Dyspraxia? the way Schools treat kids with possible learning difficulties?

[Karenc3]

My daughter is almost six years of age. She is in her first year of school here in Scotland, however it is not going all that great. My husband and I fought the school not all that long ago to have her included more, she was not getting homework or being let join in, also getting bullied. After a week of not sending her to school for the fact they let her walk home herself during lunch time, when she was a packed lunch. They convinced us to send her back, with promises of homework, and reading books. Five weeks ago the homework stopped again, expecting it to start up again the following week we left it, until a week ago when my daughter learning support teacher stopped us outside my sons nursary, telling us her teacher had teamed up with another learning support tutor to stop her homework. Again they did not tell us anything. I have also learned now that her teacher is refusing to do any "extra curricular" work with her. Which has had my daughter in tears - they made flowers with the other girls, but Chloe was unable to join in as "she cant count".

During a parent teacher meeting I was informed by the teacher that my daughter had spend one of her days playing with a dolls house, and many others just drawing and colouring in.

This school seems to do everything to hold her back, making comments along the way which when you think about them mean they feel Chloe in incapable of learning. "We cant teach her until we know what is WRONG with her". Our GP has said he cannot diagnose her or have any one else do it, as she is supposed to be going the the Educational therapist - who has taken a year so far and at this rate will get to see her by the middle of Primary 2. Her education is non-exsistant until then by what the School say.

Our learning support teacher is fabulous however - and dropped a hint that Chloe may have Dyspraxia.

Does anyone else here have a child with Dyspraxia? If so how have they managed with the schools? Diagnosis - did you feel it took to long?

Hi, i'm sorry you and your dd are going through this , my daughter is also 6, she has Aspergers and we suspect she has Dyspraxia, i have been nagging the school to refer her to OT and pead for our concerns but it has been such a battle, the SENCO agreed at dd's last parents evening that dd1 had problems (other than her Aspergers) but it has taken a further 3 months to get the SENCO to write a letter to dd's pead .
Apparently Dyspraxia often goes un-diagnosed as not many people/teachers know about the condition.

Your daughters school seems very unhelpful and if i was you i would be seriously thinking about other options (moving her).

Sorry to here what you and your daughter are going through as well, the battle for a refereal does seem very hard.
Moving her has been thought about, it is loosing the speech therapist, and support teachers that she has, keep thinking the grass always looks greener.
Keep feeling like the school want a label before they realise she is there, such ashame that she is so willing to do the work, wanting to do the work, and then sidelined because they either need more training - or dont want to try.

School sounds terrible. They cant teach her until they know what is wrong with her, they are talking rubbish!. Complain about the school to the Board of Governors, they have to teach your dd, a dx is irrelevant.

Gp is talking bollocks, he/she should be referring to Paed, insist on it.

The school sounds absolutely awful. And saying that they can't teach her without a diagnosis is complete bollards!

I would seriously consider moving her to another school. Even if your dd gets a diagnosis next year, there's no guarantee that the school will actually do anything about it.

My ds has a diagnosis of autism but also has many of the signs of dyspraxia. He has problems with motor skills, co-ordination, balance, and generally getting organised. He has always been included in absolutely everything at school, even though when he first started there his physical skills were assessed as being more like those of a young toddler.

Daughters ILP is alot different from the rest of the school - mainly focused on getting dressed - zips - and making friends. Nothing to do with the basics.
From what you have said Coppertop, is your son getting treated as a part of the group? The head of learning support told me I was old fashioned - So I was not to sure whether I was taking this the way I did.
From what you have all said It looks like the hubby was right - he wants to move her.
Loosing the extra support that is there already is the only Downfall, but primary 1,2,and 3 will all be under the one teacher next year (The SAME teacher).
Seriously thought I was being irrational feeling left out lol.
Thanks all.

Karen sorry you are having a tough time with school, it really is nonsense school saying they can't teach without a diagnosis.

Have a look here

There is a helpline number you can call to get independent advice. I have a 10 yr old at school who has suspected dyspraxia (we live in Fife) and the school hasn't been great to be honest. We are still waiting on appointment with camhs (child & adolescent mental health), been over a year and we cant get a diagnosis until then. School is definitely a struggle.

Is it the Educational Psychologist you are waiting to see? I self referred to ours who came in and observed a few times in school and then we had a meeting to discuss things that would make school and learning more manageable.

