Wondering If My Daughter Is Dyslexic?

Hi DC:
I can understand your concern,and i'm sure you'll get some excellent responses from A few teachers,or professionals on the subject of Dyslexia. From your description,of her problems, it sounds like her weakness is comprehension. She reads something,and can't absorb what she has read.I have to believe This is quite common with young readers.I experienced the same difficulties myself. I was so up tight,about remembering everything,that I'd read,that it simply took all the fun out of the story.I put all my efforts and concentration on what I THOUGHT they might want me to memorize,rather than relaxing and just enjoying it all. I'd get her a tutor,to help with techniques used to help with this. I wish you and your darlin daughter the best. J. M

Hey DC.. I am thrilled to have seen this one because I have two possibilities to help you with.

My daughter who is a bit younger than yours has been going through a very difficult time when it comes to reading and homework too. Dyslexia was my initial worry as well. However I happened to take her to an optometrist in the Palisades who does some very special work with eye re-training. I didn't know this when I went to him was just taking her for an eye test. Turns out that although her vision is fine she has a terrible problem "re-focusing" and "tracking". Dr. Polan explained that there are many aspects of vision which are actually learned and my daughter is now going twice a week for exercises to strengthen her ability to re-focus quickly. She has only been going for three weeks and I have started to notice a difference already.

Try this simple test. Get your daughter to hold a pencil at arms length and bring it slowly towards her nose. See if she can remain focused on it and whether her eyes cross easily. If she manages this very easily see how long she can hold it for. Sasha would get the pencil about 18 inches from her nose and start to get dizzy. Everything beyond the pencil would go double. Now she can get the pencil to her nose no problem. This is just one of the home exercises she does.

Apparently Dr Gary Polan is one of about only 3 optometrists in California who does this work. He has worked with many high profile athletes and young children alike. His greatest joy is to get kids who have been misdiagnosed with ADHD and turn their life around through eye re-training. His number is: ###-###-####

If this doesn't work for you there is another group called the Irlen Institute www.irlen.com. I have a friend who's son (who is very intelligent) was having a terrible problem reading and suffering from many headaches. She took him to several optometrists to no avail. The Irlen Institute tested him and gave him a pair of non prescription glasses with special coloured lenses. They changed his life. Symptoms of this can include light sensitivity and feeling like the words are moving on the page. If you go to their website there is a list of questions to help you see if they might be able to help. They are also really helpful if you call and talk to them. I spoke to them at length. They are based in Long Beach. It was my next stop for Sasha if the eye re-training doesn't work.

I hope this helps. Good for you to keep looking and asking questions when you know something is off. A mother's intuition is always the best. Good luck!

Regards, N.

I have a wealth of experience with learning disabilities. While your daughter may not be dyslexic, there are several other types of learning disabilites. Your description fits several of them. PLEASE get your daughter properly tested and diagnosed. While the school is legally obligated to test upon your request, due to law suits they are not permitted to give some key diagnostic tests. If you want accurate results please get it done privately. Most insurance companies will cover it. Once that is done request an IEP with the school. They are legally obligated to educate your child, and while they won't like it, tough.

It's also possible that there was some sort of brain damage done when she fell. Ask your doctor, and follow up with a neurologist if necessary.

I know from experience how damaging a learning issue is to a child self esteem. Do not punish, beliitle, or think she's doing this on purpose. She can't help it. Please get her help now. Good luck.

Hello D C,

My family and I are all dyslexic. We are all quite inteligent as well. My mom is currently a full time special needs teacher. She tells me that the term dyslexia is no longer in use. Originally it was used as a term for inability to read then it became a catch all phrase for reading related learning disabilities. Now they have stopped using the term. Now they use specific learning disability in its place.

I reccomend using some learning tools. Start with figuring out what ways your daughter learns best. Is she an auditory learner, visual, manipulatory? No matter what incorporate all these learning styles into the times you are helping her. Teach her by having her listen to the information, see it and then have her physically active while learning the same information or give her something to move and manipulate that will teach her the information. When learning letters as an example from my life we would say the letter, sing the letter, write it in the air while standing up and looking at the letter on the black board.

For some the visual processing is the problem. Putting a red frame around the page can help. For others that is still too much to process at one time. Blocking out the rest of the page so that only one line can be seen at a time helps. I've seen some tools at Lakeshore that are only a dollar or two that block out the lines above and below the line of text that you are reading while highlighting the current line being read. These can be very handy. You could also pick up a pointer or "plastic finger" like you can find around Halloween to put over your own or her finger to help keep track of where you are on the page.

