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Hi Nik (waving back!)
Yes, I will post an update. Our follow up appointment is the week of May 30. Seems like we have been waiting forever.

What did they base the diagnosis on? I don't really see it in the numbers you posted. Is it classroom performance?

LinCO-

She based the diagnosis of ADHD on several things....first was the BASC screening forms that his teacher, my husband and I filled out. Second, she administered a computerized test (can't remember the name right now) that tests for inability to control impulse. Third, she was able to observe his behavior during the testing and interviews. I feel very confident that the diagnosis is correct. It shows not only in his classroom performance, but also his ability to follow through on instructions at home or to pay attention while playing extracurricular sports like baseball or soccer.

She diagnosed him with a disorder of written expression based ont the fact that his WIAT score in writing was more than 15 points below his FSIQ and by having him do writing samples during his testing. He writes some big letters, some little, has lots of reversals, does not use punctuation, has tons of mispellings (although he aces every spelling test and won his class spelling bee).

Does this help answer the question? I'd love any advice or input!

So perplexed, are you still at the point of teasing out whether medication or other treatment for ADHD is warranted? Are you considering extra time, use of a laptop or other accommodations? Or, are you thinking that some sort of remedial instruction is needed for the writing and other areas that are relative weaknesses?

I don't see him as a student requiring remedial help - even with the discrepancy, I think you'd be hard pressed to get a district to agree that he has a LD that needs treatment under an IEP plan. Unfortunately, the special ed laws don't provide that a student reach potential, only that they make appropriate progress. Typically, appropriate progress is a low floor.

But, if the writing and ADHD are interfering from him accessing the curriculum (and this would be determined via the evaluation, a look at his classroom performance and other data points) - even honors and AP courses, a 504 would be warranted to give him the accommodations he needs to succeed.

Also - keep in mind that ADHD is a medical diagnosis. If the evaluator is not a MD, she will most likely make a referral of some kind to a medical doctor. Often a Developmental pediatrician, neurologist or psychiatrist.

Relevant regulations regarding identification of SLD under IDEA 2004:
IDEA - Building the legacy

mich- We meet with a child psychiatrist next week to confirm the diagnosis and discuss whether or not to medicate. Luckily, I live in smallish community (ie I know the administration personally and they know my children outside of school) and we have good resources (International Baccalaureate starting in 1st grade), laptops are a requirement for all students starting in 5th grade and optional for 4th graders, availability of voice recognition programs through school, etc. ......so, I am getting great cooperation in putting together a 504 for next year. The principal says that we can get an IEP in place once we sort through his needs before he changes schools for middle school in 6th grade.

I guess, what I'm looking for is any of you who have "been there, done that" with the ADHD or writing problems and have any advice on what did or did not work for you. I believe that information is power, so I'm looking for as much info as I can.

Thanks!

Glad to hear that your school is so progressive - you are fortunate! AND glad to hear that you are working with a psychiatrist - the MD issue is covered.

For my "typical" daughter with concentration, working memory and processing speed issues, a 504 plan that includes extra time, graphic organizers, models of expectations and laptop have made a huge difference. She is still not a literary genius, but she is more confident and able to produce better written work with the above. We chose not to put her on an IEP because we felt that in HS, the peer grouping for remedial help would not be appropriate. Instead, we opted for the 504 and hired a tutor.

My gifted son with severe reading and writing disabilities, also has access to a laptop. His IEP provides for intensive remediation. His school uses the EmPower program http://www.architectsforlearning.com/empower.html and explicit models and techniques for producing written work. Based on what you have posted about your son, I don't think this would be necessary. I would assume he has mastered proper writing conventions/mechanics etc - otherwise he would not have scored as high as he did.

My sense is that maybe his executive functioning issues from ADHD are the roadblock - not poor writing ability/skills. Given sufficient time and a process to plan and check his work, I bet he will be ok.

perplexed I sent you a PM.

mich- I'm glad to hear that the 504 plan has worked well for your daughter. Your 504 plan sounds similar to what we will be requesting. I feel kind of silly asking for more time though, because right now DS hurries as quickly through his work as he possibly can. I know if he took more time to concentrate, his writing would be better. Maybe ADHD medication will help with this?

My DS sounds like he is somewhere in between your DD and DS. His reading/writing deficiencies are not enough to put him in remediation, but he does have significant fine motor issues. Actually, this whole journey started last summer when I had DS evaluated by an OT because he had not established a dominant hand and he could not button buttons, tie shoes or zip clothing. Turns out he had HUGE issues that he compensated for extremely well. He was diagnosed with Sensory Processing Disorder with tactile oversensitivity and vestibular and proprioceptive issues. We have spent the past year in physical and occupational therapy, but by the end of the year I realized that we had to be dealing with more than just Sensory Processing, so we had the psycho-eduacational eval done. Now I understand that giftedness, sensory processing issues and ADHD can often overlap. It is such a complicated issue!

Oh, and DS has not mastered proper writing conventions by any means. It is only recently that I'm able to make out the majority of what he writes, but it takes some deciphering. He still has a lot of letter reversals and forms a lot of his letters from the bottom up. He does not understand how to use punctuation at all. (he also doesn't pay any attention to punctuation when he reads.....he says he just doesn't "get it"). He does use grammar correctly most of the time. Everything is relative though and I can only compare his writing work to my 1st grade DS, who writes perfectly.

Thank you for the continued input! This is all incredibly helpful!

Perplexed, I am just so interested in these types of issues. I've seen a lot of info on these boards on nutritional and essential fatty acid interventions - I'm one of the believers. Love, love, love me a good OT also!

DS#2 is like yours you are posting on. The best support I've found for him has been allowing him to dictate his responses and writing - his oral language (both recep & expressive) are gifted, his written language about an 88. Handwriting, reversals, slow processing speed. He'll give these *great* oral responses ("Since the dawn of time blah blah blah whatever" and then when I tell him to write exactly what he just said, I'll come back to find "Oxygen is good.") Another strategy that has worked is to have him edit his own work for only ONE thing at a time - e.g. now check your spelling, now recheck for punctuation. Ugh, this is so time intensive for him.

For this summer's "home school," I've gotten him both the Language Mechanic and the Punctuation Puzzler workbooks from the Critical Thinking Company. They really look good-love, love, love their stuff. I am also going to have him work with a tutor on composition. I got a book of court cases from CTC, "You Decide" or something, and we are going to have him write decisions. He wants to be a judge. His problems with punctuation have really challenged ME - how can you not "get" apostrophes? Why would you have to cover their use more than just the introduction to them??

Also, my DS doesn't have the "H". I took him for a central auditory processing evaluation at 2nd grade (he's going into 7th) when his teachers said attention problems. He does have problems with background noise that have lead him to the habit of just tuning out. This is the basis of his 504. He still is a bit below where we'd like him in looking people in the face and speaking to them, e.g. coaches. Engage, son, engage!!

Lastly let me say with the mixed dominance, he's a really good batter. He's left eye, right hand and that gives him a split second advantage. Thank goodness he gets to USE the advantage, and not just the academic challenge. I really keep him in sports for the coordination etc. Also, and I think relatedly, they did find he is gifted in creativity. Now just how do you program for that?! They had no answers.