Help - sensory processing disorder & Dyslexia

[okimummy]

Can anyone give me some guidance on Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) & Dyslexia? My DD1 (age 7.5) has dyslexia and SPD.

Her last term at school was a nightmare. She is verbally articulate and inquisitive but her written work does not reflect this. I asked her teacher about the disparity and she told me that DD1 was "a bit thick" (!!!) I knew this wasn't true so I sent her to an ed pys for an assessment and it turned out she is dyslexic. DD1 saw an OT over the summer and dx was SPD (constant sensory seeking - fidgeting, rocking on her chair, chewing, talking, stamping, thrill-seeking, etc). She has always been a distracted but active child - literally climbing the walls - and I am now feeling extreme guilt for not getting her diagnoised earlier.

Last year at school was real struggle for DD1 - constantly being shouted at by her teacher for not paying attention or fidgeting (due to the SPD) and coming bottom of the class for everything (due to the dyslexia). Her confidence is now as low as it can get.

It breaks my heart that a 7.5 year old thinks that she is "stupid". Any advice would be most welcome.

OMG "A bit thick' ! Completely unacceptable, the head needs to know about this comment. Is your dd on an IEP? The school SENCO needs to be involved and helping her. What have the school done about the dyslexia dx?

Head knows about the "bit thick" comment and the teacher has since left for a "career break". I'm not sure if DD1 has an IEP. Can I ask to see it? I have meeting with SENCO next week to discuss her issues. They seem to be concentrating on the SPD issues (easy to fix) but not the dyslexia (more long term and harder to manage I guess).

okimummy - that's a shocker! I feel your frustration as a child's ability to write can quickly appear to mask their intelligence in the wrong environment i.e. can't write things down, so mustn't understand

My son has a similar problem. Set him a homework task and he will talk about it and research it on the internet. Ask him to write something down and he panics and gets distressed. He has problems with hypermobility and hypotonia and writing is just physically hard for him.

I think you definitely need to talk about it with SENCO. Maybe get some information and guidance from the British Dyslexia Association.

You would know if they had an IEP on your child.

yes she is hypermobile too so she can't sit for long as its uncomfortable.
Thanks for the advice - I will ask about an IEP when I see the SENCO. I think that this is the beginning of a long upward struggle...

Our daughter is 25 now and was not diagnosed with dyslexia until she was 18! She gained her Music Degree and when moving on to do a Masters in Music, was also diagnosed with SPD. She tells us now (lovely when your children are old enough to tell you things you did not know!!) that if her SPD had been discovered and dealt with at school, her dyslexia would have naturally improved. (she was told this recently by the assessor of her disabilities). So what I would like to say is .... you MUST be very aware of how the school is handling and working with your child. My OH and I just wish our daughter had the support she needed in school, instead of us just listening to the teachers when they told us she was very distracted and needed to concentrate more! (if only she were able!) We are so proud of our daughter and all she has gained since leaving school - there is no better example of what ANYONE can achieve, if they want it.
Hope this helps

Hi
I am so sorry to hear about your daughter. I was the same at her age.

I am now a qualified Occupational Therapist. I also have sensory processing difficulties and dyslexia

I feel I have a number of skills / ideas / treatment suggestions which i can offer your daughter. And just some personal experiences with what worked for me. I can not given you full advise without an assessment, but i am happy to make suggestions you could try!!

I am also writing a research study on the impact sensory processing difficulties have on adults with dyselxia. I am trying to find a link as to what sensory processing problem most effects dyselxia adults.

Please feel free to email me on [email protected]

Wishing you and your daughter the best of luck

Hayley

Furthermore, my Mum works in the school and I advise her the best way to work with childern with ASD and sensory problems.

The teachers including SEN do not seem trained to understand sensory difficulties and the impact it has on learning

Maybe I should give some training to the teachers!!