My brother had problems through out elementary and jr high schools. He felt stupid and his grades were poor despite his very high inteligence until he could type and print out all his homework. (Including math.) When he could use the computer he could visually isolate what he was working on, he could use spell check to correct spelling and processing problems and the teacher could read his work. (My brothers writting looked like chicken scratches even to my mom who is used to deciphering poor handwriting.)

Good luck working through the difficult process of indentifying the your daughters problem(s) and getting the help you need to overcome them. I hope these tools will help.

I have two children who are dyslexic. My youngest son is severely dyslexic. The school told me in second grade my son wouldn't be able to graduate, that he will only be able to achieve a certificate. My son did graduate and in the eighth grade pulled a 4.0. I made the school accountable for my son. I demanded that the best teacher they had, teach him one on one during the summers, the school paid. I sent him to the Lindamood Bell school for dyslexic children, the school paid for it. Back then it was 59.00 an hour. I fought the school and won every battle with them. It cost the school a pretty penny for my son's education. I also tutored my son at home. We read fun things, as he was a poor reader. Comic books was fun for him to read. Lindamood Bell was a great turning point for him, he started to really flourish then. You have rights, use them. The school must pay for your daughters education, it will be a battle, but you can win. There are also advocates you can hire to do the battle for you. I chose to fight the school myself. You must go directly to the superintendent of schools. Don't ask anyone else, they do not matter. Realize when you have the meeting that you are their boss, don't let them intimidate you. There were eight people at the meeting I had with the superindentent. I stood my ground and won every time. Good luck.

I would start by calling the school counselor and pushing the process to have your daughter tested for special education before school is out for the year. The tests they do will show what exactly your daughter's learning disabilities are and then an IEP (individual education plan) can be put into place for next year. With this IEP in place, she'll start jr. high school with the tools in place for her to be successful in school.

Once you know what your daughter's disabilities are, you can start educating yourself on how to best support her at home, over the summer, to build her confidence back up. Let your daughter know that learning disabilities are really nothing more than learning differences and it's up to the two of you to make sure she learns the coping skills she needs to be successful in school and in life. These differences are a challenge, not an excuse.

I've taught jr. high and high school for 16 years and I've seen many students like your daughter come through and be successful. These are the students who understand their differences and how to advocate for themselves when they don't understand. I'd like to tell you that all teachers have been trained on how to best help their IEP students, but the sad truth is, many aren't or they won't. That's why it's vital for your daughter to learn how to speak up for herself in a respectful way.

Feel free to email me back and I can tell you all the "tricks" that I use in my classroom that help my IEP students find success in my classes (history and personal finance). But, without the testing and the IEP, you won't have the weight of the law behind your daughter to get her the education she deserves.

"No Child Left Behind" is education's double edged sword. It requires educators and parents to demand a lot from their students and it demands that educators and parents find ways to make learning happen. No more excuses on either side of the learning fence! All children are educable. We, the educators and parents and students, just need to find the key. In some cases, that takes blood, sweat and tears. But, the rewards--a successful human being--are worth it!

Good luck!

PS: Just be aware that most bosses in the workforce aren't going to care about your daughter's learning differences. Either she can do the job or she can't. This is yet another reason your daughter needs to learn coping skills and self-advocacy.

I am a pediatric neuropsychologist whose office is in West LA. Given your daughter's head injury, I would agree with the others who suggest a full neuropsych battery. The most common long-term effects of head injury are problems with attention and memory (and you sound like you're seeing some problems with memory). A full neuropsychological assessment will evaluate a variety of areas including verbal, nonverbal, visual-motor, attention, memory, planning, organization, and problem-solving abilities. I'm happy to talk with you, if you want, and provide you with additional referrals if they would be helpful and a longer explanation of what is involved in a neuropsych assessment.

The goal of a school assessment is very different from the goal of a private assessment: A school is focused on whether or not a child fits into one of the categories that requires special education. Only if a child fits into one of those categories does the school develop an IEP (Individualized Educational Plan). The goal of a private assessment is not simply to diagnose, but to evaluate the pattern of strengths and weaknesses and then come up with accommodations and interventions that build on the child's strengths. My office number is ###-###-####. That number goes directly to voice mail, but I usually respond to messages within 24 hours (and there is obviously no fee associated with a call to find out what a neuropsych assessment is and to give you additional referrals if you need them).

