Hi, I am new to this website, but I found it while searching for information on twice exceptional children. (Can someone explain what the abbreviations mean?)
We just came back from Johns Hopkins after having our 11 year old son tested for LD. Our public school informed us last year that because he wasn't failing they wouldn't test him. He is in the gifted program, but struggles to write. Hopkins thinks he has dysgraphia and there maybe something else as well-- we go back for the final report in a few weeks. He also has a previously diagnosed anxiety disorder for which he takes medication and sees a psychiatrist and psychologist.
Last year various teachers and the guidance counselor told us that he was lazy, attention seeking (because we have 4 kids I was told that I probably wasn't giving him enough attention at home), and finally the guidance counselor told us that we were "paying to much attention to his difficulty with writing and therefore making it worse". This was a new public school for us due to a redistricting in our district so it was even more difficult to navigate through a sea of new names and faces. Our previous elementary (same district) had a very supportive staff who were invaluable when he was diagnosed with the anxiety disorder.
He had two teachers who helped us and advocated for him and finally said "forget the school- have him tested privately" which is how we ended up at Hopkins.
I am very overwhelmed at this point and of course anxiously awaiting the final results so we can take them to his school. This time I will hire a parental advocate. I am just in need of some moral support right now!
If anyone has any advice that you think maybe useful...
