Also, does this sound completely messed up to anyone else? I don't understand how someone that is dyslexic can be such a strong reader
I know what you mean. It sounds to me like she's compensating. Like my son, who scored in the 0.5th percentile (as in, 99.5% scored higher than he did!) in receptive language skills (12th percentile in expressive) and yet he reads English above grade level, without having had formal instruction (he's in French Immersion).
Somewhere else, somehow, they compensate.
My son has a language processing disorder (expressive and receptive) and tends to memorize words rather than decode them. He too is a math whiz, and has trouble making his work clear on the paper. He struggles with handwriting (although it's gotten a bit better).
He also "skips" words when he reads out loud - he wants to speed through the text.
It's interesting, because I've noticed a trend in both languages... the little words such as in/on/it/at or le/la/du/des/les etc cause him more problems than larger words like "excitement" or "nourriture." I think this is because the larger words are more "chunky" and memorable, whereas the little words all seem the same to him.
His speech is funny, although it's getting better. It's hard to describe - it's like it's stiff and jerky, kind of, and he still mispronounces words he shouldn't (he's 8). He's had FOUR normal hearing tests. In addition to the language disorder, I'm certain he has CAPD (we're waiting for testing).
He's also been diagnosed with ADHD combined type, which our pediatrician is skeptical about ("I see ADHD kids all the time and he's different.") ...he's more aware, more focused, more present. On the other hand he also sometimes seems like he's not listening AT ALL and yet he knows what's going on. I don't know. Who knows. Maybe he has it, maybe he doesn't. I have my doubts, so we're not medicating him.
Anyway, I could go on and on (lol) but I just wanted to say... I know how you feel! Sometimes they just don't make sense... they manage to function and compensate in spite of these barriers... it can be so confusing at times.
