Neuropsychology Central

[psych_102]

I have been soul-searching about missed opportunities to provide preventive interventions to mitigate risk of learning disabilities.

One oportunity is providing screening for phonemic awareness and motor deficits for children treated at young ages for speech articulation disorders. Schools typically differentiate -- artificially -- between "speech" and "language." In fact, a subset of children with misarticulation do not have a disorder of the motor program for speech but rather a disorder of receptive processing and consequently the accurate reproduction of speech sounds, which creates a negative feedback loop. These children are poised for re delays, and the literature supports the higher incidence of dyslexia among children who have received speech. The second opportunity is to assess for other comrbid motor delays for those children who do have problems with the motor program for speech. Because of the proximity of Broca's area to the supplementary and premotor areas, children with speech disorders aree more likely to have other motor delays that can affect academics.

Neuropsychologists and school psychologists need to advocate for assessment of motor functioning generally, and phonemic awareness and semantics for children with speech delays.
_________________
Stephen M. Lange, PHD, ABSNP
familypsych@rcn.com

[annette10dance]

Our school does detailed evaluations. They evaluate language both expressive and receptive, fine motor, gross motor, cognitive, learning and IQ testing. The way to determine a learning disability is by IQ. We all have average to high average IQ and a standard amount of output in school is expected. Kids with high average IQ's should not be failing in reading or writing or math. This indicates a learning disability because the child is not producing work up to the level of his IQ.

Our school routinely does the DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills) test to each child to determine any problems with reading or writing. There are 504 plans and in class support as well as special education programs and before school tutoring programs. Kids with articulation errors are give speech only IEP plans in grades k-2.

My son was speech delayed, had sensory intergration dysfunction and motor planning problems. He was in Early Intervention and attended the preschool disabled program. Then, he had Selective Mutism and was not able to speak in school. With therapy and medication, he is talking in school. He will be in special education second grade. He is 6 and 1/2 and not reading yet. We are still waiting for a learning disability to surface. It seems that when 1 issue is resolved, another issue surfaces.

Some good books to read are by Dr. Mel Levine "A mind at a time" and "The myth of laziness". Also the book "The out of sync child" by Carol Kranowitz.

I do think schools, teachers and physicians are aware of various disorders and I know our school has been very helpful with treatment for my son. I hope this information helps.