What an excellent thread!! I have read through all the responses and nodded my head, tearing up once or twice. I would give just about anything to be able to go in time and redo DD9's early years of school with an accurate diagnosis.
I say 'Hear, hear!' to Polarbear's post. If you are worried, DO NOT WAIT to test. Sure, it may be developmentally appropriate for kids in kindergarden to make letter reversals..... but since when have our kids ever stuck to age-related norms? We all know it. The hard part is convincing everyone else at school that they cannot use typical as a comparison to our kids in all instances.
DD9 has dysgraphia, 'stealth' dyslexia, ADHD, and anxiety. Like previous posters' children, her world fell apart in grade 2 after three years of undiagnosed learning diabilites. Her anxiety required therapy until June of this year. To hear her talk about school A.C. diagnoses, well, I'll be honest that I can't bear to listen. It kills me to know what she went through. She thought she was the stupidest person in her school. Her psychologist used to give her a pack of smarties at the end of every session to remind her that she was, in fact, the smartest person in her school. It took her two full years to get anywhere with the non-existent self-esteem.
As for rotten apple award, that rightfully belongs to the most awful human being I have ever met.... DD's primary teacher. Actually, scratch my first wish. I want to go back in time and Tonya Harding that woman in the parking lot. But, I digress.
Our DS is turning 4 in a few short weeks. He just starting seeing an OT for sensory issues and even she commented on the red flags for dysgraphia/dyslexia in his assessment. He will not colour and runs away crying when I try to play alphabet games with him. She gets it and wants to start tactile alphabet learning (using playdough, sand, etc) to pave the way for primary next year. She can see that there are going to be problems and is coming up with a plan to work on things before we even get there. There is no doubt in my mind that DS will have LDs. My sister's son has severe dysgraphia and her daughter was just diagnoses, at 9, with dyslexia and a visual processing disorder. That is 3/4 grandchildren. The odds are not in DS's favour.
I will never let DS have the experience DD did. And neither will she! She has said that the best thing about her experience is that it will keep her brother from having to go through it, too.
Good luck with everything. This forum is such an amazing resource.
