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learning disability?

theAndrea

theAndrea

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Nov 14, 2013
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ok, so my daughter is turning 7 at the end March and she's in grade 1. She's still struggling with reading and there are even a couple of letters she doesn't know/remember. And a couple of different letters she knows, but can't seem to get the sound right.

That in itself concerns me, but doesn't bring up any huge flags.

The problem is that she has problems remembering everyday words when talking. Like 'squirrel' or 'corn'. I'm constantly trying to cover up for her because she's frequently having trouble getting her point across :(

And I figured out this last week that she learns better verbally than she does by writing words down. Each week she has 5 'word wall words' to learn. Last week I only went over them verbally with her everyday. She got 4/5 on her test (normally, she only gets 1 or 2 right, sometimes even 0). The weeks before we went over them and over them and over them on paper and she just wasn't getting it.

I'm worried. ideas?

I am going to take her to the doc and see what she says, but I thought I'd see if anybody here has any experience with similar problems.
 
I am very big believer in being majorly proactive in my kids learning...I homeschooled 4 of them for a few years, have two coming home next year and we do home school light all summer. That being said. I will sit in the public school classroom with the fantastic teachers that work with us. I have 3 rather behind boys. We spend time making learning fun. They could not hold the things they learned.
Many other issues also..but we finally bit the bullet and went to doctors.
ADHD!
NOoooooooooooooooooo!
pills to zombie my boys! no no no
but we did, and it has been amazing...
one is straight A now and off the chart math/reading
one is still struggling with math, but his reading oh my goodness, and his stories he writes are beyond
the kinder is finally reading.
we are not perfect, but it helped us with my boys...
talk with the teachers and your pediatrician...knowledge is power...and there are so many kind people out there...ignore any mean ones!
 
Not every child learns the same way. My son learns better verbally, my daughter visually. It helps when they are old enough to study the way they learn. Definitely take advantage of the diagnostic services your school can offer. Hopefully there are accomodations that can be made by her teachers to assist her in the way she learns best.
 
While I don't have much experience with learning disabilities, my youngest surprised us by needing glasses in first grade. If you haven't had a vision screening this year, that might be worthwhile too given that you said she seems to have some trouble with visual recognition. Good luck in getting to the bottom of everything. Your daughter is lucky to have you advocating for her. <3
 
I'd meet with her teacher first. It can help to get another perspective, plus with some kids, they are surprisingly different in different environments. One way at home and another way at school. You'll need the whole picture!

I understand the worry, but it's okay if she learns differently. The important thing is figuring out how she learns and helping her do it that way. You've already started doing that. :) It doesn't matter what, if any, label or diagnosis there is. If she gets to learn the way that works for her, she'll be fine.
 
I teach students with learning disabilities and totally agree with what everyone has said. Talk to the teacher and find out if they are seeing some of the same issues at school that you are seeing. They may have some other strategies that you can use to help her out at home. Like Lorry said, finding what works for her is the key, with or without the label. I do read aloud services for kids at my school and more often than not, I have all kinds of students who join me, not just those who are diagnosed as having a learning disability, simply because they know it helps them to hear it and keeps them focused.
 
I personally struggled with a learning disability in school.. (they believe because I am deaf and never learned phonics right..).. but I agree with everyone else. I would state your concerns to your daughters school.. tell them that you are worried. I also say, BE DEMANDING.. sometimes they may not listen to you at first.. but you know your child best.. push to have her tested.. if not at school.. talk to your family doctor.. a lot of hospitals will also test and look into things for you.

Best of luck hun and if you ever wanta talk, I am just a PM away
 
Along with what everyone else has said and to reemphasize some of the advice... check hearing and vision first. Those are the first steps whenever we consider a special ed eval and sometimes it's that a child needs glasses or a hearing aid or even just a FM system to help them hear the teacher.
 
No better advice than you've already gotten, just posting to tell you I sympathize having been through it with 2. One a behavioral issue and one has dysgraphia (transcription disability). Talking to the teacher should get the ball rolling if she needs testing, and I agree about the vision testing.
 
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