Any problems learning in school?

Avatar for stephsmom98
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-28-2003
Any problems learning in school?
8
Fri, 03-09-2007 - 5:01pm

As most of you know, my DD Stephanie has Asperger's, epilepsy, ADHD and anxiety issues. She is a smart girl, but I find myself going over and over again things she should have grasped by now. Sometimes she'll get problems right, sometimes not. It is like one day she does good, the other day not. She guesses alot and won't concentrate on a problem to figure out what is going on with it, whether it be math, reading and comprehension, vocabulary words. I don't understand it. All I know is with ADHD and some anxiety, she probably has trouble focusing. It just can get frustrating going over and over things she knows one day and the next day she forgets. She forgets capital letters in the beginning of sentences, uses capital when she shouldn't, can't figure out the correct punctuation at the end of the sentence etc. She can memorize facts, but doesn't know the reasoning of things.

Does anyone else have kids with learning problems like that? She is in third grade.

By the way, her neurologist put her on "Risperdal" to help her with anxiety and concentration. Has anyone heard of the drug? I need to do research on it. Anyway, I am glad the neurologist is following up on her.

Debbie

Debbie, Mom to my "only" Stephanie
iVillage Member
Registered: 06-25-2003
Fri, 03-09-2007 - 6:48pm

Debbie,


My son

-Paula

visit my blog at www.onesickmother.com
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-28-2006
Sat, 03-10-2007 - 3:30am

I have a child that has been dx'd with Dysgraphia (a form of Dyslexia, but with writing instead of reading) Getting his thoughts from his head down to paper. Its very difficult for him.

He has a dx of Written Disorder, Visual Processing, Thought Disorder and Bi-Polar. The Bi-Polar, I am not entirely convinced off..... He also had OCD, and Sensory Issues...

With the Visual Processing Disorder, He can't see the letters to process them, and write them down...

He also has Aspergers Traits, which I am getting a second opinion on for a Dx.

From what I understand.... and anyone please correct me if I am wrong.. there can be a strong link between the two. The link being with Autism and Dysgraphia....or Dyslexia Or heck Tourettes for that matter... Don't they all come from the same part of the brain?

I also remember when my son was in second grade he couldn't read a story and tell it back. He was also amberdextrios (sp?) and couldn't read a real timed clock. He didn't ride a bike until he was nine and had all sorts of small and big motor skill problems.

What you describe below....

one day she does good, the other day not. She guesses alot and won't concentrate on a problem to figure out what is going on with it, whether it be math, reading and comprehension, vocabulary words. I don't understand it. All I know is with ADHD and some anxiety, she probably has trouble focusing. It just can get frustrating going over and over things she knows one day and the next day she forgets. She forgets capital letters in the beginning of sentences, uses capital when she shouldn't, can't figure out the correct punctuation at the end of the sentence etc. She can memorize facts, but doesn't know the reasoning of things.

You might look into the Dysgraphia thing, the symptoms and such. The thing with Dysgraphia, is that it can unfortunantly affect every aspect of her learning, as most grades are based on written work.

That part sucks, as my son is a very auditorial learner, and could probably benefit alot with auditorial testing. But the school says it doesn't have the staff....

You have to find out what her positive and weakness skills are, and fight the the positive stuff IMO.

Good luck :)

Lainie

Avatar for stephsmom98
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-28-2003
Sat, 03-10-2007 - 8:50am

Thanks Paula. I probably need to take more breaks. A snack is a great idea. What kind of snacks do you serve that helps with concentration? It must be part anxiety if not all for her as well. I think she feels she has to be perfect with her work too.

I need to find activities inbetween that help use her muscles. The OT told me that works with concentration. I have to brush her arms and legs with a special brush and use lotion and soothe her her limbs. It doesn't seem to work most of the time, but I keep doing it and work with her muscles. It takes a lot of work and sometimes I skip it. I'll work more on that and with the snack thing and see.

Thanks for the advice.

Debbie

Debbie, Mom to my "only" Stephanie
Avatar for stephsmom98
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-28-2003
Sat, 03-10-2007 - 9:16am

Thank you Laine. That was most interesting. I had no idea about Dysgraphia. I was really starting to worry, wondering if she would get anything. She isn't stupid, but it seems she can forget details and too many details at once overwhelms her. She also has trouble getting thoughts on paper. She will write, but they aren't in complete sentences, with the correct capitalization and sometimes missing punctuation, but I think it will take a lot of work because of trying to do too many things at once, but editing will work for that.

Thanks for your thoughts.

Debbie

Debbie, Mom to my "only" Stephanie
Avatar for maresgood
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Sat, 03-10-2007 - 7:50pm
Hi, OMG I can empathize w/ you! My Aspie dd ( now 14) couldn't write a decent paragraph till gr. 7 or 8. It was so bad, the difficulty expressing thoughts, the lack of caps & punc. as you mentioned. On her writing assessments she always tanked. She had big time fine motor issues & had trouble holding a pencil and her writing was really messy. Her middle school Spec. Ed teacher really helped her along. This was a big part of her IEP. I don't know how old your dd is but mention this to your sp. ed. teachers & have them work w/ her. It takes awhile but she will progress. Take Care~ Mary Ann
Avatar for stephsmom98
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-28-2003
Sat, 03-10-2007 - 11:22pm

Thank you Mary Ann for your input. I'm not alone then. I'm glad to hear she is doing better.

Stephanie is homeschooled and she does have motor skills issues. She was seeing an occupational therapist. We are working on getting extra insurance so she can go back.

Debbie

Debbie, Mom to my "only" Stephanie
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-28-2006
Sun, 03-11-2007 - 1:18am

Debbie are her grades being affected? If so you can ask the school to do an assessment of Written Disorder (basically Dysgraphia, but the school calls it Written Disorder).

Once this thing is caught, she can get many accomadations for her in school. You don't want to wait too long with this, as every year will just get harder for her.

I know, my son has struggled with this since 2nd grade, thats when I saw the signs (5th now) and we just got the Dx this year.

Google Dysgraphia and alot of sites will come up that will give you other signs and see if they match with your dd. My son had quite a few of them.

Good luck :)
Lainie

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-25-2003
Sun, 03-11-2007 - 1:45pm

I don't think it is the kind of snack that's important (although keeping that blood sugar constant does help).


I think the key is taking a

-Paula

visit my blog at www.onesickmother.com