dyspraxia assessment for 13 year old - what happens?

Indie_Kid

I didn't pay for my dyslexia or Irlens assessments - college (FE) paid for both of them.

I wonder if there are funds within the council or school to pay for this type of thing, that you can apply for?

pigpen

Mine was reassessed at 12/13ish.. he had to do a sample of writing.. chop up some playdoh like food so they could see how he used cutery/pens etc. They asked about other stuff like tying shoe laces (no chance!!) .. nothing too difficult and nothing he couldn't handle. They checked his gross motor stuff.. kicking and catching a ball (he is useless at both) he cannot swim or ride a bike.

Mine actually has severe dyslexia and this dyspraxia which is actually another issue which displays exactly he same as dysraxia but is more deeply rooted .. it also means he is not responsive to the usual teaching methods used by children with dyslexia or dyspraxia..

He was encouraged to use spongy things on his pens/cutlery to make using them easier.. just a length of foam stuff like used to lag pipes.. but narrower. They 'proper' cutlery costs a ridiculous amount of money. He has velcro shoes etc.. it is all managable.. his writin is appaling, but not only does he have dyslexia and dyspraxia he is also left handed which comes with it's own problems!

Mine has had an alphasmart since year 5 and we are looking at a lappy for him now.

Indie_Kid

pigpen wrote: »

his writin is appaling, but not only does he have dyslexia and dyspraxia he is also left handed which comes with it's own problems!

During exams, he should be able to use a laptop. And extra time if needed - he will need to be assessed to see if he needs the extra time.

pigpen

He can.. but he also has other problems which means he struggles to sit still in exams etc for more than about 20 minutes.. he has a biology exam coming up in june so we will see how he gets on.

[Deleted User]

csh wrote: »

My DD's school is already talking about dropping the little help she does get in the new term.
I know it sounds horrible, but I actually think by getting her labelled, she will do much better in a college environment.

The school she's at is a total shambles but I can't take the risk of moving her to one 15 miles away from her not to settle there and be even more unhappy.

I had problems with my sons school chopping and changing what they felt my son required. Several times I almost gave up and starting looking for a new school, any school that would be better and found absolutely none were (most wouldn't even talk to me even when I got other people involved). Try finding the Special Educational Needs chief in your local civic centre .., they should have one. Once I got him involved, that is when the school stopped messing around and started listening to me.

You will get a lot of no's in your search for better education for your daughter.., but u only need one person to say yes and start listening to you. I just kept searching til I found what worked.

I am very sorry but u just can't be passive., very few schools will voluntarily spend money on your child off their own bat, its just human nature because the pot is not bottomless. Trust your instincts as to what she needs and keep on until she gets it whether it be assessments or one to one assistance (altho assessments will always be a part of this process of course).

Savvy_Sue

IPSEA and Parent Partnership - google that plus your local area - if you don't think the school is taking matters seriously or the LEA won't play ball.

jellyhead

hi, thanks for replies

notakid yes we are in the west midlands, and I do get the impression that special needs help has got worse, not better (I'm currently volunteering in year 2 where at least 2 of the children would have been statemented back then, 7 years ago when my son was in year 2!). He was statemented for mainstream nursery and primary, but I was encouraged to remove the statement when he was in year 3, and to be fair he didn't need it academically, but I was assured that he would get special handwriting classes, but those only lasted a term. I was also assured that help would be available during art lessons, but that 'help' was only a share of the special scissors, not actual help from a TA.

I could see that he didn't need the statement then (year 3), but if I'd known that keeping it would have meant we could have got him a place at the same high school as his friends then I'd have kept it!! He was relying on help, looking for it all the time instead of trying to be independent, and that's the reason I agreed to remove the statement. Looking back I should have said I wanted to keep it, and to get him some help with handwriting, and possibly social skills.

I had no idea how much of a shock high school would be. They are just bricks in the wall, faceless in a sea of more than a thousand students. His tutor is great, but everything is so fragmented, she doesn't get to hear about all of the detentions for work not finished, homework not handed in etc. unless she actually goes and asks his teachers. I assumed high school would be as ordered as primary, that kids would not be allowed to talk through lessons, chuck his pencil case around the room, nudge him or bash his chair during lessons. He doesn't cope well with noise or chaos.

The handwriting is such a problem - I feel that when the statement was removed, at least some of the staff MUST have realised that his grades would slip right down because nobody can read his writing. I feel a bit fobbed off really I was told that at a later date if the handwriting was causing problems that he would be allowed to use an alphasmart, but it hasn't happened. His latest report, for spring term of year 9, gives him a 4a for english, but he got a 5 in primary SATS 3 years ago! There doesn't seem to be a system that picks up such problems, just parents if they are willing to fight.

DLA is a separate thing, but what I really want most is extra time in exams, and an alphasmart so people can read what he writes about in class. He says academia isn't important and it's okay to get a mc-job, but I don't think someone so clumsy, forgetful, disorganised and with such poor social skills, who hates speaking and finds communication difficult, is going to thrive in the mc-job sort of environment really.

phew, what a rant, I may have PMS!

jellyhead

csh wrote: »

Just want her to feel better about herself x

The SENCO told me in year 7, when I asked if I should push for a diagnosis, that it depends on how the child feels about themselves.

I had always been told that labelling is a bad thing, it holds children back, but the SENCO said if the child feels that there is something different about them and it's affecting their self esteem, then it may be worth getting the label so they feel that there's a reason for the problems rather than them being 'rubbish'.

I've been realising this about my son more and more, especially as he's turned 13. His self esteem and confidence has plummeted. He seems to be comparing himself to my husband, which is upsetting because if there was an opposite of dyspraxia my husband would be it. He's ambidextrous and has amazing spatial awareness, excellent memory, planning skills etc. and those have been passed on to the youngest son. Eldest is more like me, but he wants to be like dad

hope she feels better about herself in the long run xx

Indie_Kid

jellyhead wrote: »

what I really want most is extra time in exams, and an alphasmart so people can read what he writes about in class. He says academia isn't important and it's okay to get a mc-job, but I don't think someone so clumsy, forgetful, disorganised and with such poor social skills, who hates speaking and finds communication difficult, is going to thrive in the mc-job sort of environment really.

phew, what a rant, I may have PMS!

I think your son needs to be statemented for this. I wasn't statemented for the extra time though - I just needed a letter confirming that I do need extra time due to my reading ability.

notakid

Keep pushing Jellyhead.

The thing about a label is that it is a protection for you. You will no longer be the over anxious parent they can fob off, you will have rights!

It will make it more straightforward for his entry to college as well.

You are obviously so not a pushy parent, no pp in their right minds would allow a statement to lapse, :pI would stress this to the school.

Remember to contact SEN Parent Partnership as well, they could be helpful, they can come to meetings with you. Inform you of your rights.

Most Teachers have no special needs training, Keep this in mind, they are not experts, they are overwelmed by the targets set them and have to deal with bad behaviour on a daily basis. There will ALWAYS be a child worse off, maybe with bad parents, or extreme learning problems, however this does not mean that your son should be overlooked. Half the problem is, your child is well behaved and has supportive parents, this means he is lower down on the list for help.

As he had a statement before, should go in your favour; find out exactly who is coming to the school and for how long. A 10 min "assessment" is not enough, that is a fob off, make sure that the school are taking it seriously.