My son is 14 and in 8th grade. He struggles with math and sometimes science. He likes school and always completes his work. His eye sight is fine. He has tested low on reading comprehension. This is what we have noticed. It takes him a long time to comprehend sometimes seemingly simple things, dividing simple fractions or measurements. My husband will work with him for a long time, then he will finally "get it" and zip right through. Sometimes if he doesn't use the skill for awhile then an assignment requires that skill, it is as if he never saw it before. He often does well on daily assignments but always does badly on tests and quizs. He stays after school for extra help twice a week for an hour.
I feel like he needs some extra help but don't know where to start. Does he need a certain type of testing? Any idea what the problem would be? It has been said he has mild ADD (not the hyperactive type). He takes no medication. He has recently been having lots of headaches, with no physical reason (has seen dr. and had mri). That probably doesn't have anything to do with him having trouble in math as we have noticed this to some extent for a long time, but thought I would mention.
Anyone have any ideas?
Hi Lynn,
This sounds so much like my oldest son, now 18, who has dyslexia. You have received some great information from the other moms! I would only add that we have really appreciated the Math DVD's from The Learning Company. They are excellent! You can find them at www.Teach12.com I have also found most of the DVD's for less expense on eBay.
A.
I don't know where u live But! I would get him in to be tested at a behavioral and developmental clinic<childrens mercy is the best> DrKilo is awsome. My prayers are with u C.
Unless Sylvan has changed, they do nothing to address dyslexia. And I believe it's 6 states that do not recognize dyslexia as a learning disability. You would need to check to see if MO does or not. Sounds like he may be mildly dyslexic and very smart. That's probably why he's functioned so well up to this point, but only psychological testing--which is expensive--can give you an actual diagnosis. I'd search the web for centers close to you that may offer testing or tutoring. I received training in Alphabetic Phonics at FUNdamental Learning Center in Wichita KS. I am not tutoring students right now, but did so for about 8 years. They also offer group tutoring for students and might be able to help you find a place to get help closer to home. Their phone # is 316-684-READ (7323). They also have a web site, which you can google and find. Up to 20% of the population is dyslexic, and our schools should be testing for this very early but don't.
My mom's friend's duaghter's son has ADD & she gives him Mountin Dew before he does his homework & it helps his concentrate. I know this doesn't help with the tests, but it is an idea I wanted to share.
God bless!
Lynn,
Is there something like Sylvan learning in your area? They can teach kids specific study skills and test-taking strategies. Might help. Good luck!
Both my sister and brother have dyslexia and it is very hard for him. A lot of schools will make accommodations for children with it so that their test is read aloud to them. For many, it is easier that way. This sounds totally random, but he could also have a chemical sensitivity. they are finding that a lot of people cannot process chemicals in cleaning products and hygiene products correctly and it can cause a plethora of health problems, but head aches and problems concentrating are a very common on. We switched over all of our products to natural ones and it has definitely made a difference for us on a lot of levels. http://www.HealthySafeAndClean.com is a good website to see a list of common products that have chemicals that people have a hard time processing. Or you are welcome to e-mail me if you want. i can give the run-down on where i buy all of mine. i get them from an online whole-sale club, so they are really well priced and get shipped straight too me. they even offer some vitamins that help with concentration that a lot of people use instead of ADD medication.
First I would set up an IEP meeting with the school. From the sounds of it he may have a slight learning disability and the cognacent part of the brain may be chemically unbalanced. If you have already been told he is mild ADD then he may need meds. Often children outgrow ADD or learn to work with it and in some children it gets worse if left untreated. The headaches you speak of concern me... this in my experience needs to be addressed my a phyc doc not just a med doctor. Medical problem has been ruled out first right?
As he grows his body changes, have you noticed the little problems becoming more and more with stronger headaches? My own son now 19 and has many of the same problems you speak of. Often children with chemical imbalances in the brain report having headaches for no reason. For that reason they need something their body just doesn't produce or produce enough naturally to balance the brain function. I will also say "from my experience" as children grow the problem becomes more noticeable and if caught early can greatly improve life and learning ability. The stigma of mental illness and/or add/adhd bipolar/learning disorders and depression ect ect can scare many parents. Most think that because a child or adult "looks" fine they are. It would be a lot easier for a parent to take a child to treatment if he/she "looked" different such as "downs" which can be seen.
I would start and find a good phyc doctor and "talk" with him/her and beware of the doctors that want to push pills. Get advice from different doctors you childs teachers and make the choice you feel is right. After all knowone knows your child better than you.
I can just speak from my expereince. My daughter was struggling as well in Math and Reading. Her comprehension levels were below basic for 4 years, but math was going well, until 4th grade. I pushed with the school to have her screened for a "learning disablitly" and to see if she would qualify for spech ed. I also talked with her doctor after having a nice talk with her teacher. We both thought she may have ADD(without hyper) Funny thing is I had this talk with her other teachers in prior years and they said she was doing fine. She is a very shy, quiet, well mannered kid and her grades were good too. Her grade dropped in 4th grade. Questioniers showed she does have ADD and I decided to give medication a try. The best thing I ever did for her... After meds she now gets A's and a couple B's, she now participates in class, and I rarely have to help her with her math homework. She gets it done rather quickly now too, vs the hours it took her 2 yrs ago. Now I dont know if your son has ADD but I would certainly discuss the possibility with his DR. I was never one to think highly of meds, but to see her grades improve and now excelling... Comprehension levels are now up to Average!! (6th grade)
In regards to the headaches, it can be stressed related... but I would definatly have you/him keep a log! How often, what was eaten before headache, where the pain is and the type of pain. What is done to cure headache...and did it work? Does he see/feel anything before headache starts? Reaccuring headaches... well my first instinct is mirgrains. UGH!!! I've delt with them since 5th grade! Show the log to his DR...it can help him decide if your son is having migraines and if so, what type, if any, of medicine regimin might be helpful. Something else to consider is cavities. Tooth may not hurt, but the head will. Good Luck to you and your son on finding the source of the headaches. They are not fun! That alone may help with math as you don't want to concentrate on math or reading when your head is throbbing!
I would have him tested for dyslexia. Contrary to what most people believe, it's not seeing words or letters backwards, it's an inability to comprehend what was read. There are other variations that would also affect his math skills.
start with the school counselor.
I was thinking the same as Kristen. Schools don't usually test for Dyslexia, depending on your area. There are subfactors of Dyslexia, such as Dyscalcula (sp) & Dysgraphia. My 9 yr old is Dyslexic. There's alot to Dyslexia that people don't acknowledge. His teachers never acknowledged the possibilty he wsa Dyslexic, even though I had asked them about it several times. Reading comprehension is a big one. They may also have a hard time copying from the board to their paper or have problems with essays. They may be able to go through an essay verbally & sound above their grade level, but if you asked them to write it, it would come out looking / sounding a couple grade levels below. Math - sometimes they know the steps but don;t know the facts to process it to get the answer. If you're sonis Dyslexic, traditional tutoring will not work for him. The whole thing is their brain is wired differently, so they need a different type of tutoring, specific to their needs. You can go to this website & find out a lot of information so you can see is this does sound like your son's problem or so you can rule it out. there's alot of useful information on the site & if you get the time to watch the video, it's well worth it,if you even think this may be what your son needs help with. Good luck, I know how frustrating it can be for the parent & the child! www.dys-add.com
