Blimey re DS's assessment

[amberlight]

I'm just astonished by DS's most recent specialist assessment. They tried a wider set of tests of his abilities and he's come out as extremely dyspraxic, and having very marked specific learning difficulties to add to the other stuff (ASC, dyslexia). His short term memory is so short it's hardly there at all, it seems. But his verbal skills are so high that they broke their test scoring thingy again.

It's no wonder he has such difficulty with organising himself and being able to write stuff down in any sensible order etc.

It's really made me think about the challenges he's got and how he's had to overcome them these last 18 years. Uni ahead of him (if one of them will have him on their OT course) but I worry so much about how he will cope and what jobs will play to his strengths (that amazing verbal humour etc, big physical strength and presence, good leader, but can't organise paperwork etc).

I'm so proud of what he's managed so far.

Wow! Amazing that he's done so well without any short term memory.

You're right to be proud. Him - and you - have obviuosly done a fantastic job.

It really explains why we can ask him to do something and he can only remember the first few words of the sentence

Amber .. He has done fantastically well so far.. And you would have taught him so much and so many ways around difficult things... I'm sure that this has hidden some of the severity of his difficulties.

But this almost proves that their is always another way round the problem.

Guess so. Wonder how best to support him at things like Uni though...they reckon he'll have to apply for Student Disability Allowance, definitely. But I feel like I don't know anything about what might help. Guess I've got to wait for him to ask those questions in the interviews and really talk to the Unis about how they would work with him.

Well .. If it were me ( and I'm guessing it will be in a few years because ds2 wants to go to uni.. And he'll need extra help with dyslexia, asd sensory stuff and general living skills).

I'd list the things he'll need help with and start from there..so it might be that he stays in halls of residence which include his meals through the whole degree rather than just in the first and last years ( was first and last when I went lots of years ago.. May have changed).
He may need help from a student councillor or welfare with making sure he has paid for things he needs to..
What access or support can they put in for lectures with regard to his dyslexia... Dictaphone for note taking, lecturer notes, laptop ( with organiser to do diary on it) etc etc.

That's where I would start asking the different universities..

I lose track of things after I've heard the first few words as well, so asking for directions is nigh on impossible. I manage to get lost every time I go to the lads' school. So if I have to know something, I write things down as I'm hearing them. I've got a good long term and rote memory, which helps.

Eeek, we spoke to one decent Uni he'd applied to and explained his needs..and two days later got a rejection notice back

There could be a lesson in this about how 'disability friendly' places really can be, I guess (not).

Rejection on what grounds? (they're not supposed to consider disability unless it's a professional course...and even then I'd be asking for the reasons).

it's a professional course - Occupational Therapy - we're asking for the reasons, given that he's already working successfully with young people with disabilities on schemes (supervised) and heavily in demand for it, etc. I dare say they may claim that they simply had too many applicants etc, but the timing is a bit suspicious.

Well done to your ds and hope he gets a course he enjoys. That is so encouraging, thank you. ds is 12 dyspraxic asd traits and poor working memory but high verbal iq. He goes to secondary school in September and it is daunting

With two days it is probably unfortunate overlap (no time for information to get from the university to the department and back).

I would be tempted not to go into deep detail with universities until your ds gets offers (but equally if there are interviews, they may need reasonable adaptations - I guess it depends what he wrote on his UCAS form).

I wonder if any of the relevant charities have good STM advice, as being able to organise/write notes on what you've done is a core skill. Some people write as they listen to lists where others wouldn't, but that doesn't always get around remembering enough to note write.