Is it possible for learning disabilities to show up in an older child, say late elementary school, junior high age? Here is my son’s academic history:
My son was nearly 8 weeks premature. Other than being sick continually with colds, ear infections, stomach viruses, etc. as a child, he hit his developmental milestones and did okay in school. The only problem he had was extreme reluctance to do homework or read. Because he did well on tests, his teachers said he didn’t have any learning problems. He scored in the 80th percentile on standardized tests.
In junior high (sixth grade), he started falling behind, with grades in the C, D and F range. Homework became a major battle. Teachers complained about disruptive class clown behavior.
In high school, his behavior improved but grades did not. All of his teachers said he was bright but not motivated. I spoke to school counselors several times about LD/ADD testing. No one would do it, saying he just didn’t want to do the work. He would not cooperate with tutoring. His SAT scores were terrible. He told me he had trouble paying attention to the teachers or sometimes he didn’t understand the lectures. He barely graduated and took a job working in a warehouse.
After half a semester in remedial classes in junior college he dropped out with failing grades, saying he didn’t understand the material. I have tried to get him to ask for testing at the college (they have helped many people with learning problems at this school) but he is too embarrassed to bring it up and won’t let me talk to anyone there.
Intelligence is not the problem. My daughter just graduated from college magna cum laude and my son is definitely the smarter of the two! He knows all kinds of information on a wide variety of subjects. He has many friends and is living on his own in an apartment, so he can manage life’s basics, but I would like to see him succeed in junior college, especially since it is his idea to give it another try. I have spent so much time wondering what the problem(s) could be. Why did he go downhill after elementary school? Could this be related to his prematurity or numerous early childhood illnesses?
Any information on this would be appreciated.
Re: Can LD's or attention problems show up in an older child?
Hi Cosette,
You might also consider NLD- Non Verbal Learning Disorder?
Where typically one is very good at remembering ‘facts’. Verbal information.
Though the Non Verbal problem, refers to a difficulty with comprehension.
Putting all of the facts together, to see what is called ; ‘the big picture’.
You noted that he said that he had difficulties with ‘understanding’. Which is the same thing.
It also often doesn’t become apparent until late Elementary School, as this is when comprehension becomes increasingly more important in learning.
You might like to have a look at this NLD website:
http://www.nldontheweb.org/NLD_forum.htm
Geoff.
Re: Can LD's or attention problems show up in an older child?
My child was diagnosed as LD in 5th grade. His teacher’s son was diagnosed as a high school student. He has a large split between his verbal and performance IQ scores. The problems in school were a reluctance to read and difficulty writing. The official diagnosis is a processing disorder and a LD in written expression.
His reluctance to do homework was evident from 1st grade, but teachers always told us he was just lazy. He’s clearly very smart (verbal IQ is in the gifted range) and his performance IQ is still well above average. Essentially his problem is related to dyslexia and dysgraphia. Problems cropped up in 5th grade, because that’s when the workload increased so much…he just couldn’t keep up.
Your child sounds quite similar. Because he has many friends, I wouldn’t necessarily suspect NLD. There are ususally social implications to that as well. I’m going to guess dylexic, and maybe CAPD. It’s impossible to say whether his prematurity or illnesses played a role. I think in my son’s case it is genetic…I have an uncle and cousins who are dyslexic as well.
However, since your child is grown and appears resistant to testing, I wonder whether it’s worth pushing him. Does he have a job? Is he happy? If he’s bright he may just succeed fine in the working world without a college degree. However, if he really wants to go to junior college, can you convince him to work with a tutor. It may be he needs to figure out the best way to learn…possibly recording classes on tape…copying notes from a classmate, having someone read him the text outloud. If you can get him to agree to testing, that could help him come up with coping mechanisms to best learn in a school situation.
You can’t be the one to talk to the school, he has to do it. Is there a friend you can get to help you convince him that it’s not an embarrassing thing to admit he doesn’t learn like the average student, but that he needs some help to figure out the best way for him to learn.
Good luck,
Kay
Re: Can LD's or attention problems show up in an older child?
Sounds like it could be auditory processing disorder or ADHD. You could try a neurologist who specializes in ADHD first and if that is ruled out, then try an audiologist who tests for APD (www.NCAPD.org, see professional listings). Check out Dr. Mel Levine’s site, too:
http://www.allkindsofminds.org/
Janis
many students go through the ‘sifter’ at primary (elementary) school without having any learning difficulties.. there could be a variety of reasons for this: work to easy, great and engaged teaching and class, classrooms geared to multiple intelligences etc..
but come late primary, early secondary (junior high), learning problems really start to show.. this again may have to do with visual vs auditory learners, hands-on learners etc.. high school really is a ‘chalk and talk’ arena and as a result, many students suffer, especially those with an auditory processing problem..
do a search on capd..
there are many great posts here to read through plus articles on this website.. a google search might come of interest also..