Questions About Learning Disabilities

Does the testing have to be done by the school or can it be done privately. I don't have much faith in the in school testing especially where attenti You can have testing done privately, but depending on who does the assessment may have an impact on whether the school will accept it or not. Some districts will require they do the testing no matter what. Having the school do it can take up to 4 months. By law if you request testing, they have 60 school days to comply with the request. Having the testing done independently at least lets you know what is going on and you can make decisions before more time lapses. Please understand, there are changes in the law as of July 1st, 2010. Even if your child tests with a disability, the school does not have to grant an IEP. The school is obligated to try 3 different methods and measure whether improvements are being achieved before they create an IEP. If your child is in the elementary grades, this has proven to work. If your child is in middle or high school it is a different scenario. This is a very brief overview of this, so please feel free to contact me if you have additional questions. Iam considering to homeschool my child because she is having a hard time in school learning and the school is giving up on her. What should I do? Home schooling can be a good option. The key to success is whether you can work well together or will you find it to be a struggle. It also depends on what her struggles are. I need more information to guide you properly. How is what you do different from tutoring? We do provide limited tutoring services, but the difference simply is tutoring is subject based where the bulk of our services focuses on brain training. Learning disabilities are neurologically based and tutoring will not make any difference in how the brain processes information. Brain training focuses on the way information is processed and helps to create neuro pathways that will enhance how the brain then processes information. My child is very active. Does that mean he has ADHD? Absolutely not! Children can appear to be very active for a number of reasons. Sometimes really smart kids are bored in a traditional class setting and will act out for that reason. Some children have Sensory Integration Dysfunction and find the physical act of sitting a difficult task. They will wiggle and squirm in their seats just to try and get comfortable. In younger children it can be symptomatic of a Central Auditory Processing Disorder. What is important is to try and understand the reason for the activity. Getting input from multiple sources can be very helpful. If you have a teacher that is pushing you to put your child on medication, it is in your best interest to seek other opinions. Ask to come visit the class and observe what is going on and definitely seek out the advice of outside sources. Even if ADHD is the correct diagnosis, there are alternatives to medication that can be done, but exploring all possibilities is the best option. Is a 504 Plan better than an IEP? First we need to look at what is a 504. A 504 is a civil rights law that was designed to protect students with disabilities against being denied an education because of their disabilities. The problem is, a 504 does not guarantee your child will have an educational program designed to address your child’s specific educational needs. It provides limited protections for parents such as notification of changes or modifications of the 504. The school can update and change without a parents knowledge. An IEP is designed to address the specific educational needs of the student and spells out what is going to be done to achieve those educational needs. You have more rights as a parent that have to be met including notification of meetings and changes desired in the IEP. You as the parent have the right to request meetings to make modifications as changes arise as well. All the considerations under a 504 are covered in an IEP. In short, you have to look at the individual needs of your child. In some instances a 504 is all that is needed, but if educational needs are important, the IEP is probably the better document. Why don’t the schools provide this service? The schools and the teachers working with learning disabled students do a fantastic job with what they have. The problem is each student with a learning disability is unique, and the schools just don’t have the manpower or resources to provide individualized approaches that some students may need. We like to think we can partner with the schools and supplement needed assistance to help students be successful. How long does it take to do your programs? Every disability we encounter is individual and unique, as such, we cannot predict how long it will take to complete the program(s). Be assured, every program is designed for the individual's specific needs, and we do whatever is possible to ensure efficient success. On average, our programs range from 4 months up to 1 year depending on the scope and complexity. In severe cases, it could be longer. What is brain training? Since learning disabilities are neurologically based, it is necessary to use programs that “train” the brain to process information differently. Think of a learning disability as a road block on a neurological path. Training the brain creates detours allowing the brain to then process information resulting in learning taking place. Do I have any options if my child's school refuses to test her? First of all, your school can not refuse to test your child. What you have to do is put your request in writing specifying that you want them to do testing including IQ and academic assessments. By law they have to grant your request. IDEA specifies 60 days, but states have the ability to modify as they deem fit. In Florida where we are located, they specify 60 school days to comply with the request. It is important to keep track of the time and follow up with them as the "due" date approaches.
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