I am you, and you have my son!
DS4 will be 5 next September. I have been worried about the 'red flags' for the past year. This is a child that did not talk until he was 3.5 yrs old, but knew all his numbers and shapes and colours by 18 months. He could put together 30+ piece puzzles by 2 yrs of age. He has been building the most intricate train tracks around our house since he could fit the tracks together at around a year of age. He is smart. Scary smart. BUT.... he can't learn his letters. He has been trying, but they just don't stick. He refuses to hold a pencil, he has never coloured a picture (just a scribble or two before bifting the crayon across the room in frustration).
His sister has dysgraphia and mild dyslexia. I feel I have valid reason for concern. Everyone else thinks I have lost my marbles. "He is only 4! He isn't supposed to know his letters and be able to print yet!" I get tired of talking about it. I have one friend with a gifted son the same age and she gets it. Her son can do these things and she understands why I am worried. If DS had normal development aside from the letters/printing, I would be less than concerned. It just is out of keeping with what I see and know. He learns everything else incredibly quickly.
Maybe it is my mommy-sense on overdrive. I am so determined to NOT let him fall through the cracks for so long, like his sister did. I do feel that I have reason to be concerned. For the time being, there is little I can do about it. I won't have him tested until he is in school and the difficulties can be corroborated by his teacher. My daughter's pyschologist suggested that testing for diabilities is more reliable at an older age, so we will wait. For now, we are using all the tips and tricks I have learned from helping my daughter. I figure, it can't hurt for him to have the extra help with learning his letters!
Last edited by kathleen'smum; 11/21/12 05:17 AM.
