My son is 10, he is in 4th grade, has ADHD and an IEP for his handwriting alone. He is intelligent, he scores high on all standardize testng and honor roll in school, but he has issues with reversal of numbers. I am wondering if I need to look into more testing with a doctor to see if his brain is firing faster then his hand can interpet or what I should do.
Well, they are now using a special graph paper for him. This seems to be helping a little. He has to be reminded to slow down. At his past eye appt. his optomist is wanting to test him for visual problems. Says that his eye do not focus properly and it could be affecting his writing. TY all for the ideas and God Bless you
Has he been tested for dyscalculia? That's dyslexia with numbers instead of letters and words. Does he literally write the numbers themselves backwards (like in mirror images, so the "belly" of a 5 faces left instead of right)? or does he write numbers out of sequence?
Is it a fast brain or is he mildly dyslexic, too? There's even a specific form of dyslexia for numbers. I would specifically ask about it.
I'd guess dyscalculia, as well.
Also ADHD here (as is my son), and we skip letters, skip numbers, skip chunks of sentences, combine 2 words into one (although they usually make sense... the words we're LOOKING for is a combo of the two words we mash together), create new words... but the REVERSAL of letters or numbers tends to be a co-occuring disorder.
I'm MILDLY dyslexic in addition to being ADHD. It was diagnosed on accident when I was in the 6th grade (I'm a fast reader, I just went off of context), but it was HIGHLY annoying... so I taught myself to write backwards. Like sdrawkcab AND (the keys won't let me do it) mirror image backwards AND I copy other people's handwriting (I'm a fairly decent forger at this point). I was on a playdate with a dyslexic friend and her therapist "caught" what I was doing (copying my friend's handwriting and writing it mirror image), and did quick testing. By the time she'd gotten to me, I'd self corrected most of my stuff (my brain sees numbers and letters both forwards and backward and upside down)...but she got me into therapy with my friend. I was out of therapy in less than a quarter (both because I only have a mild case, and because I'd already spent a couple years training my brain to see letters in any direction. But I still see/write bob dod pop and end up scratching things out. God I love keyboards.).
WISH I'd gotten into therapy earlier, it made things 100 times simpler, but then I might never have learned to read and write backwards, mirror imaged, and upside down. The forgery has never been useful, but it's a cool party trick.
Hello:
I wish you were closer. I am a handwiting Development specialist and work with Children like yours daily.
I am certified through Handwriting without Tears. You may try to find some one close by who might be able to help.
The program works really well in correcting reverals and handwriting in general.Its developed by a OT.
S. P.
Certified Handwriting Development Specialist
Handwriting Without Tears Certification
www.writetoshine.com
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My brain runs faster than my hands. What you end up with is sentences like, then we decided park. Why couldn't he go. Okay not exactly like that, it is hard to recreate. You leave out words or chunks of sentences. It doesn't cause you to reverse letters. That sounds more like dyslexia.
Wait are they backwards or he writes 128 when he means to write 182?
It's actually very common to have more than one learning disability. I'd consider a reevaluation with a psychiatrist and look into dyslexia and dysgraphia.
If he is on an IEP hasn't he had a multifaceted evaluation? If not bring your IEP team back together and show them examples of his work and see what they recommend. I know at the 4th grade I had my son evaluated by an independent psychologist out of Rainbow to make sure the school wasn't overlooking anything. Dr Christine Barry is very thorough if you want to check into an independent study. It has helped in my school district getting what my child needs. Just a month ago the school retested him and they are being more helpful than they have been over the 2 years. Good luck to you.
Since he is on an IEP did he not have a full battery of tests? Usually they include reading, writing, spelling, etc (I have all the test names since my daughter has dyslexia and ADD no H). Once you have his learning profile you can better adjust his accommodations and IEP goals to his true needs.
