Just sending more sympathy. Yes, I think we're looking for a needle in a haystack.
His strength is math (except that even there his fine motor issues have held him back - he can barely write numbers).
Sympathy here, too.
Sometimes I think that US elementary school systems are overcompensating for our low test scores by forcing some things at a too-young age.
Where this affects many of our kids is the fine motor stuff. It used to be that the kindergarten year was the start point for writing, and now they expect children to have mastered a lot of fine motor stuff by K entry. I clearly, clearly, remember tracing a curvy path without touching lines, tracing shapes, and beginning to write block capitals & numbers in kindergarten. Then we got serious about writing in 1st grade.
Nowadays, at least in California, kids are expected to be able to do this stuff at K entry. After my DS-then-4 went to his kindergarten interview (many public and all private do this), they sent us a letter saying he was behind on writing his numbers and letters! I mean, he was FOUR! We threw the letter in the rubbish and ignored it.
I could be off base here, but I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of fine motor stuff is related to neuromuscular development, and I'm not convinced you can force it. It happens when it happens. We're content with letting our son draw pictures, which he loves and which helps his fine motor skills.
Val
