Community Discussion
Topic: The "Dyslexic Gifted Child" anyone heard of such?

#	Author	Message
21	X-san Fri 5/23/2008 4:55a	***I now feel like a complete numb skull and I probably needed this huge dose of humble medicine as a father. I mean, you guys see how I love to climb up on the soap box and spew my wonderful words of "dad of the year" knowledge and know how. BOY HAVE I BEEN A FOOL.*** I don't think there is anything wrong with taking pride in working hard to be the greatest parent you can be, and I feel that's the way you have expressed yourself. Nothing wrong with that whatsoever! Dyslexia is certainly a challenge, but as others have pointed out...it really doesn't have anything to do with "smarts" whatsoever. It's simply a neurological perception problem (one that's hard to comprehend if you don't have it, I'd imagine!)...and if the world wasn't made up of people who saw things differently where the heck would we be anyway? In any case, I'm sure this will be a challenge, but as Dave said you've got your diagnosis in hand and can proceed with the many options out there for kids with this issue to grapple with, whether it be through a private school, or in a public school with assistance. I'm sure you're far better off than if this same thing had happened 30 years ago...awareness is very high now and schools are equipped with the tools THEY need to make sure your kid succeeds (as I'm sure he will!). Good luck!
22	X-san Fri 5/23/2008 5:08a	Posts 10 and 18...awesome!
23	ReadingMom Fri 5/23/2008 4:24p	DVC Dad..www.schwablearning.org is a great site to get information. When my son was being diagnosed with his issues I did a lot research on the site and it makes you realize that you are not alone. Good luck with getting the right help for your child. If you do decide to keep your son in a "mainstream" school I would suggest that you be a bulldog with the administration in making sure he gets the right resources to be successful. For several years Kar2oonman and I took the "nice" route and it got us nowhere. It wasn't until we started to get extremely insistent regarding his IEP and Resource that the principal and district started to really listen to us. Don't give up, keep moving forward and never forget that your child is extremely special.
24	tiggerdis_ Fri 5/23/2008 7:43p	Hello DVC, I'm a Support teacher, also known as a Special needs teacher. First of all I want to THANK YOU for supporting the school when you both realized, there may be a problem. That is #1!!! I fight every day with one parent or another who won't believe that there may be an issue with their child, or tell me that they were like that as a kid....but I ramble. If you can swing it, the private school for the first year at least helps immensely. We currently have just reintegrated a young man in the 6th grade, who was diagnosed dyslexic in the 4th grade. He has been given tons of one on one, tutoring and skills that have helped him to cope with his disability. We at the public school are equipped to deal with this, but we don't always have the time to work one on one with the student to be able to maximize their learning potential..what I mean is that we can use the shaving cream to learn spelling words, but if they've been in the private school with the extra help, they'll come back into the public school with an Individualized Educational Plan that outlines what has been done with them, and for them..It gives us a chance to find a teacher that will best accommodate his learning style, and to set up a supplementary support programme. This boy was at our school until he was diagnosed, but he was very down, and frustrated. His parents decided to try the private school option, and actually were quite leery about returning him to school, but for social reasons, he wanted to come back. This year has been incredible for his self esteem, he knows when he needs help, we know how to help him, and he is socially active with his peers. Now, I'm not saying you have to put your child in private school, but if it is an option, it is well worth the $$, even just for one year. I won't say he won't find a great teacher at his public school, but that would be something you'd like to ask. Is there anyone there who is trained to work with your child's specific dyslexia (we call it a non-verbal learning disability)? What sort of support will he get? How much time a day/how many times a week/ can he be supported? Which program will you use to support him? (The Orton Gillingham program is awesome for dyslexia). Now, if the private school is out of the question, or if you want to wait, why not search for a tutor that is trained in working with dyslexic children? Visit the private school, ask which programs they would use, and then see if you can find a trained tutor to work with your child... Um, okay, I think that's enough for you to digest for now. If you have any further questions, please don't hesistate to email me. My address is in my profile. Hope I haven't rambled too long. All the best!
25	tiggerdis_ Fri 5/23/2008 7:47p	This may help too. http://www.orton-gillingham.com/
26	DVC_dad Sun 5/25/2008 6:40a	chickie I was getting worried. WOW! Thank you so much! I've not only clicked on the link, but I have shared this with another parent that is in the same boat we are. I have taken a lot of time and gone through all of the suggestions, and pondered the many comments here. I am very grateful for them infomation, advice, support (yes alexbook, the support is certainly invaluable) and so on. Conclusion: We have in fact decided to send Malachi to a school that accepts Dyslexic kids, 1st thru 5th grades. The school is about 12 years old now. During that time it has "worked miracles" for 92% of it's students - meaning that they spent on average 2 school years there, and were able to return to whatever school they were in before. About 65% of these remiediated students return to public school, while the rest return to private school. I have gotten a written agreement from our current private school (which currently gets about 145% applications per year more than they have openings) that they would allow our son to return to the school at our discreation. That is to say, once we feel he is ready, he will be allowed to return. We aren't ignorant. Returning him too soon would be disasterous. So we will have him retested once a year until the child psychologist and the NEW school gives him the green light. There are many many many forms of, and evidences of Dyslexia. Our son's saving grace is basically three things. 1.) He has an IQ of 139. 2.) He has parents that are trying their best to do what is best for him and not simply living in denial. 3.) He knows two of the kids that left our same school last year to go to this new school, and he wants to give it a try. The teacher to student ration at the new school is 5 to 1. Yes that IS amazing, 5 students to every 1 teacher. However, so as to not have classes that are just too small, the classes are grouped in the same room of 10 students to 2 teachers. It seems to work well, and the track record of the school is extermely impressive. Many people here have suggested that maybe putting him in a new school where there are other children with leaning disabilities is NOT a good idea. We made this decision based on the following: 1.) We have 7 kids, we need a turn key solution. We already spend 2 hours a night on various homework help. 2.) We have studied the results, they are incredible. 3.) Every student at the school is Dyslexic with an davanced IQ, disgnosed from a Child Psychologist. There are NO students who have other things going on like ADHD, or Autism, or anything other than Dyslexia. None of the kids have pathological diagnosis of emotional problems and all that sort of thing. Now that's not saying anything negative about others, its just saying that this is a specific, problem focused, specialized school. So, we are going to give it a try. We appreciate your kind thoughts and prayers. And Lady Starlight, I'll be emailing you soon to ask some questions. Chickie, what can I say? I cannot thank you enough for the information. You so rock!!! I am truly grateful. All other suggestions, we are taking into consderation and will be trying many of those at home. We are anxious to get to the next school year and see how things go. It's been a LONG LONG arduous year for our 7 year old, and he's totally burnt out. Now however, he is excited about next year. 1st graders are so damn resilliant.
27	DVC_dad Sun 5/25/2008 6:41a	<<<!)...and if the world wasn't made up of people who saw things differently where the heck would we be anyway?>>> Thats about the best feel good statement I have ever read X. Thank you!
28	X-san Sun 5/25/2008 7:10a	:)
29	DVC_dad Sun 5/25/2008 7:58a	tiggerdis, I cannot thank you enough! Everything you have said falls right in line with what we are bginning to understand. This is all new to us, we hqave only had the psychology results for 3 weeks now. Before this, I had scarcely ever heard the term Dyxlexic. There is a lot to learn and a long way to go. I hope that I can come back and ask you more questions as we go tiggrdis. :)
30	Lady Starlight Sun 5/25/2008 2:34p	DVC, I wasn't diagnosed until I was well into my adulthood,by then it was too late for me as a child for anyone to change how they treated me. ( now they feel bad about how they treated me,but it wasn't really thier fault as it wasn't a known thing back in the day.)Anyways, I have no ill feelings twards anyone and in fact I actually laugh at myself for having the things that I do. It makes me a very interesting human being AND I am out there to help and undertsand others. Being a loveing understanding parent and not giving up on your son is what its all about!! :-D (((( HUGS TO YOU AND YOUR SON!!!))))

