almost finds in boring/easy) and loves asking maths questions at home. Is engaging easily with the pre-reading activities (rhyming, identifying sounds, alliteration etc.). School finishes at 1pm here (starts at normal time) and so they do get homework of around 10 minutes 4 x week.

Meeting again next week as I think while he is much happier, there is still no focus/concentration at school, not so much reading progress etc.

Great that he's enjoying maths. Must be a boost to both of you that it's something that he doesn't need to try hard at. Does he engage/focus during maths at school but not the other subjects?
Hope your meeting next week goes well. No change on our side!

meeting went ok! DS happy at school and getting lots of support. He gets up and volunteers to speak in post reading activities (retelling) even if he can’t actually manage it, which I think is great!

reading very slowly getting there.

focus and concentration hasn’t improved but he’s little and very kind so that’s ok.

he is still very different at home and school but he’s happy and that was a main goal for him!

That's a great update. Being happy is the main thing.