Ed Psych, what to expect from first visit?

[expatinscotland]

Shot in the dark, but here goes!

So DD1 met with her new paed Friday.

Yes, her learning delays are becoming more obvious - she's 4.6 now.

She can recognise one letter, A, and has trouble counting and with the concept of numbers, even to five.

Other cognitive delays in conversation and motor skills and other concepts - such as looking at two drawings of the same thing and determining which is bigger, etc.

Can draw a circle and a line. That's it.

No dominant hand. Pen/pencil grip issues.

Just now starting to potty train.

Physically, more right side dominant - things like going up and down stairs with both feet and always leading with the right. She's going to OT and SALT.

She's also been referred to the educational psychologist, as she'll be entering primary school in August.

What goes on in the first appointment?

Any pertinent questions to bring up?

Fortunately, she's again been blessed with a wonderful paed who went to medical school in Glasgow with her former paed in Edinburgh.

They'll be chatting about DD1, with our full blessing.

Any suggestions appreciated!

I think it will be a positive experience for you. The Ed Psych will be able to recommend the level of support and help that your DD may need. That was my experience ( I am in Scotland too). The best plan is to be honest about your own concerns and to describe as fully as you can where you feel the weaknesses are.

If this is her first meeting with the ed psych, the brief will be to determine her "learning style" (and challenges, presumably). So there will be a series of standard tests, which for my ds were all IQ-related (puzzle type), but probably will vary in focus depending on how a child presents - so if she would find puzzles difficult, the focus might switch to a different series of tests.

The ideal objective is to work out how to bring together your dd's personal learning style and the classroom environment - ie be able to give concrete suggestions as to how to teach her, right down to where she should sit and whether she is likely to need in-class 1-to-1 support.

Do bear in mind that ed psych consultations though are sometimes a bit inconclusive & vague - you may get a good one with real down-to-earth usable suggestions, or you may get one who does waffliness. (If the latter, see if you can get another assessment.)

THANKS!

Not really sure what her learning style is.

It's hard to know.

She's very compliant at nursery, very cooperative, but she does distract easily.

And the delays become more obvious, of course, as she grows older.

She's shy with strangers at first.

And keeps her answers very short.