Son Struggling with Reading, Testing

It sounds as if he may be suffering from a slight case of Dyslexia, not ADHD which are 2 completely separate learning disabilities.

As a former Sped Teacher, I wuold suggest seeking out a Sylvan Learning Center, for they are experts in helping Dyslexics catch up on their reading skills, grades etc.

See an Audiologist for auditory processing disorder. While your child's hearing may be fine, the way the brain processes sounds may be the issue. APD can be the cause of reading difficulties and expressive language difficulties and is sometimes mistaken for ADD.

ETA - Is there a children's hospital in your area? Check with them. They can at least give you good advice. Also, check out Dyslexia sites.

Dyslexia is a far different testing than the rest. You need an actual expert at dyslexia testing to do this. Research that more closely. I wouldn't want just an overall approach done by someone without that specific expertise.

I think you are very wise not to start meds after 5 minutes of assessment. I HATE doctors like that. Shame on her.

Use any medium to help him with the reading. Make sure that he's reading stuff he likes. My younger son had incentive to try because he wanted to read about Pokemon. Now, that was a long time ago, but it's an example. Even Captain Underpants (usually 2nd grade fare, rolling my eyes!) will grab a boy.

Do you go to the library with him in the summertime? You should take him every day. Let him read all kinds of "junk" - car stuff, Yu-gi-oh, sports, anything that he likes. Then check out a series of books with exciting stories that you read aloud to him. The librarian can point you toward some great stories. I recommend that you start reading Harry Potter with him. It will take a long time, but it's a great mother/child activity.

I do think that the testing will reveal one or more learning disabilities. A speech/language therapist might be very helpful, in case it's a language issue. Sometimes it's not really about a lack of attention - it's about not making sense of what's in front of you. A child just won't stick with something when they can't make sense of it.

I also want to urge you to find out through this testing (make sure you mention it) that they determine what mode of learning works for him. What KIND of learner is he? This way, you can get him help that works. With the results of the testing, set up an IEP with the school to help him. It will make a big difference.

You are your child's advocate like no other. You can do this!!

Dawn

My son was borderline ADD and dyslexic. I never put him on meds and he is graduating college this spring. I am not against meds, but you know your child and you will know when meds are appropriate.

There are different types of tutors that can help kids focusing on their learning difference so you are very smart to get him tested.

Ask exactly what the test results mean. What type of tutors? Would a smaller classroom or private school help? The thing is you want to protect his self-esteem. My tester gave me good advice. Re-evaluate every year. That is not to say re-test, but you will know when your child is struggling enough that his self-esteem is being affected. That is when you know for sure to pull him and put him in a school that knows how to teach to his needs. If you can't afford that then you can learn how to help him at home or with tutors.

Then make sure he is involved in something extra-curricular that he can do well in. It's important for him to feel successful somewhere...... and focus on that. Don't push him to make A's in school. Just help him feel successful.... and that may be with a C.

When my daughter was struggling in school, her first grade teacher suggested testing for learning disorders and dyslexia. The school tested here, but i also had her tested at the Scottish Rite Hospital in Dallas. There was no charge for that testing - I just had to be referred to Scottish Rite by a Mason. Both confirmed mild dyslexia, but I got more information from Scottish Rite and information on how i could help her. Dyslexia is not just seeing "d" and "B" backward, it is a processing problem that impacts learning. The school provided some support services during the school year and we paid to put her in a fun tutoring environment over the summer so she not regress.

We had our daughter privately tested when she struggled with reading. Her tutor recommended a team. There was an MS in I forget what who did academic testing and then an MD or Phd who did IQ testing. Likely if you ask for a private referral, your tutor or the school should have some recs. or is there a local mothers' group you could ask? Finally, you coud try a private school that requires IQ tests. The people who do their tests should be able to help or make a recommendation. Your son may have a visual processing disorder and the frustration makes him fidget.

Btw - the testing was way way more than 3 hours...

Have you talked to him about what he feels when he is reading? I struggled a LOT when I was younger, but no one ever bothered to test me because my brother was advanced and they just thought my mom was comparing me to him and expecting me to be as smart as him. So I wasn't tested until I was a senior in high school, and it turns out I am dyslexic. People think of Dyslexia as just seeing things backwards, but there's a WHOLE range of other symptoms. You mentioned him lacking concentration, getting frustrated, and not being able to sit still....all symptoms of Dyslexia that sound like ADD. Dyslexia has to do with the focal point of your eyes and sending misinformation to the brain about what it sees...hence seeing things backwards, or in my case, words jump around on the page. I can read a sentence and it won't make sense at all. So I will read it 3 or 4 times, and suddenly it looks different because a word that appeared in it before is no longer there...my eyes would focus in on a word several lines below that would therefore insert itself into the sentence I was reading and it wouldn't make sense. If your son has to re-read things a lot to understand them, that might be a clue. Also, do you find that he is clumsy? The same problem with the focal point can sometimes manifest itself in objects appearing in a slightly different place. (imagine closing one eye and focusing on an object, then closing the other eye instead....the object appears to move) So Dyslexic people often run into doors, miss chairs when trying to sit down, etc....because the message sent to our brains as to where that object is is slightly skewed.
I got tested at a local University in the Psychology department...the students have to do so many Psychological profiles to get their degrees....and it's free. Included in those tests are also tests for learning disorders such as dyslexia. And I had tutoring through I think it was called the United Dyslexia Association...it involved pennies...it is to retrain your eyes to focus in the correct place. If he IS dyslexic, I recommend it. Kudos to you on sticking with it and getting him tested...a lot of parents can't be bothered.