Has the school done an IEP on your daughter? If not, ask her teacher for help with this. It will diagnose if she has a learning disability and what it is. Our sons definitely each have a disability. We tried to get each of them tested and were unsuccessful with our first one and with the second one only were able to have this done when he was in tenth grade. He is very intelligent, and learns very well. However, when he goes to put what he has learned onto paper, it all gets messed up. It was very frustrating to try and deal with teachers, counselors and the district. However, you can ask for an advocate within the school district and they should be able to help you through the process (if you run into road blocks as I did). I think that the districts are more open to testing students now than when our 4 children were young. If you cannot get results within your school, go to the district offices. The process takes a while, but it is well worth it. If you suspect this might be the problem, try to get it done now before she has too many years of frustration.
Remember, having a learning disability does not mean that your child is not smart. In fact some of these children are, in fact, very smart. They just learn different that other people.
Good luck with your precious family.
K. K.

Our Granddaughter experienced much of the things that you relayed in your message. She was finally tested at Irvine Medical Center in the Childrens Center and found to be very, very dyslexic. You are correct, there are many levels and types. She now attens a school that is just for dyslexic kids. She started at Prentics School in the third grade and was reading at a kindergarden level..she is now in 7th grade and reading above her grade level. The school is a private school, they offer scholorships. The difference it has made in her life is nothing short of a miracle. The school does their own testing to see if the child is in fact dyselxic, so it is a good starting point. The school is in Tustin, but well worth the drive. The name of the school is The Prentice Schoo. You can find info on them in the internet.

Your daughter may have a tracking problem which makes reading and comprehension difficult. There are simple tests that can be performed to see if this might be the problem. You might want to see if this is the problem, prior to having her brain tested... Just a suggestion. Brain testing might make her feel bad about herself.

Good luck,

M.

It sounds like your daughter has some kind of learning disability, which remains to be diagnosed. Unfortunately, you will have to go the private route to figure out what is going on, and get a neuropsychiatric assessment from a physician, or an educational assessment from a licensed educational therapist. While pricey, they can come up with recommendations for specific interventions for her and for her teachers. If you're in the West LA area, I would recommend the Child Success Center in Santa Monica for an educational assessment.

You already have some wonderful information given to you. I just want to add you can get special accomidations for your daughter under a 504. If she does not meet the criteria for an IEP(individual education plan, you can request a 504. Best of luck to you, and don't stop until you get all the answers. From a mom who's been there.

Just a few ideas. Have you had her functional vision tested? My boys were 20/20, but their functional vision was off, meaning they weren't using their eyes to the best of their ability and it was exhausting them. We found an optometrist that did vision therapy (Dana Dean Optometry) and my kids did wonderfully! She diagnosed them with convergence insufficiency and then my younger son also had pursuit dysfunction, Sacc. dysfunction and reduced steropsis. He didn't really sit still in his chair because he couldn't filter what was going on in his periphery, versus his regular vision - this was amazing for both boys.

Also, my younger son had lead poisoning - we didn't know for years and he had memory problems. We went to an environmental physician who did a battery of tests. There is a GP (Dan Harper, MD) in Solana Beach California that we now see and he is now our family doctor, plus he specializes in environmental disorders. He did wonders for our family and we are all doing well. In addition, to help with the memory, we saw Dr. Jeffrey Thompson in Encinitas California he does a lot with leaning/memory CD's and gamma waves. Hard to explain in an email, but I'll refer you to a few links for more of an overview:

Gamma Waves and Language: http://www.bluedominoes.com/showStory.php?storyId=122

Scientific Sound Healing http://www.bluedominoes.com/comp_healing.php

Best of luck to you!
D.

Given the head injury and long-term learning problems, I thinkyour child will benefit from a neuropsychological evaluation. It will give you details of her learning problems and assess to what extent the head injury contributes to the learning difficulties. It is an expensive evaluation, but worth it. Feel free to call my office during the week ###-###-#### I'm a psychologist) and I will give you a referral to a good neuropsychologist.

I am dyslexic and if that is her trouble then school is a pretty awful place for someone who deals with this. I was VERY lucky because my Grandmother taught special ed reading. She recognized it very early and taught me to read using methods designed for people who's brains scramble things up. My brain still scrambles things up! The thing that is so important to know about dyslexia (which is a stupid word for someone with dyslexia!) is that it isn't a "learning disability" it's a learning differently. It's important to know what you are dealing with so I'd head to a nurologist (no idea how to spell that one) especially with her history of possible brain injury. I'd also speak with someone in the school system that deals with the remedial reading students. They know a lot of tricks to help your daughter take what's in her brain and put it on paper. Good luck to you both and trust your instinct! Mamma's brain knows. If the doctor gives you an answer that doesn't feel right go to another doc. You are in charge of your daughters health care not her physician so follow your gut.

