Language Problem?

Has he ever had a full developmental evaluation? If not I would suggest getting him evaluated for possible speech/learning/developmental disorders. What you are describing is called paraphrasia (substituting an inappropriate word). Everyone does it every now and then and it does not have to be a sign of something more serious - but it can also be associated with several speech disorders.
Since he seems to do this frequently and has other issues affecting his school performance, an evaluation may help pinpoint any issues and get you supporting services, such as speech therapy or extra help with reading.
Good luck

You refer to a small class, so I'm assuming that your son had/has an IEP? Does he still have special education support? If so, you should request a meeting of the district-led committee that develops and monitors student progress (usually a building-based team with a district administrator) and request an updated comprehensive evaluation, including a neuropsychological assessment. If your son no longer carries an IEP designation, then it's time to review the need for services. Write a letter requesting a referral for a special education evaluation through the school district.

I have spent my career working with special needs students and yes... it does sound like your son may be experiencing a language-based learning disability.

Sounds just like me! I'm so dyslexic it's not even funny. It always is worse when I'm most stressed to. So at school he could be so stressed by what other kids say/think that he refuses to try. I would (like the other mom's suggest) go and get a full work up.

I would say definitely. Being a mom with two kids in speech this isn't normal and sadly anything not normal and especially with being NINE and still having what I would consider major anomaly's he should be examined. I can't believe the school hasn't already looked at him. Is he not in public. I'd go to your pediatrician and explain what is going on and get a referral to a specialist. Heck not speaking at 2 usually children are now tested for autism. It's one of the first things. It is a spectrum disorder and can go from barely affecting life to a severe disability.

But it could be nothing. You never know... But he should definitely make a trip to the pediatrician. Anything to make his life easier and his school education more effective.

Dear Debra,

I am not sure but what you descibe, the level of frustration, reading issues that he can read but is unwilling is basically being used to get attention. And probably he does need attention and good for you posting your question. But here goes: I would have him tested for his I.Q. and compare it to his class success and if way off the school should be involved to help come up with solutions beyond just a small class which IS Good but not getting the heart of the issue(s). Does he have an intense hobby, talk kind of with information but with not much feeling then consider Aspergers Syndome which is recenlty included in the Autism Spectrum of disorders. Also I would have a therapist preferably a medical doctor or psychiatrist assess him for ADD. The switching saying one thing while meaning another has to do with I gues brain processing and the signal is either blocked or short term memory This what I am Thinking and Want vs this what I Say I Want and connecting the Thoughts Together to get the results he intended to get. But he should learn to laugh about it to reduce stress and learn to hear what he said and correct it. I would consider also if a Brain training company is in your area like LearningRX and there are several others they can do low cost reading learning skills testing in a few hrs time that can then help understand what skills he needs vs ones that are strong so he can work on them as needed to make them stronger. ADD basically means driven to distraction. Our child now 11 is doing better in school with the help of an IEP for the past 3+ years, She could read butwould not let us see her do it much. She has a great vocabulary and even learned challenging words as a pretty young child but was struggling and bored in school. Now in general She likes school, has friends even and is getting closer to doing at her level of ability would suggest. It takes time and persistance and reading all the comments to your question. It is pricey but a Neuropsychiatrist is a very good recommendation for a chance at a precise diagnosis. But irregardless is ultimately based upon what a child Needs. Find out what He needs then you can help him even more.
And Dsylexia SHOULD be looked at too. What sucks is schools have to help kids with ADD, but not those with Dyslexia I believe. Even though kids with Dyslexia need as much care and attention TOO IMO. The Learning RX we went to the owner is very very smart and both of his daughters suffered from dyslexia is you could imagine. He bought a franchise in LearningRX because it helped Both of his kids while he claimed about two other programs they tried did not help that much!

He might be dyslexic. I knew someone who had these very same problems and that was what was wrong. Talk to the school and see if they can't recommend somewhere to get him tested. My friend had to take some classes to help him figure out how to do it right, it was hard but he got through as was much happier for it. Good luck!

Get him assessed. It does sound like something might be off. Best addressed when they're younger and their minds are more pliable. Or at the least, knowing what it is and how you (& teachers, etc) can help him with this is very helpful!

Please look into having your school district give your a son a complete and indepth speech test, looking specifically at any type of dyslexia or speech impairment/learning difficulty having to do with language. It definitely sounds like your son has an issue with words/language. Language is so important to a good life and a good job; I'd say even more important than math skills.

As a mother with a daughter who started speech lessons when she was 3 (and will have them yet when she's in 6th grade next year), was in Early Childhood class as well as OT/PT when she was 4 for hypotonia (and finished OT/PT after 4th grade), as well as taking a special reading class when she was in 1st grade, any and all help you give your son when he's young will make all the difference to how he does academically in school. Now in the 5th grade, my daughter reads two grade levels above her grade level and her comprehension is excellent. We still have to work on her pronunciation. But she absolutely loves reading, whether quietly to herself or out loud to me at night before bed.

Do you have any computer games that are language based? I had my daughter do those all the while she grew up, as well as math. I feel that her "playing" games where she had to use her words and math have really, really helped her. She has a few problem areas in math; the other day, she asked me to load a math game so that she could work on her math!

Making learning fun might be one way to get your son excited or at least interested in reading. But if he actually has issues with comprehension or the way the sentence reads (do the words or letters "rearrange" themselves when he's trying to read?) or trying to "sound out" letters and words, then you need to find out what areas he is having problems with so he can get help.

Good luck.

i agree with the possible dislexic