Developmental screenings can help your child succeed in school
Date :
Thursday, September 17 2009
Source:
Autourina Mains
Every year the public schools around Wyoming conduct general screenings of the students. Kindergartens usually have developmental screenings as well hearing and vision. However, sometime, a disability may go undetected. I had a little guy in preschool who was very sharp. He was very kind and loving and he was always the first to answer questions. When he started school, he began to struggle with school work. He had difficulty reading and was held back a year. His mother was very concerned about him.
She came by my preschool one day to visit with me about him. I was very surprised to hear that they wanted to retain the little guy one more year in kindergarten. As I visited with her, she told me what his teacher had complained about; he is not paying attention, he is not able to read, he is not able to focus, it seems like he is daydreaming, and is off in his own little world. I recognized all those symptoms as vision problems. I told his mom to take him to a local optometrist who practices vision therapy. A week later the mother came by and told me that the optometrist had diagnosed the little guy with dyslexia and was starting vision therapy sessions with him.
This little guy was not able to read because the sentences on the page broke in two as he concentrated to read. He needed glasses as well as therapy. He began his therapies and soon after he began improving in school. He was not retained another year. His optometrist helped write his IEP and his mother taught his teachers about his disability. I am very happy to say the little guy, now in high school, is on the honor roll. His mother was very supportive of him and she became a great advocate for her son. Though the schools had done their annual vision screenings, they had not caught his condition which needed more extensive evaluations by professionals. Every year his mother had to teach his new teachers about his condition. Though our teachers do a fantastic job of preparing our children for the future, they are not experts on all disabilities, so it is imperative for the parents to advocate for their own children and do all they can to educate their child's school.
One year I had a little one with juvenile diabetes. I had general information about it, but the child's mom is the one who educated me on how to administer the insulin, what signs to look for when the child's sugar was up or down and what to do for each case. I learned a great deal from that child and the family as a whole. It certainly was a great struggle for the little one but she did great. She was a blessing to me and taught me a great deal.
Parents, be advocates for your children and don't assume the teachers know as much as you do about your child. You are the expert when it comes to your child. When you have a child with a disability, you have an opportunity to help others learn as much as possible about your child and his/her uniqueness. When attending Individual Education Plan (IEP), don't take the back seat, rather, speak up and let the professionals in the field know what works for you, your child and your family. If you are unsure of your parental right, ask the Disability Coordinator to supply a copy to you. They are mandated by law to share that information with you. Your child has the right to be present at an IEP and be an active member of the IEP team.
Around the State of Wyoming, we have parent advocates to help parents of children with disabilities, and you may reach them through the Parent Information Centers, PIC, (Main office located in Buffalo, WY.). PIC has great resources available on disabilities as well as a video library, and literature.
If your child is struggling in school, take time to look deeper and try to find the cause of it. Be very careful about labeling your child, ADD, ADHD, Oppositional Defiant, etc,. Only a licensed professional is able to make such diagnosis. Sometimes therapy can help the child and other times medication is necessary, but it has to be individualized to the child.
Our public schools have disability coordinators, speech/language pathologist and school nurses who can administer some of the screenings, however if you are not sure about what your child is struggling with, don't hesitate to search some of the disabilities and get the appropriate help for your child. Early intervention is the key to a life time of success. There are lots of resources within the State; you just need to research them.