The down side of back to school is knowing the challenges that lie ahead of us. It is Cara's dyslexia that has me in a panic this year. Despite our ongoing effort, her reading skills are improving at a rate that is almost immeasurable. She mixes up all of her sight word, yes even the most basic. She gets "a" and "the" 50% of the time. She met with her resource teacher two hours a week all summer and I did my best to be consistent reading with her, but it is incredibly discouraging. She and I both hate it almost as much as getting slapped in the face.
She has an incredible and experienced teacher, the same teacher Caleb had the year before he was diagnosed and medicated for ADHD. As awesome as this teacher is for the students she has a way of making me feel like the worlds worst parent. With Caleb she all but said, you are causing these behaviors in your child by reinforcing him. When I talked to her at back to school night she said, "I'd love to hear what's working for you at home" in reference to helping Cara. I wanted to say "nothing is working! I'm pulling my hair out and trying not to kill Cara because we are both so frustrated." Instead I said, "I'm paying someone this year to help me." She didn't respond. I've decided to use a neighbor girl to come over 30-60 minutes each night to help Cara with her reading and homework. I'm hoping she will comply better with someone else here to focus on her and take her away from the distractions. We will see how it goes.
I believe that Caleb is going to continue to do well on his medication. We have been going to a therapist with him this summer. We took him off his meds for the first 4-6 weeks of summer and it was a total disaster. He was an emotional wreck. He was paranoid about friends and about his life. He was irrational and difficult. The therapist encouraged him to consistently take his meds and he has been so much better. We have implemented a ticket system to reward him when he is being good. He is motivated to earn the prizes he can "buy" with his tickets. More than ever I am committed to continue with his meds and I am grateful for the difference they make for him.
On a happy note, Caleb and Cara are VERY HAPPY with their classes and teachers. They have friends that are treating them well at recess and they both have amazing, dedicated teachers. They usually have a hard time transitioning the first week of school, but this year has been fantastic. Caleb's teacher is the teacher of the year. She has a zoo in her classroom, and I'm not talking about the fifth graders. She is completely dedicated to her class.
Andy is thrilled to be starting school. He seems so ready. He has a cute young teacher. She has a few years experience and I believe she will provide a great experience. For better or worse he is in a class with three other boys from right here in the cul-de-sac so we don't have to worry a bit about having friends, the only worry is if they will goof around too much.
I thought this news paper article about dyslexia was worth sharing.
The Herald Journal, Logan Utah, Wednesday, August 6, 2014
Early treatment can
help
By Anthony L. Komaroff, MD
Dear Doctor K:
My first grader was just diagnosed with dyslexia. Can you tell me more about it? Will my daughter outgrow it, or will
she always struggle with it?
Dear Reader: Dyslexia is a learning disability caused by a
problem in the way the brain processes information. But we are only beginning
to understand what the problem is.
Dyslexia makes it difficult to:
- · Identify words
- · Recognize the sounds that make up words
- · Understand and remember what is read
- · Translate printed words into spoken words
- · Spell
- · Organize or sequence thoughts
- · Rhyme words
- · Learn the alphabet and numbers during preschool and kindergarten.
A person with dyslexia tends to reverse or misread letters
or words. He or she might confuse the letter “b” for “d” or read the number “6”
as “9”. The word “was” may be read as “saw.” Or the order of words in a
sentence may get switched around.
Because of the difficulties, a person with dyslexia usually reads slowly
and hesitantly.
Many young children reverse letters and numbers or misread
words as a normal part of learning to read. Children with dyslexia, however, continue to do so after
their peers have stopped, usually by first or second grade. It is really
important to recognize dyslexia early, before the third grade. Treatments started early are more
effective.
Dyslexia is not a vision problem; the eyes do not see words
incorrectly. It is also not a problem of intelligence; many people with
dyslexia have average or above-average intelligence. Many are extremely
successful in life. Many are exceptionally articulate when speaking, but have
trouble writing.
Children and adults with dyslexia have no trouble
understanding things that are spoken. They are just as curious and imaginative
as others. They can understand new concepts as easily, so long as the concepts
are described by the spoken word and visual information. They can figure out
puzzles as well as other – so long as the puzzles don’t involve written words.
Dyslexia is a lifelong condition that cannot be cured. But
children with this disorder can learn ways to succeed in school.
Several techniques and strategies can help. Many are based on the observation that
although people with dyslexia have trouble understating words they read, they
usually can understand words that are read aloud by another person. As a result, listening to books on tape
rather than reading them, and taping lectures rather than writing notes, can be
effective strategies. Computer
software that checks spelling and grammar is another useful tool.
With support, most children with dyslexia adjust to their
learning disability. And with
early and appropriate treatment, many people with dyslexia go on to succeed in
school and in their careers.
