OK I have to ask - how wonderful is Polarbear??? Such an amazing asset to this board <3
Cola there is a great deal of overlap between your DS's profile (and Polarbear's DS) and my DD. (My DD also has dyslexia and math disability thrown into the mix.) We are still awaiting the report but the most recent evaluator suggested i read up on Sluggish Cognitive Tempo. From what I have read it appears that it could be a match for my DD and perhaps for some of the other slow moving, multiple diagnosis, ADHD-I kids I have seen described here. It might be worth reading about it even if it doesn't perfectly match your DS. It wasn't included in the DSM so kinda sorta fits under ADHD-I but from what I understand most likely will eventually be either it's own ADHD category or its own separate diagnosis.
Just as Polarbear described my DD needs *a lot* of therapies and supports. She is in out of district placement at a spec Ed school where her day is filled with OT, speech, reading intervention, math intervention, AT support, etc along with reading comprehension 4-5 grade levels ahead plus additional enrichment to keep her high level side engaged. This is a complex profile so buckle up and get ready for the ride...
From my experience the slow moving nature of these kids tends to trigger a lot of frustration in adults who don't "get it". My DD, who is incredibly focused and hard working, was constantly being ridiculed, called lazy, etc by adults in her local public school. She was often minimized or marginalized in extra curricular activities because of her clumsy appearance and weak fine motor/LD challenges. Some people are convinced all she needs is more discipline (and its up to them to provide it), others are convinced there's nothing wrong with her that a little more time and maturity won't fix. Or they see her as this little special needs kid who should just be happy to be allowed to participate. No - actually she has neurological challenges but is a smart, hard working, sweet child that needs to sometimes do things in a different way.
I have had to be consistent in my support - encouraging her independence while also being there as a safety net to make sure she doesn't get either overwhelmed or overlooked. Once adults get it, though, they have amazing respect for her. It takes a bit of effort to see past the slow moving appearance and really see the high level of understanding and strong work ethic. Once this happens, though, she is not only accepted but is often seen as a role model.
I guess all of this is to say these are not just going to be learning challenges but also life challenges - for you as well as him. You will need to educate yourself big time because you will likely spend a lot of time educating others. You will probably need to help him navigate his way through a combination of remediation, accommodation and work around solutions. Things that work for Polarbear's DS may or may not work for my DD or your DS. For example repetition works for Polarbear's DS but just frustrates and exhausts my DD. Her DS did well with keyboarding while its been a slow, arduous process for my DD.
You will find joy in his accomplishments and sadness in his challenges. Know that throughout it all you can always come here to vent, ask questions or share information. You have other parents who understand and have been there.
Good.luck!
