Hi,

I've read your post a couple times now, because i really want to respond. We all know what it's like to be so unsure which way to turn. I am no expert - so I'm only answering based on the wisdom from others on this board who are, and on our personal experiences.

The 2e label is just another label, and it covers a vast range of "stuff." The first e is exceptional ability in some area(s), and it looks like your child has that. The second e is something that interferes with the child's access to and/or application of those exceptional abilities. There are brain wiring issues like dyslexia or sensory processing challenges, "mechanical" issues like vision and tracking problems, diet issues like food sensitivities, and the list goes on and on.

What I'm not seeing is where this second e is an issue for your child at this time.

He seems to have had the social struggles and chunky learning patterns that many of our kids have - and that have so many of us parents suffering from whiplash. But on the other hand, these don't appear to be interfering with his access to application of his abilities right now. Or am I mis-reading?

On another thread, a wise parent said that it's dangerous to self-diagnose, and then assess. That's because the quirks our kids have can often fit into many different syndromes/disabilities/buckets. And pre-conceived ideas have a way of being self-fulfilling.

So it seems the best plan is to identify the struggles your child is handling and ask for assessment to understand WHY the child is having the struggles.

Finally - here's the really fun part - once you identify one or more second e's, be prepared for the assessment to evolve. The very nature of the asynchronous development of our kiddos' brains means that things may change as fast as you can figure them out. I am learning that our support strategies are going to always be evolving. Often exhausting, often overwhelming, often exhilarating and rewarding (!), but always, always a work in progress.

So to answer your question - try to hone in on what your child's struggles are. Then - don't ask the experts for a label, ask them to help figure out what is causing the struggles and how to help your child through them.

And to the extent my advice is inconsistent with any real expert, please ignore me! I'm just another struggling mom, here.

Regards,
Sue