Dyspraxia, Dysgraphia et al !

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Hi

I hope this comes out ok ! My son is in year 3 and has always struggled to write. For a long time this has been put down to his Dyspraxia and school have out extra effort into helping with fine motor skills. But despite this he still remains at level 1 with writing and most of the time any independent writing is illegible, however hard he tries. He just seems unable to remember what he has already written (after a few words) and his spelling is awful.

He had some OT input who said we need to get him a laptop at school. School are looking at this (have been for a year now) but have said that he struggles with using the key boardl and want him to use clicka 6 ? I don't know much about this, but am worried what this means. Are they saying he is just not capable or is this supposed to help in some other way that I do not understand.

This year has been very difficult for him suddenly he is finding maths really hard as well and we have been told he did not get a grade on the maths paper this year as he answered so few questions. Last year he got a 2c in sats (which I know is low average but I was very chuffed he had managed to do this on his own. He was given 2b on teacher assessment. I was told at yesterdays review that his reading level is expected to be at 3c or 3b and that he has a good understanding of what he reads.

I am starting to feel that i just don't know how to help him learn ?

He had his review yesterday and I asked for his sats levels and it felt like getting blood out of a stone. School are great in many ways and he is happy and settled at school with friends (despite some sensory issues) BUT I am getting more and more worried about his long term future and wanting to be sure that I am supporting him he best way we can. If school say to me look he just can't do it, this is the most he can achieve I would be upset but would accept it and make the most of who he is, which is a fantastic kind, caring and sociable boy who I would fight to become as independent as he can. But because they dont say this I wonder whether he can do more academically and we just are not supporting him in the best way we can.

I just feel at a complete loss as to what to do ? should we get an independent ed psych report would this help ? I know it would help me understand what we are dealing with but would it help school. any advice thoughts appreciated. I feel I need to go back to school before the end of the year as feel so down after his review that another year has gone and we are still in the same place.

We did pay for a private Ed psyc report as a first point of call. It wasn't cheap, but for us we felt it was worth the money. It gave us a definitive clarity of where our son was at (and not just where the school thought he was) what were his main areas of weakness/strengths etc. a lot of people go straight in and request assessment, but unless you have full backing of school this isn't always easy. We went down statement route based on the outcome of the private findings. Our son now has a statement and is in a specialist school.

Thanks Big Bird

We have decided to pay for an Ed Psych report so that we know more about what we are dealing with, but I would also like to know more about how best to help him learn, ie how best does he take information in and am not sure an Ed Psych report will give us that - not sure if anyone knows what else might ? At the moment I really don't want him to move school as he is so so happy and very much one of the boys in the class and part of the local area. But I know we may have no option as I am so worried about what will happen after primary school as at the moment i can't see anything but bottom groups and life being a real struggle for him.

I think you will find that the private Ed psyc report will help you with this. They may advise on various learning schemes or suggest computer packages that might help or refer you to support groups who could help. Is the school open to suggestions? you may find an OT assessment of help or possibly optometrist?

Thanks for taking the time to reply it is really helpful. I have been given the name of an Ed Psych in London but just wondered if you or anyone else knew anybody good nearer to the Midlands. We live in Nottingham.

I can't help you with a recommendation as we live in the south and used someone in Brighton. I think you will find it helpful. We found it helped us. I would hasten to add, that whilst I know it's hard, don't be too despondent, our son is older than yours and his reading/writing/maths levels are not even graded at 1c yet. I have learned to ignore the grades. He has a normal IQ and I won't accept that "this is it" and he won't achieve. He will. But it will take time and as you rightly say, with the right help and support. X

Thanks and you are so right. I have worked out that every time we go to a review I take a downward plunge rather than focusing on all the positives and remembering that he will find his path and get there but in his time. Many thanks for taking the time to get back to me again and for the gentle kick in the right direction ! wishing you well for the future X

There is Ruksana Meherali, based in Beeston, Nottingham. Iirc, she is not cheap. A friend of mine used her for a Tribunal. She was pleased with her.

There is nothing wrong with using Clicka - you point to the word with the mouse, and it writes out the whole word. We know an adult with dyspraxia, still has illegible writing. He's always been allowed to use laptops for work and exams - he is a chartered accountant!