My DS, 8, is having a tough time in school, and his teacher has recommend a 504 plan to help with his inattentiveness.
DS is in 3rd grade and reads well above grade level, grasps math concepts easily and does very well socially. He does not have behavioral problems. His handwriting, writing skills and spelling are all below grade level and he makes multiple, carless mistakes. His teacher suggested that I have his vision checked. I took him to a Developmental Optometrist. HIs acuity and tracking are fine and I am waiting to hear about the rest of the test.
DS had a severe language delay and was in speech therapy for 2 years. He has been in-and-out of OT for years. He was diagnosed by a neuropsych with ADHD but with the caveat that he looks like he has severe sensory issues. At this time I realized that he was not sleeping well. Melatonin was recommended by his dr and most of his obvious sensory problems cleared up 2 weeks after starting melatonin. He was discharged from OT and I was told that he is so smart that he must be bored in school and that he is fine.
I saw the Eide's slideshow about stealth dyslexia and think this may be what my son has. He can't learn to tie his shoes, he is clumsy yet very fast and strong, he did not learn the ABC's until he was 6, writing is a chore for him and he is not able to organize his thoughts to write them down. Although he is an advanced reader, he skips/inserts words when he reads and often reads short directions incorrectly. He also tests very poorly on computerized tests. His teacher said that he would do great if his tests were all oral.
DS 8 tested as gifted on the WISC but has a very slow processing speed. His tester is very experienced with GT kids and felt he was ADHD or had a sensory issue.
I think the 504 may be a good idea but am concerned that the school is only considering that his struggles are due to ADHD (inattentive) and have not considered that he may have an LD. I could use some advice about where to have him evaluated for an LD. My gut feeling is that ADHD does not explain all of his struggles. I would really appreciate your thoughts.
