Special Learning Disability--Written Expression and Speech or Language Impairment?

I felt for you. I understand how you feel. But guilt is not the first and the most important factor that you should concentrating on. IT IS NOT ABOUT YOU. It is about your child. Don't look at it as the reflection of your own self. My daughter was tested at the age of 3 upon my own request through the school district. Just because she was not able to converse as well as the other kids. The result was that she has Auditory Process Disorder @3% tile. My first reaction was angry and why ME! But it is also a blessing to find out at a young age. So our children would not be MISUNDERSTOOD as one of the DUMB or LAZY KID. Pls turn your desperation to inspiration. Do your own research and work closely with the educators. The more you are involve the more they would be encouraged to work with you and your son. We have consider this as a blessing. My daughter has learned early on in life; that she needs to work twice as hard to be equal and 3 or 4 times in order to excel. And that is THE game plan in her life. Remember the story of a Race between the Rabbit and theTurtle. And the Little Train that can? My daughter started with 45min speech therapy per week from 3rd to 6 grade. And she graduated with 3.8 GPA from Middle School with honor, which included an advance English class. She is 16 and has big plan for her future as a genetic researcher. Where there's will and determination. There will be success. Don't stop believing in your son . Look at all the famous and successful people like Bill Gate and the list goes on...... Do you know how many people had disabilities that they did not realize till their adulthood? And it explained why they've been misunderstood all their lives. And make the wrong choices that they made in life. Disabilities are just a learning difference. It is something that need to work on. There's a lot of information out there and please work closely with the teachers and school. I also work with private tutors too. And most important of all is to keep encouraging your child and keep yourself motivated - don't ever give up!!!! Cheer for every little milestone and praise him for job well done. You are his strength and mirror. If you believe in him and he'll react to your encouragement and excel without any limitation. Make sure he lives a balance life. Sport is very important to my daughter. She has so much pride with her soccer and swim team. Remember to have fun along the way. Wishing you the very best. Take good care of yourself. Be strong and be happy, GOD Bless you and your son!!! Cindy , one proud mother!!! IEP is a good thing. It gives your son the accommodations he needs to excel. (((((((hugs and kisses))))))))

I don't think it is your fault at all. Everybody learns differently. Many famous people, like Einstein had learning disabilities. They just have to find out what works for him. Good luck to you and don't give up but don't drive yourself nuts either. Many kids respond to games.

I am gradutating with an Elementary Education degree. THe first thing you need to do is support whatever the teacher says because they see him a lot through out the day. NExt step is to talk with the teacher, Hooked on Phonics is great, but sometimes your school system will have services that better suit your child's needs. Take all the hel you can get. I have seen parents refuse help and seen their children struggle. I have also seen parents welcome help and seen their kids flurish.

Having a Specific Learning Disability or a Speech Impairment is not your fault. It is like he has faulty wiring in his brain, it is harder for him to access information. Having an IEP is not a bad thing, he will be eligible for tutoring all the way through college. During his elementary school years he should be pulled out for tutoring during the school day, as he gets into middle school, there will be less time for pull out and he should get extra help, extra time, and other accommodations in class. Please don't blame yourself.

Why did the school do an evaluation on him? Are you involved in the development of his IEP plans? What should happen with the new evaluation is-- THey give you a copy of it Have an IEP meeting to go over it and change his IEP plan according to the results of the evaluation to include things that will help him in his problem areas You can write and request an IEP meeting at any time, you do not have to wait on the school to set up the meeting. Get a copy of his eval, go over it thoroughly and make a list of what his problems are. Then make another list of what can be done AT SCHOOL to help with his problems. In the meeting, ask for everything you feel he needs. If you don't know what he needs, everyone in the meeting needs to brainstorm on what will help him in each area he has trouble with. It is great that you are willing to help, but remember that the school is also suppose to help. A child with learning problems needs specialized help, and sometimes generalized store bought programs do not help. But it doesn't hurt to try, because then again they might! My goodness it is NOT your fault! You made a major sacrifice for your child and this shows great interest and commitment to your child. This is wonderful. Dry up the tears, roll up your sleeves and be PROUD of yourself for wanting to do what is best for your child !! Sometimes it is hard to accept that a child has problems. I am in the same position. I was not expecting my youngest child to have learning problems. I started homeschool to help her because the school fought me to no end, with the help of the state dept of education, so they could get out of helping her. In some cases a child does not have a learning 'problem' they just have different learning strengths and they learn 'differently'. My daughter was failing EVERYTHING in school. It was not until AFTER I took her out to do homeschool that I found the reason for most of this. She is a very visual learner, which is not a 'problem' but a 'strength'. Schools do not teach a student according to their 'learning style'. They all teach students according to one cookie cutter method, reading and writing. If a child does not fit this mold, they are labeled by schools as having a learning problem but sometimes they don't. Sometimes this is true,but sometimes all the child needs is to be taught in a different way that schools will not provide. My child is now doing well in most areas but still behind in others because I can teach her using her 'strength'.

Hey, - This is NOT your fault, so just stop it! There are a thousand and one reasons why this has happened. It doesn't sound as though he is too bad and it certainly sounds like this is a situation which it is possible to resolve. What really needs to happen, is that his difficulties need to be set within the context of a complete developmental assessment. Only then will we know truly where the problems have come from. It could be that he has missed an early stage of development such as the development of intersubjectivity (shared attention), or some other precursor to successful language and literacy development. Go here and read http://www.snowdrop.cc/info2.cfm?info_id=62137 And here http://www.snowdrop.cc/info2.cfm?info_id=78372 Try not to blame yourself, it really is not your fault.