I am dyslexic...and have a BA in English Lit. It takes me a little longer to read books, but I NEVER forget what I read from one chapter to the next. I have to say that what you're describing does NOT sound like dyslexia. It sounds like attention defecit disorder.

Bring her to a child psychologist and have her tested for ADD. It can be treated WITHOUT medication. It can often manifest through food allergies. If your daughter is diagnosed with ADD try cutting peanuts and wheat from her diet. Many studies have shown a remarkable improvement with diet changes.

I also know that this thought might be touchy, but if her grades have taken a radical nose dive recently, you might want to think about whether or not she might be experimenting with drugs. I know she's young, but many kids start down that road as early as 12...especially in an urban environment. Drastic grade changes can be a sign of drug use. I pray that this isn't the case for you, but it might be something to look into.

Peace.

I recommend a pyschoeducational evaluation, as well as learning as much as you can about brain injuries. We learned a lot at the Amen clinic (you can find them online). The brain scan is expensive, but you might be able to find out what the problem is before she's so frustrated that she just gives up. Good luck.

My husband and daughter both have vision problems. My husband was an adult before he figured out why he had been such a poor student all his life. My daughter is now in first grade and she is undergoing relatively painless vision therapy which will supposedly correct her condition. When the eyes don't work as a team and the muscles controlling the eyes are weak, they have a hard time moving across the page to read. This is the problem for hubby and daughter. Please have her eyes checked by an eye doctor that is well versed in learning disabilities. My daughter's eye doctor referred us to a vision therapist for a visual skills analysis where they did tests to measure 3 things: INPUT - how your eyes work separately and together and move to absorb information, both near and far, PROCESSING - what your brain does with the images that it gets from your eyes, and OUTPUT - how your brain can articulate your thoughts into pictures and words. Also, she may have auditory processing issues as well - sometimes these challenges go together. Since you live in CA, you probably have many therapy centers at your disposal. I live on Maui, and I was thrilled to learn that we have The Learning Hui, which helps kids deal with both visual and auditory learning challenges. Good luck in getting help for your daughter.

I think you need more comprehensive testing done on your daughter. It may not be dyslexia, but there is definitely something going on. It could be possible that the injury has something to do with it. You really need a diagnosis so you get the right help for her. The reason it seems worse now is because the demands begin increasing in 4th grade and get even worse in Jr. and High school. You can request the school test her -- in writing but likely it won't happen until next Sept. so you may want to see if your medical insurance will cover educational testing. My medical insurance covered both my youngest ADHD diagnosis and my older daughters Asperger dx. There are child psychologists who deal w/ post brain injury memory stimulation for kids if that turns out to be the issue. Schools provide services for diagnosed Learning Disabilities. I am familiar w/ services and psychologists in North OC, so let me know if you want more info.

There could be a lot of different things going on with your daughter. I would highly recommend getting the book The Mislabeled Child by Dr. Eide. In that book they go through each type of learning disability, explain what the signs are, explain what other learning disabilities look the same and talk about diagnostic methods to get an answer. That book helped me figure out my son's auditory processing issues.

I would also get a complete neuropsych exam. We did it with our older son, and it really opened our eyes to what was happening. Wish we'd done it sooner (he was 6 when we did it).

If you live in the Los Angeles area, there's a woman in the valley who is a speech language pathologist who specializes in reading disorders, dyslexia and language disorders. Her skill set sounds perfect for helping to figure out where your daughter is struggling. Her name is Karen Schnee (http://www.karenschnee.com).

Overall, follow your intuition. You know your daughter best, so no matter what the school or anybody else tells you, follow your intuition. I did when even my husband told me to give up, and I discovered that our son had auditory processing disorder. He had an IEP in school for 3 years, and they missed it completely. I'm so grateful I was persistent rather than letting other's ideas keep me back.

B.

