Hello all. I'm new here. I'm sorry if I get long-winded but I want to explain the situation and then ask my question.
My son is 10yo and just finishing 5th grade. He was recently diagnosed with PDD-NOS (Pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified) and is on the autism spectrum but is very high functioning. He also was diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. He will be moving to middle school next year in the same charter school he has attended since kindergarten.
My son is highly gifted in reading, math and science. According to the NWEA RIT charts, he's scoring in the 92nd percentile for 11th grade math. He will be placed in advaced classes and will participate in Math League and Knowledge Bowl. His penmanship and spelling, however, look like a 4 year old's. The school has been wonderful in working with us. He has a 504 that specifically addresses his handwriting and written processing problems.
My worry is about the anxiety. When my son gets anxious, he has to get up, pace and move his hands. He has had very caring teachers that have helped him the past few years to deal with this and give him the space he needs. He leaves the classroom when he can't keep it in check and this has worked for him. He also works once/week with a school social worker to help him cope.
Next year, my son will have 8 different teachers and will switch classrooms for different subjects. This is already causing him anxiety. Will all the teachers understand? Will they understand that although his writing is atrocious, he has other remarkable abilities? How do I help my son deal with his fear and anxiety about the year to come?
If anyone has been through this with their twice exceptional child and has advice, I would love to hear it.
TIA!
Rachelle