My best advice is to try to relax about his reading! It sounds like you are doing everything you can to help your son with reading and he is improving, he may not be improving as fast as you would like but that is OK. Doe he enjoy reading? Do you find books for him that he really likes to read (even if they are slightly below grade level or if they are comic books)? I think that is the most important thing to do, find what he WANTS to read and he will read more and improve naturally. Don't stress too much over grade level goals or how fast he can read, some people may be slower than average readers all their lives and still do well academically and in business. My 2nd grader loves to read and can read at grade level, but she is not a very fast reader so on a standardized test that the school administered she came in below where they want her to be for her age. Her teacher talked to me about it and said that she isn’t actually worried because she can see how much my daughter loves reading and she chooses to read in her spare time. Those are better indicators than reading speed that she will be a life-long reader. If you can cultivate a love of reading in your son, he will be just fine.

I'm currently going through the testing process with my son as well. One thing that my son does respond to is razreaders. It is a website That their school participates in. Their teacher selects appropriate ebooks and the kids earn stars for completing books and get feedback from their teacher http://www.raz-kids.com/.
I do also try different mediums as Dawn suggested. I'm considering an improv class because he could be excited about a story while acting it out. We bought story cubes for him for Christmas and he loves building stories with them.
Sounds like your dotting all you i's and crossing all your t's. Just hang in there!

Are you having him practice reading during the summer and school breaks?At this age, kids lose skills if they don't practice almost daily. My daughter has ADHD, primarily inattentive. I don 'tknow if your son has it, but my best advice is to find books that he finds exciting. This is important for all kids, but especially those with ADHD. My daughter struggled in reading, but meds have been a life saver for her. They, along with hard work have really helped-she was wayyy behind all of first grade, came up to grade level by the end of 2nd and in 3rd she is now testing at a 5th grade level.

My son has been diagnosed with ADHD and sensory issues. We went through testing and monitoring. We saw the Psychiatrists for several months before we were told.. it was ADHD lets try meds.

He is 4, we are not going there yet. We have made a few dietary changes and are doing a few more before we consider meds.

Change 1. we removed Dyes
Change 2 we went gluten free, I have also gone gluten free for the most part with my son. He seems more comfortable in his skin if that makes any sense. I also noticed that if I eat gluten, I have a very hard time focusing. I never noticed it in the past, but I do now.

More changes that we are looking into is removing all High Fructose corn sugar , and possible taking milk/caesan out of his diet.

1. My neighbors daughter can not have the High Fructose corn syrup/sugar .. she can not focus

2. Milk, because for some people it causes a brain fog..

We have added fish oil to help him be able to focus more. We just made that change about 2 weeks ago so we are trying it.

I agree that the testing was not good enough for you son. Our testing was 3 hrs for the initial visit, and then months of monitoring him. The Neurologist is when the prescribe meds, they monitor it as well.

Good luck, if it does not feel right- go with your gut.

Please take into consideration that your family has some real struggles. Blended families are always a challenge and this can create a great deal of stress within the children. Some of the things that you are looking to label as a disorder are simply normal developmental things, normal childhood behaviors, as well as the behaviors of a child that has a lot going on.

Most children struggle in school from time to time and especially after the long vacation breaks. Most 9 year olds can't sit for long periods of time and really shouldn't have to. We tend to ignore that we are in physical bodies that require movement and focus solely on the brain. We all get frustrated when we feel stuck. That is simply a lack of tools to know how to get unstuck (like authors overcoming writer's block). And developmentally your son will not listen at times and definitely not remember things that aren't important to him.

Too often we see what we call the "identified patient" in a family. Focus is placed on a child and everything is diverted from the big picture. Please consider family counseling or some other type of support that will address all the issues not just labeling your son.

Your son possibly has learned to shut down and withdraw when there is stress and this will look like not listening or not remembering things. If your son doesn't have adequate permission or space to feel his feelings (especially "negative" feelings like anger or deep sadness) that will definately get in the way of many things like concentration and the ability to pay attention.

Your son needs tools and skills. The whole family could use some support in learning ways to feel their feelings, express those feelings effectively, and skills in communicating effectively. Please don't stop at just getting your son tested and labeled. And mom, I know this is all so overwhelming and stressful for you so be gentle with yourself and reach out for support and take some time to focus on your needs too.

ADHD is not a learning disability. You can have ADHD and excel at reading and other school subjects. Could it be contributing to his problems in learning to read? Possibly, but it is not the sole cause of it.
I commend you for doing more than just filling out papers and 5 mins with your doctor. Proceed carefully. If he really has ADD or ADHD, then medication will do wonders for him. If he doesn't, then you still might see some improvement, but it may not be worth the side effects.
My DH has ADD. 39 years of untreated ADD. He now takes medication for it and the difference is amazing. If you and your son don't see an amazing difference on the meds, then you might want to rethink them.