Dyslexia video

Food makes a difference too where "learning problems", including dyslexia, are concerned.

"...

..."A lack of highly unsaturated fats is particularly noticeable in connection with brain and nerve functioning.  An adjustment in diet to one with oil and protein contents high in unsaturated fats brings the best results in children.  I have often observed this when called in to treat cancer patients.  In general, I recommend that the whole family adjust their food intake so that they use the optimal, natural fats.  As for children whose scholastic performance is often below standard -- and it's usually the case in families where the parents don't eat correctly -- the results of an optimal fat intake normally begin to show themselves in school marks being bettered by not only one, but two levels."  - from "Flax Oil as a True Aid..." by Dr. Johanna Budwig, a seven time nobel prize nominee and considered by many to be the foremost authority on fats & healing, 1959...."

There's also a pdf file on fatty acids and the effect on dyslexia amongst other things.

Neither a pediatrician (unless it is a developmental pediatrician that specializes in dxing LD's) nor a developmental optometrist has any business dxing dyslexia.  A developmental optometrist will say no because s/he wants you to spend your money on VT, not go elsewhere and get OG tutoring.  As far as the school is concerned, as I stated earlier, Daniel's IQ must test within the average range or above to be given the SLD of Dyslexia in the state of Texas.  Also, if these tests by the school were done years ago when Daniel's IQ was testing within the average range, Daniel was still very young, and many schools will not give the SLD of Dyslexia to young children, even though the school says it will.  It often takes the parent fighting the school to he!! and back to get it, before a child is in third grade.  This is against the law in the state of Texas, but all you have to do is attend an IDA meeting or two to realize parents all over the state have been faced with this, nonetheless.   

As far as schools helping, LD schools, unless they specialize in the remediation of dyslexia, are not any better than public schools from what I have read from parents across the country.  Schools that specialize in the remediation of dyslexia are not easy to find.  In Houston, we have one school.  Yep, one.  It's the fourth largest city in the country, and we only have one.  This is why parents of dyslexic children often send their children to private boarding schools for dyslexics for high school.   There are a number of these schools across the country.  When the director of an OG center here read my son's school report and saw his scores, both private testing and school testing, she recommended I send my son to boarding school for high school. 

There is no doubt that dyslexia is the most expensive LD a child can have.  It crosses over into math and writing, therefore effecting all subjects.  The tutoring is endless.  Does Daniel like computers?  I'm thinking an OG computer program would be good for him, if he does like computers, and it is cost efficient.   

We see his new teacher as a new perspectitive. We were told he doesn't have dyslexia!3 yrs ago iq it was normal this year it dropped to abnormal. The testing was done it scored high on the dyslexia test given at the eye dr. He loves computers. He also is better with a computer also. He also loves computer educational cd's.

His VT we got Free!He could not track at all before we Did that!I heard a Dr. on the radio say with this dx at the eye dr.  he was given see a neurologist. What a waist. He also loves educational cd/s. Ld school was the best place for me!

OldTimer,

This is a link for different OG tutoring centers and for computer programs that can be used at home.  It's from the Learning Disabiities Association of America, which is a superb organization:

http://www.ldanatl.org/aboutld/professionals/adult_literacy. asp

Daniel's CAPD can cause a kind of acquired dyslexia, if you will.  I'm not sure how to explain this, but the thought is that dyslexia is auditory in nature.  Many children have dyslexia but not CAPD, yet it appears to be somewhat common for CAPD children to have dyslexia.   That's why I asked if they said Daniel did not have dyslexia because it actually was CAPD that they looked at as the primary disability.  Either way, Orton-Gillingham is the program to use for any child who is having difficulties decoding, like you say is Daniel's primary reading difficulty.  I personally would like to see all reading teachers become familiar with OG.  There's no history of its hurting a student, but there is a seventy year (?) history of its helping.  Best of luck!

[QUOTE=Brent]Dyslexia is caused by a underdeveloped part of the brain. By rocking on a tilt board  several times a day it stimulates the brain. This is also used with vision therapy  with Visual processing issues. It does help!Beware the dyslexia association argues this point. I know it helps cause it is why we believe our son can even read today. This teaches tempo which is needed in music and reading.  They rock back and forth. about 15- 30 minutes daily depending on age and attention span. This also helped sons dysgraphia. He still behind in reading put showing improvements. [/QUOTE]

I find this very interesting. My son's special education teacher recently mentioned dysgraphia to me. I know NOTHING about it really. I am just now researching and learning about it. Any insight you have would be fantastic. I will also use the rocking board idea. This may help. We started fingerspelling (sign language) and it has helped my son a great deal.

Unforunately the schools will not test my son for learning disabilities until after Christmas... and there is a six month waiting list at the local children's hostpital. So I have only my intution about his learning disabilities

Some more dyslexia resources.

