My DD8 (3rd grade) has a few more issues than your DS. Along with 51 points difference between VCI and Working Memory and 56 to Processing Speed she also has 40 points difference with Visual Perception. She doesn't have the high PRI number your DS has. In addition to Dyslexia and Dysgraphia she also has been diagnosed with Dyspraxia and Math Disability (aka Dyscalcula) along with fine motor deficit and anxiety. Interestingly she does not have a lot of the issues normally associated with the processing speed deficit - she is exceedingly compliant and eager to please. She has always transitioned well and enjoys new experiences. She tends to dwell longer and "get stuck" in areas of imaginative play and remembering past wrongs done to her. She is v-e-r-y slow in everything she does and always seems to be a beat or 2 behind in her reaction time. She mentally makes connections much faster than other kids but is always the one to get caught and be scolded if a group of kids are doing something, cannot for the life of her succeed in games like tag and is inevitably the last in line or to exit a group activity.
In first grade we had an amazing teacher who was very good at differentiating and accommodating in the classroom. Second grade we had a teacher who was exactly the opposite. She either could not or would not accept DD's profile or follow the IEP. She did absolutely no modification of any kind and just plain expected DD to be like all the NT kids. The school gave her first a part time and then a full time para to scribe and help with in class work as well as take her on "anxiety breaks." This was not a good strategy but it was what the district was willing/able to do.
Now that we are in out of district placement at a spec ed school we are focusing heavily on the use of Assistive Technology and I am really pushing them to work on getting DD independent. She has an iPad and I have been fighting like a demon to get what she needs put in place. They are using a spelling app, a math app, teaching her to keyboard and working on finding a voice to text app that will work with her voice. They have shown her how to have the iPad read highlighted text aloud to her so she is able to access the internet now for more than just videos.
She is in an 8th grade reading group for her comprehension strength which is a big plus. For some reason they haven't been able to figure out how to get her access to the audio books for the class but she is listening to the older kids read aloud and participates in the discussions. When I spoke to the AT consultant the other day I asked about apps to help with working memory and she said she would load Luminocity to try to help with that. She said there are parts of it that should help with the processing speed portion but she couldn't think of anything in particular to use just for the processing issues.
It's too early to tell for sure - especially since our district actually blocked her access to the AT services - but I think I have been seeing a difference in just the last week or so since they started providing the services. She is calmer, more self assured and has a maturity about her that wasn't there just a couple of weeks ago. I think having a sense of independence and believing that she just may be able to do these things is helping. Also being able to do some higher level comprehension work has to feel good. I can't imagine what it must have been like to have every hour of every school day focus only on things she was struggling with. No wonder she developed anxiety and migraines...
Hope this gives you a few ideas. I'm eager to hear what others have tried with similar profiles.
ETA: just for frame of reference DD's processing speed is 7th percentile, working memory is 13th
Last edited by Pemberley; 10/09/13 06:17 AM.
