Realizing when a learning disability fully develops in your child is never predictable. But since my daughter was diagnosed in High School due to unfortunate circumstances, I was not sure about when my son's would blossom. You see I was told what his disability was but until he turned 13 years old it fully emerged. My son's IQ is very high and he always did well in school but in 7th grade when the teachers really try to have the children become independent in their work and stop prompting, did his true disability come out. My son does not go to a traditional LD school, but he is at a private school with less children in the classroom and the teachers are aware of learning disabilities and have some training, more than the conventional public school system. Children with these disabilities cannot function in high populated schools, This is very frustrating to them and the teachers have anywhere from 20-26 students per class so the individual attention that they require is nonexistent. In my son's school they are aware of his disability but he needed more guidance. Because my daughter had a disability, I hired her psychologist to put a program together for him and present to his school so they could learn how to teach him. I will tell you this is all new to me, so this is a pilot project. The psychologist is presenting to the Director of the school this summer so they can implement in his 8th grade year, I know these little things will help him learn better and really help lessen the anxiety that these children encounter in classrooms. Having a learning disabled child and trying to help them is a huge trial and error process. I find that I can teach him and study with him at night, but the socialization of the school environment and learning in this environment is the challenge. I needed more for him. Unfortunately this comes at a high financial price and believe me, my husband and I are sending my daughter to a College that helps LD children, very expensive so money is tight. We wonder where are all the scholarships for these children? Our kids take more to teach, hence more money in their schools.
I guess, having learning disabled children are really part of my life. I am always looking for the key to unlock the mystery of their disabilities. There is a key, the finding is difficult but they are my future, the world's future so many more of us need to explore. At this time my daughter wants to go into social work and help kids like herself. I hope this is true, one that has the disability can definitely help more than someone trying to understand the disability.
And so my mystery seeking continues,