All times are Pacific Time (US)

Note: Information on the discussion boards is sometimes based on rumors or incorrect information and should not be assumed true. Messages do not necessarily reflect the opinion of LaughingPlace.com or its editors.

More messages:

1-10

11-20

21-30

< Previous Topic

Next Topic >

You must be a registered user to post messages.
Click here to register.
After registration you will automatically be brought back to this topic

Disneyland Attraction Posters at
The LaughingPlace Store
The LaughingPlace Store now carries a Disneyland Attraction Posters from Sanders CC Gallery

What's on
The Latest
LP Guide to Bolt updated
Bolt Across America Cross-Country Journey Culminates at Red Carpet Premiere of "Bolt" 16 week tour visits 32 cities, raising awareness for the movie and for the ASPCA
Beauty and the Beast to be released in 3D in 2010
Disney's New Five-Picture Deal With IMAX to Begin With 'A Christmas Carol'
Buffalo International Film Festival presents a film benefit celebrating Mickey's 80th birthday December 13th
Disney's Hawai'i Project Begins with Ground Blessing
The Lion King to perform as part of 2008 Royal Variety Performance and BBC Radio 2's Friday Night is Music Night
Walt Disney Imagineering Earns Four Thea Awards
Travel Industry Honors Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Chairman Jay Rasulo
The Walt Disney Company Grants $1.5 Million to Reforest Fire-Ravaged Areas in Southern California

Click here for The Latest