Oh and what Claw said about your GP referring to a paediatrician. I second it completely. I've learned not to ask but to insist. Be persistent

Maybe worth having a look at the Curriculum for Exellence website and this here

My son is in year 3 and will be nine at the beginning of October I asked his previous school for support in getting him assessed fo dyspraxia when he had just started year one and got nowhere, going through the G.P. got us one appointment with a paed, who then referred us on to the school/community pead who we saw last October, they referred for physio and ot assessment which happenned in March and his new school have referred for ed psych and that assessment will start at the end of June.

The Infant school my son attended were rubbish and did nothing to aid his learning or support us. The Junior school he is at have been excellent, despite no formal diagnosis they have tailored his I.E.P well and carry out the actions, they have completed paperwork and pushed for the ED Psych to see him despite having no budget left themselves, it's so frustrating to know though he will be at least nine and 3yrs will have past before he will get a diagnosis.

"We cant teach her until we know what is WRONG with her"

What a load of rubbish. Dyspraxia and ASD are groups of traits that are to a greater or lesser extent present in many people. Even if your daughter were the only child in her class with a Dyspraxia diagnosis, she wouldn't be the only child who, for instance, may need extra strategies to help her with handwriting and reading.

Many strategies used for children with a diagnosis are often just general good practice.

I wouldn't be concerned that she wasn't doing exactly the same things as all the other children - I think its normal for groups in a year 1 class to work on different projects at different times. I would be concerned that her teacher is giving you the impression that she is clueless about how to help her.

School seem to be letting themselves off very lightly. Unless it is theeir strategy to teach very important skills like making friends, listening turn taking etc. But that wouldn't explain why they don't give her home work - such as a reading book for you to share or colouring etc.

Could you afford a private diagnosis? it is something we will consider ourselves when we have resolved the question about underlying illness for my ds.

Also... Dyspraxia does not affect your ability to learn to count. So there is clearly another problem as well.

Getting a dx label helps, but a label in itself wont teach your child anything...

'"We cant teach her until we know what is WRONG with her"'

One of the best ways of finding out about a child's needs is to teach them and observe their strengths and weaknesses. Then you can work out what to do to support them further, and what areas they are happy and confident with.
twits.

I agree - the school sound totally unsupportive - so is my DD's and, consequently, we are moving.My DD has no support at all so at least your lea must be slightly better!

My DD has dyspraxia associated with her epilepsy and is also discalculate. We get the homework but DD cannot do it - i'm basically doing it for her. It doesn't matter what the label is, an ed psyche should be able to determine what your dd's needs are and that's what matters.

I would look at other schools to see if you can find one a little more understanding/supportive. I know it does sound drastic. My DD is now yr 3. Now that i've looked at other schools I wish i'd done it a long time ago.

Karen - I'm an adult with Dyspraxia, was only diagnosed this January so went through schooling without a dx. If you have any questions about dyspraxia then feel free to ask

The school's attitude to your DD is disgusting, 'we can't teach her until we know what is WRONG with her' - absolutely disgraceful, they can't just not teach a child. If they think having SN means a child can't be taught then they really aren't fit to be teaching any child, especially not one with SN. I was called 'the little girl who can't do anything' when I was your DD's age. Well 'the little girl who can't do anything' got a degree and has a good job!

I don't know anything about trying to diagnose a child with Dyspraxia, I was ridiculously lucky, told my Dr in late November last year I suspected Dyspraxia, she sent me to a Neurologist, I saw the Neurologist in late January and he diagnosed me there and then. Is there any possibility of going private? Have you tried seeking advice from the citizen's advice bureau? Also, make a diary of everything which happens between you and the school if you're not already, just in case.

Also, have you tried switching Dr? My Dr was incredibly supportive, but a lady I know in a different part of London's Dr has been nothing but rude and unhelpful when she's asked to see a Neurologist and I've suggested to her that she try and switch to see if she has more luck.

What symptoms of Dyspraxia is your DD showing?

www.dyspraxiafoundation.org.uk/

They have some info on Dyspraxia in children and on diagnosis and they also have a helpline you can ring. Hope that helps!

Mintymoo - it is really reassuring to hear how you got on without even a dx, but how awful for you having been labelled as "the child that can't do anything".

