I just found this site today, and I am delighted.
My son is 7-1/2 and in 2nd grade. He's being evaluated for special ed services or a 504 plan. Everything is fine with him except his writing. He reads 6th grade level books (although is teacher said his DRA was 28 at the beginning of the year), he's great in math, but his handwriting is terrible. He does not (and never has) reverse letters, and he does not mix upper and lower case inappropriately, and his spelling is pretty good; however, the spaces between words are sometimes not there, he uses the lines as suggestions not as a place to rest the letters, and his letters are not formed correctly. I can usually make out what he's written, particularly if he writes big.
He's had an OT evaluation, and his visual motor speed is in the 2% percentile. His manual dexterity is also below average. He tested very superior in visual perception.
I was hoping the school would give him a 504, but they want to do further testing to see if he qualifies for an IEP. This school district doesn't like to give OT services with a 504, so I may have a fight on my hands if that's what he ends up with. Meanwhile they have until the middle of April to do the testing they need to do.
Our insurance won't pay for private OT, and it's about $100 an hour. We may be able to afford 2 hours a month out of pocket. So here are my questions:
1-How do I know if he has a delay or if he has dysgraphia and does it matter?
2-Should we start OT now and risk him improving too much to qualify for help at school, or should we wait and waste the whole school year?
Thanks!