My son had brain surgery and nor has neuropsych testing done every 2 yrs. Honestly, So far it hasn't "helped". basically, he has a medical diagnosis for the obvious. I already knew he was completely disorganized and had no focus. So, he has these tests done privately, they are expensive, and now what? So, he has an excuse for being a mess? I have mixed feelings on these tests. What are you going to do w/ the results? You already know your daughter has learnimng disabilities. and so does her teacher. i'd ask for an IEP, and then the district has to figure it out.

i believe you really need to fight for your rights with the school as others have stated. my daughter was diagnosed with a learning disability. i didnt go as far investigating it as some have suggested but just with the general diagnosis of learning disability she then got an IEP as some have also said. this was the greatest. the teachers in her school worked so well with her. they were very concerned and so helpful. she still struggled with school but learned how to learn and adapt. even outside of school she found many ways society works with her. she failed her written test for a driving license 3 times and as she was sitting crying (and i trying not to cry) a girl next to us explained that you can request and individual oral test. as the reading comprehension was the hard part for her, when she took the oral test she passed easily.
sorry so long....my point is there are many, many resources for all our problems. dont get discouraged. the squeeky wheel gets the grease !!!!

Based on what you are describing, there could be several different factors that may be contributing to your daughter's difficulty. Dyslexia is a condition that is specific to reading and involves impairment in one or more of the foundational capacities that underpin reading (usually a language based deficit, but may also involve the visual system). There are other sorts of impairments, too, that may manifest in some of the symptoms you describe. The medical history may be important as well, since what you describe sounds like there was some sort of bleed in the brain.

You mention that she was evaluated previously, but you did not say what type of evaluation. If done by the school district, I would suspect it involved some achievement testing and possibly an IQ test, or some sort of ability testing. If done by a psychologist outside the school district, unless it was a comprehensive neuropsychological test battery, then it likely was something along the same lines, and was not sensitive enough to adequately assess all aspects of functioning. I would suggest that you find a pediatric neuropsychologist in your area with whom you can consult so that you can determine whether you should do a more comprehensive neuropsych evaluation. If you want to backchannel me at ____@____.com, I may be able to help you find someone, if you are interested (I am a pediatric neuropsych and have many colleagues throughout CA to whom I can refer). More than anything, I would recommend that you not wait until next year, simply because it is not going to get any easier as she progresses through school, and if there is something going on and a way to help her, then it is important to get the help in place sooner rather than later.

Best of luck.

I agree with many of the mamas who said earlier that your daughter should have a full battery of neuropsych tests. The school districts don't always do this if, and usually try and fight you on doing these. I also believe the neuropsych tests are much more comprehensive. For example, when my son was little, he was diagnosed with ADHD, which explained his focus issues. However, when he was older, the testing indicated that he had a non verbal learning disability, which was a processing disability, and that diagnosis was much more specific. The testing unfortunately is pretty expensive, but it answers your questions much more fully. Good luck to you.

You have received some amazing advice. I am a school counselor and have LD's. Be careful to assume a diagnosis until there is a full medical evaluation. There can be many reasons for her learning challenges. You can always ask for another evaluation from your school but it must be in writing! It will be harder to deny your request. Also, in the meantime, ask for a 504 plan. This will give her accomodations in the classroom and for homework.

I remember my mother watching me struggle and we talk about how hard it was for both of us. I think the best thing she did for me was to explore my interest outside of school. I took classes in art and sports/dance. It was important for me to feel successful because it wasn't happening at school.

Good luck and don't ever give up!

DC, I highly recommend H.E.L.P. (The Hollywood Education and Literacy Project) located here in Hollywood. It is a free program and they will truly show your daughter how to study successfully and how you as a tutor can help with that. I suggest scheduling a free tour to find out more.

Here's their data:

Hollywood Education Literacy Project International
6336 Hollywood Boulevard
Hollywood CA 90028
###-###-####
http://www.helplearn.org/index-flash.html

Life is magical when you know how to study!

With love,
L. (MAMA to 19 month old Dylan Orion.......29 September 2007) : )))

You need to review the Procedural Safeguards for your state. Since she was assessed two years ago, I would most definitely request that she be tested again. This time I would ask for a full language eval. from the SLP. Be sure to mention the head injury and bring in the corresponding medical documentation. Remember, you are your child's advocate.

Hi, I hope this information will be helpful for you guys. There is a fild in Optometry called Behavioral Optometry. These Doctors specialize in exactly same problems as you experience with your child. They will most likely properly diagnose and can help her by either special computer program exersises or most likely by vision therapy. I work for someone in this field in LA/ Century City Area, can also reffer you to someone in Calabases.The both exellent, and very knoledgebale Doctors. You may also want to go on line and get more information about that. You dougther is going to be great, it's probably has nothing to do with what happen to her when she was a baby.
Sincerelly,
M.