Try the book Creative Painting For The Young Artist and the video Being In Control:Natural Solutions For ADHd Dyslexia and Test Anxiety

[QUOTE=Euphoria]pardon me for being a dumbass, but whats dyslexia?[/QUOTE]

Dyslexia is (at least as it is diagnosed in the US) a specific learning disability where not understanding writing makes reading difficult.  No one really knows what causes it, and there is no treatment other than reinforcing literacy skills.

It is theorized there are at least two causes of dyslexia.  A lack of development in the appropriate part of the brain leaves a deficit in the way the dyslexic processes information either visually or auditorially.  If it is visual, the dyslexic will do things like invert the way they read letters, so that a 'b' might be read as a 'd' or a 'p' as a 'q'.  If auditory, then the dyslexic has problems learning combination vowel sounds.  They find it difficult to relate words to sound and, as a result, they never learn to properly relate written words and the objects they represent.  If you can't relate a sound to its symbol, words are impossible to spell correctly or read.  Often these people spell phoenetically, and struggle to differentiate homonyms.

Dyslexia is often comorbid with AD/HD.

[QUOTE=oldtimer]There is visual and auditory both. Daniel has capd which is auditory dyslexia. He didn't qualify for dyslexia label either. They have to have enough visual problems to qualify for dyslexia. His dyslexia results are pretty poor though. He had been tested 3 times  for this label. We were told he will just be a slow reader.Reading and spelling are below grade level for him. [/QUOTE]

have you thought about retaining him this next school year?  That would defiantly give him the extra time to catch up.  That's some thing MOST of my friends have done w/ their children and I am doing that for my ds this next school year.  It's some thing you really should conceder.  Just a thought.  Better to catch up young than have him flunk in high school.  (high school is where the colleges look for the good gpa and him catching up early is really important.) 

The fight as to whether dyslexia has a visual component has gone on for a hundred years.  As it stands right now, dyslexia is defined by a phonological weakness that is auditory in nature, not by a visual weakness.  In the International Dyslexia Association's definition of dyslexia, visual weaknesses are not mentioned:

What is dyslexia?

• Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and / or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction. Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.
  
  Adopted by the IDA Board of Directors, Nov. 12, 2002. This Definition is also used by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD).
  
• Studies show that individuals with dyslexia process information in a different area of the brain than do non-dyslexics.
  
• Many people who are dyslexic are of average to above average intelligence.

This definition is the most widely accepted definition, by both dyslexia researchers and schools.  When a child is tested for dyslexia by an expert in the field or by a school, it is the child's phonological skills that are assessed, not the child's visual, even though many dyslexic children will show visual weaknesses, as well.  The idea is that some dyslexic children show weaknesses within the visual sphere, while ALL of them show weaknesses in the phonological sphere.  It is the weakness in the phonological sphere that makes dyslexia dyslexia.  Any researchers who propose that dyslexia can be ONLY visual, not phonological, believe contrary to the vast majority of scientists researching this disorder. 

Oldtimer,

The Texas Education Agency uses IDA's definition for dyslexia.  The visual component has nothing to do with labeling a child dyslexic in the state of Texas.  Go to TEA's website and download The Dyslexia Handbook.  The basic qualifications a child needs to qualify according to state law are stated, but schools can put actual numbers on the qualifications.  For example, my son met every qualification of the state's, but because he reads on level, he did not meet his district's qualification of reading two grade levels below level before being labeled with the Specific Learning Disability of Dyslexia.  Again, though, the visual sphere has nothing to do with the state's qualifications. 

I will not hold back this late in life. He has  capd and severe language issues. Holding back would not make that difference with him. He only reads at a second grade level at age 10. I believe the spd is more a issue than his attention the school/eye DR. Claim.  He started off as a young k as is. He also had The visual issue as well. All of this not in his favor. He can do work just not the curriculum his school used. In his new class he will get things designed what work best for him. I also think a wrong dx isn't helping him either.

His school used the scottish rite criteria. He scored poorly. This only tested his nonverbal skills. School he cares less about at all. If it's made easy he does it with no help.

His mom is takeing him to a Np on the 18 of july. Attention drug helped very little.

Oldtimer,

I am confused why your son scored poorly on the tests for dyslexia and reads four grade levels below level but was not given the Specific Learning Disability of Dyslexia.  Is the school saying that his dyslexia is a manifestation of the CAPD, that the primary disability is CAPD?  Was his IQ outside the average or above average range, which is part of the state's diagnostic criteria?  What was their reasoning behind not giving him the SLD of Dyslexia?

Also, you do know that SPD is part of CAPD?  It's going to be interesting to see what the neuropsychologist says about Daniel.  Please keep us posted and let us know!

