Is the ed psych the right person for the job - need quickish answer.

[figleaf]

My son is an average to bright boy in Y2. Maths is around 2b/a his Reading around 2a/3 and his speaking/listening around 3 but they dont know where to put him interms of writing as he wont do any. He is left handed and says his hand gets tired easily and that work is boring so he doesnt really want to do it. He writes a bit big and a bit untidily and very slowly.

The school tell me that his "problem" is unusual and would like the Ed psych to look at him. If I agree I will have to pop in today at home time to sign a form. (The urgency is due to this being a cancellation appointment) What do you think? Is the ed psych the right person for this job or should I go to a GP/Child development doctor?

Bump

I would say an EP is absolutely the right person; this is exactly their field.

They should be able to give the school some helpful and practical advice as to how best to encourage your ds to do his writing.

Hope you get a good EP, and lucky you for getting a cancellation ... you can wait weeks/months for an EP and even longer for devt paed.

We've had recent experience of EP, so if you've any questions, please fire away.

I would ask for the school doctor to assess him with a view to referral to a Paediatric Occupational Therapist who specialise in these sorts of problems. Alternatively go to your GP to do the same. On the other hand, if the problem is such that he doesn't want to writeand his writing is poor the EP may well refer to the OT anyway. Go to the appointment and follow up as you feel is necessary with the other professionals.
HTH

Thanks all - filled in the form and assessment will go ahead soon. Head said it was better if I didint know when so that we (and DS) wouldnt worry.

Thanks for the offer of a chat rosin, will take this up if I have any questions. The head said the ed psych will observe DS then meet with him. After she writes a report/ draws a conclusion she`ll feed back to me and DH (plus his teacher).

If a problem is found she`ll devise a plan to overcome it.

Ed psych visited today. Ds said a lady watched his class do mental maths (sat just behind him). The teaching assistant normally writes out his sums so he only has to write the answers but today she didnt (presumably to give the ed psych a good look at his abilities). No one spoke to my son on his own or "tested" him for anything - would this be normal, not really sure what I expected. As well as this visit, the school nurse came in and got DS to run around with out his shoes on and kick a ball, throw balls and draw pictures. These seem like gross motor functions to me yet Id have thought a writing problem would mean testing his fine motor skills. My son said that the nurse asked what subjects he liked (he said art as it involved no writing) and if he could dress himself but he didn`t have to do buttons or anything for her.

After another prompt from the school I did go to see my G.P. He was very calm and laid back about things. He has asked me to go back and see him when I had a copy of any report and we`d chat through what he could do for me. He mentioned a referal to developmental services.

I also went to see the schools part time SENCO (is this normal to be part time?). She was a nice lady but kept going on about 10 yrs ago, when she was last a full time teacher,and the BBC micro had a brilliant gadget for non writers called concept keyboard. She said shed look into DSs problems and get back to me after Easter.

Not sure what should happen now. Should these people write to me with findings/reports? Any permission slips Ive signed Ive said that I would like to see copies of reports etc .

Do I leave it a polite time (2 weeks) then start asking questions?

Figleaf - great to hear from you.

Reports can take up to 6 weeks in some areas It might be worth asking after Easter as to when you can expect to see something.

It sounds positive that your ds was not upset or disturbed in any way, and just took it all in his stride.

Sometimes a SENCO is a teacher with full-time class responsibility as well - depends on the size of the school. A part-time dedicated SENCO is good. (We have a full-time SENCO, but it is a big school.)

Thanks Rosin,its good to have an approx time scale. I dont want to look like the pushy/overanxious mother. Im trying my best to seem calm and rational. This is quite hard as when the head first took me aside to suggest contacting the GP I became so emotional I wept. I dont think it mattered too much as the head is a very nice, motherly woman but I dont want to make a habbit of weeping in public.

It might be sooner. We got ours in two weeks, and a friend got theirs in about ten days. But sometimes can take up to 6 wks. I guess at this time of year it depends on the individual EP as to whether they want to get all the paperwork completed before they go on their Easter break, or not!

I hope they come up with some positive suggestions to help your son.

Roisin

the concept keyboard has been replaced by intellikeys (well intellikeys is a modern concept keyboard). it is fantastic and there's lots of free stuff for it.

Thanks Jimjams, I looked up the name on Google and it seems to sell for about £250. Not cheap but not amazingly expensive either. I`ll investigate its usefulness to DS. Do you use a particular webb site etc for the fantastic free stuff?

They're own- it's easy to download. we've got one and it works well with our son.

Thanks again. I had bookmarked the web site and scanned for a price but didn`t look round it before I asked the question.