Argh!! If DS isn't dyslexic, why the **** can't he read???

[MrsMcEnroe]

Background: DS (aged nearly 8, in Y3) has always struggled with literacy. Slow, halting reading; stumbling over words; not recognising basic words; reverses letters and numbers all the time; goes to pieces in any sort of test situation such as SATS. We had some private assessments done a year ago which showed that there was an issue with the ways sees/processes information (problems with visual processing). This is particularly evident when he has to do a written comprehension exercise: he just goes to pieces. Can't comprehend how to interpret what's on the page and answer questions about it. He can't read the questions on his own, ever. His spelling is atrocious. He is not, and never has been, remotely interested in trying to read anything by himself - e.g. when we are out and about he will not try to read road signs, shop signs etc, and if he is playing a computer game he won't even try to read the instructions (unless they are simple words such as "Enter," "Stop" etc). Whenever homework is mentioned he has a complete meltdown.

He is a bright boy (I know, everyone says this about their child, but his assessment proved it! and he is engaged with what he's learning, and has a good imagination, and excels at maths - he recently got over 120 on whatever those tests are that kids take every so often, but that's because the teacher was allowed to read the questions out. On the literacy tests, when he had to read the questions himself, he scored in the 90s).

In his Y2 SATs he only achieved level 1c for literacy - and even that surprised me, given how poor his reading is.

Until a month ago he attended a small private school which had zero SEN provision. We have finally got him into a fantastic state junior school and I've had a chat with the SENCO who is a marvellous man . He rang me today to say that they have completed their initial in-school assessments of DS and he scores ABOVE AVERAGE on everything. I was completely flabergasted. What this means is that DS does not even qualify for additional one-to-one reading in school, and yet HE CANNOT READ!! He really, really can't. His reading is so slow, halting and painstaking that it is painful to listen to. His eyesight isn't great but it is fine with glasses (he has been seen by the optician and eye specialist and there is no problem there). Whenever any of his friends come round to play they can read EVERYTHING - all the homework instructions, words on the computer screen, EVERYTHING - wherease DS struggles to read level 6 books in the Ginn 360 series. (Our DD, who is in Reception, is on level 4 - she's 3 years younger than him - I'm worried that this could become a problem for him).

So - why can't he read?! Is he just lazy? Does he just not understand WHY he needs to be able to read? What do I need to ask for? How to I get him the help he needs when he apparently doesn't qualify for it? The SENCO said that they will wait for the results of the Y3 SATS (which he's taking next week) and then see what to do after that, but as things currently stand DS does not qualify for any additional help with anything. I have insisted on getting referred to whichever NHS service it is that assesses children for learning disabilities (is that the right term? and sorry I don't know exactly who we've been referred to, I find it all very confusing) so we are waiting to hear back about an appointment, although apparently the waiting list is very long.

Argh!! Four frustrating years since DS started school and he still can't read or write properly. I just don't get it, and I don't know how to help him. I'm crying tears of frustration as I type this. Could the fact that we didn't find out about his poor eyesight (we'd missed the sight test in Reception due to moving house and moving schools) until Y2 be significant?

Please help - what do we do?

[littlelegsmum]

Well done baffled. I'd do something like that too. In fact I had great pleasure in telling my dds junior school that she DOES have problems rather than just being shy or what other excuse they gave me. (she only leaves in a couple of weeks).

I'm disgusted that so many dc have to wait, like your ds and then years later parents find there are problems. Good on you for sticking with it! And shame on these bloody 'professionals'

[MrsMcEnroe]

We've just to back from DS' speech & language assessment which the SENCO insisted on referring us to. ( excuse my grammar). DS finished the hour-long tests in 20 minutes flat, scored 100% on everything and even answered a question correctly which the therapist has never asked before because nobody has ever got that far .... I.e. he doesn't have a speech & language problem. Which I already knew. The therapist was fantastic and, echoing what others have said upthread, said that the school doesn't have the resources available to help DS in the way that he needs ... Bloody good job that we can pay £500 for vision therapy then, but what about all the other deserving people who can't afford it? It's so bloody unfair. 1 in 10 kids diagnosed with dyslexia actually have a tracking problem and would benefit from vision therapy. Extra reading doesn't help them at all. Ggggrrrrr. If this works for DS I am so going to take this further ... I feel a campaign coming on...

Thanks all for sharing your experiences so far. Anyone else??

[bochead]

DS's dyspraxia is so bad it impacts his visual tracking according to private optremetrist. He's literally just recieved an ASD diagnosis at 7 years 11 months. So much for early intervention!!!!!!

Plan of action = back to basics on the gross and fine motor skills programme. Followed by a course of computerised vision therapy in about 6 months. However long term prognosis provided we do this is good and we still have 3 years till secondary.

Officially intensive reading intervention this year at a very good school's insistence has got him from level 1c to level 1a. He's year 3.

My Mum (retired secondary special needs teacher) is spitting mad at what she sees at the wanton waste of youthful potential in this country for lack of a few cost effective interventions. I think she'd join your campaign !!!!!!!

[IndigoBell]

It's standard practice in Australia to refer all children with reading difficulties to a behaviour optometrist.

[MrsMcEnroe]

Sending a sympathetic bunch of to bochead

Rubbish isn't it?

Also sending to Indigo and everyone else who recommended seeing a behavioural optometrist. Honestly, I can't thank you enough - nobody in RL has ever mentioned one and i know we're only a few days into the programme but already DS is making progress and he seems to be enjoying it which is a first!

[MrsMcEnroe]

Ok I meant and

[mrsbaffled]

Got DS's report today. He's gone from "below expectations" to "at expected level" in writing in the last year. I put all the progress down to his vision therapy :) Some way to go to catch up with all other areas, but we will get there..... x

[IndigoBell]

Well done little Baffled.

[MrsMcEnroe]

Fantastic mrsbaffled

[Hackedabove]

Sorry to reactivate a zombie thread but I was after some advice form the OP and can't send a PM. If by any chance you see this OP could you PM me? Or if anyone has any experience of using a BO recently?