Again, in the state of Texas, visual has nothing to do with it.  I wish it did because my son has ALL the visual, along with the phonological!!!  Your son is ten and should be able to do letter/sound recognition.  Can he do the following:

Write both the uppercase and lowercase alphabet by memory, in both cursive and print?

Can he spell sounds when given the sounds orally--such as writing the "ble" sound in table?

Can he sound out nonsense words?  If you give him a word like "unexquestion," would he know how to say it?

When he reads, does he often substitute words on the page or leave out words on the page?

Is his oral reading comprehension much higher than his silent reading comprehension?  This may not be true with him because of CAPD, though.

Does he read slowly and laboriously or quickly and inaccurately?

Does he often see words he cannot pronounce and stops to laboriously sound them out?

Oldtimer,

Check this out:

http://www.dys-add.com/symptoms.html

[QUOTE=oldtimer]Daniel cound careless if he passes or fails!He hates school and already said can I just quit! This is why he is moveing with a teacher who's degree is reading. We hope this will help a lot more than the past school. This school has more to help all around. [/QUOTE]

Well, what you need to insist on is direct reading instruction for Daniel, regardless of whether or not the school wants to call his dyslexia dyslexia.  They can still provide direct instruction. 

All I read sounds like Mom/Daniel both could have this even though they claim not. Dallas has a center. His new teacher fills in educational gaps. We see this as a STARTING OVER THING.

DANIEL'S MOM AND HER OUR MEETING BEFORE FIRST 6 WEEKS IS OVER. THIS WILL GIVE US SOMEONE ELSES TAKEN ON THINGS.

[QUOTE=oldtimer]Daniel is a poor reader. He wrote before he could read.

Cool.  Is he artistic?  Often artistic kids will do this.

His sounding out ability stinks.

This is a lack of decoding ability, which is the hallmark of dyslexia.

He spells how he hears it.

Right.  This is tricky with dyslexics.  Before intervention for dyslexia, my son wrote words leaving out vowels.  For example, "started" would be written "strtd."  After a year of intervention, he now spells phonetically, but his spelling is still incorrect.  For example, he will spell "leaving" as "leving." 

He was taken to Lindamood bell who found his reading problem is both visual/auditory linked.

Did they actually call it dyslexia?  I don't know if they do there.

They suggest their Visual/Verbalizing curriculum for him 5 days a week.

That's a lot!  But they did think they could help him?

School claims he has good comprehension. We disagree.

Yep.  Been there, done that.

There is several stuff on his 3 yrs. testing we disagree with. His tracking is 100% now.

That's excellent!  So many dyslexic children struggle with tracking.

He looses his place alot though.

Right.  He's spending so much time trying to sound out words and figure out words, that he becomes disoriented. 

Vt is still need though to help him. Dr. agreees.

What kind of doctor?  Be careful spending too much money on VT.  Now that Daniel is able to track, spend your money on Orton-Gillingham tutoring or spend it at Lindamood Bell. 

 His reading fluency is poor also.

Very few dyslexics become truly fluent readers, even after years of intervention. 

He does put words that are not there also. He doesn't even try to sound them out.   

Yep.  My son does this.  It's fascinating, really. 

[/QUOTE]

WE WERE TOLD HE DOESN'T HAVE DYSLEXIA BY 3 PEOPLE WHO HAVE TESTED HIM. i AM LEARNING HOMESCHOOL WOULD OF BEEN BETTER SINCE ALL THEY REALLY HAVE HELPED WITH IS OT AND ST. YES THEY PAID THE PSYCHLOGISTAND NOW THE NP. SO WHAT!

SEEMS WE ARE DOING MORE HELP THAN THEM. WOULD YOU CONTINUE WITH SCHOOL IN OUR CASE OR NOT LILLIAN!

OldTimer,

I understand your frustration.  I have had to pull my son out of public school and home school him, pay for sending him to a private school for two years, pay for OG tutoring for a year, pay for general math tutoring, pay for general reading tutoring, pay for an advocate, pay for an attorney, and spend months fighting for an IEP.  Unfortunately, this is the same story told by many parents of LD children across the nation.  Getting help for our kids is expensive and exhausting. 

Who are the three people who tested Daniel for dyslexia and said he didn't have it?  Has Daniel been officially dxed with CAPD by an audiologist?  I am very impressed that the school is paying for a neuropsychologist.  Wow!  Good work, Oldtimer! 

As far as home schooling Daniel, because both of you have your own issues with literacy, which you two readily admit, I would not suggest home schooling Daniel.  I think this new teacher sound likes a winner, and I hope she is.  I would try calling her and talking to her about OG tutoring, asking what she knows about it.  With a degree in reading, she should be familiar with it.  My son's teacher this year was studying for her Master's in reading, and she was the best teacher my son has ever had.  I hope this new teacher of Daniel's proves to be the same.