I think problem with children is that they are predominantly seen by general paeds. My DD is now also under a neuro paed but only after a lot of pushing and by virtue of the fact that my DD has uncontrolled epilepsy despite having tried a number of drugs.

Hiya

What a terrible school! personally I would be looking to move as IME a school that starts out like this rarely improves, however I nknow thats not always possible

They can teach without a DX, of course they can, their unwillingness to is indicative of laziness and nothing more.

Have you thought about going to BIBIC to get the dx process underway? tehy don't dx directly but can give you mroe than enough apperwork to guide the teachers and indeed to help a dx to be made; I have boys with AS, ASD, and Dyspraxia and BIBIC are an immense help (and relatively cheap!)- if money not a serious concern the dyscovery centre is also very good, they cost a bit more but are specilaised in the field rather than genberic SPLD / SN.

Ed Psychs are in teh employ of the LEA and as such I would never go by a report from one without extra guidance; some are exceptional but you can't know without having back up which you have.

I do sympathise; our school has refused to refer ds2 saying that although they know he ahs dysprxia they have broken links with apaprenlty useless LEA dx team and only suggest dyscovery centre: we cannot afford dyscovery centre so DS2 goes without a formal dx.

Good luck.

Karen - Yes, ds is absolutely treated as part of the group and joins in with everything. If you walked into his classroom the only way you'd really be able to guess that he had SN would be because his desk is sloped rather than flat (to make writing easier) and that he has a cushion to put on his chair (to help him sit comfortably and not slide off the chair).

Sometimes children will go out of the classroom to work in smaller groups, but this is the same for children with no SN and no-one thinks anything of it.

newlife4us - fortunately I don't remember it, my Mum does but I don't. I do remember hating the teacher though, I remember the massive screaming fits I had when dropped off at school and I remember the day she told me off in front of the whole class and said I was lazy and didn't pay attention as I couldn't remember something she'd told the class in the previous week's geography lesson. When I pointed out how unreasonable she was to expect me to remember what she'd said in a lesson I hadn't even attended (I was off sick that day) she then berated me for not having asked my friends what I needed to learn. I was 6 ffs!

Ironically I spent years seeing specialists as a child, Drs concerned I had stunted growth, Drs concerned about my bladder problems, psychologists disturbed I was bedwetting as an older child (bedwetted until well into my teens in the end), psychologists disturbed about my other sleep issues (had a dummy until 7). Not one suggested SN!

It's shocking how many people have to fight so hard to get their children diagnosed

Money is pretty tight at the moment with my husband having just went Self Employed this past winter, so it looks like private is out the window atm.
Never knew about dyspraxia until a few days ago when she mentioned it.
She Cant hold 2 pieces of cutlery - only a fork or only a knife. She bumps into tables had to take the living room coffee table away.
Her speech is an issue above all else - I can understand her, but others can only understand her to a degree, sentances get jumbled some come out slowely and she substites words for others if she cannot think on them.
When she writes she must have it written on her jotter rather than copy it, the teacher must write it in and she will write below, but sometimes backwards.
The odd thing is I got told self confidence is usually effected but she is amazingly confident, loves making friends. Somewhat still treated like the baby however.
There is possibly other things, a few days ago I could have sworn the school was being a pain for nothing, as if I sit and "teach" her something she will pick it up. We counted with clothes pegs the other day - she was fine added, subtracted. 1 to 1 she is perfect, wish I could sit in on her class day and see why they always say that I am saying she can do more than she can.
Thanks so much for all the responces, an amazing amount of replys

Just a thought Karen, if you can self refer to Ed Pychologist (just find out who deals with your school and give them a call). Ed Psych can refer to other services (camhs/salt/ot).

I'm generalising here but ours can, although it wasn't necessary as referrals were already made by paed to OT & SALT & camhs.

A few observations in school and then they can give their reccomendations at a review meeting. It will also give you the opportunity to discuss the issues you are having with school and see what they make of '"We cant teach her until we know what is WRONG with her" Could be a step in the right direction?

Karen- know the feeling (DH just went self employed too so really do!)- BIBIC IIRC charge £50 instead of the £900 they nused to so might be worth considering?

You can google them.

Sabcti thanks for that, they still do it for the £50 - and luckily enough I have visiting that area soon!

teacher pulled me over to oneside to suggest dyspraxia. thank you zapostrophe you've cheered me up