Has anyone found treatment for their LD?

I am an adult with an LD in the written expression area. At this point, I’m not looking for “treatment” as I have enough coping skills.

My son also has a very pronounced LD in the written expression area. He has made great progress under a Sonday tutor. Sonday is an Orton-Gillingham type program and I assume most of the multi-sensory programs like that would have worked. Nothing like going with a proven method.

Although he doesn’t have a formal non-verbal learning disability dx, his test scores and symtopms are consistant with NLD. He has made limited progress with one on one tutoring in social skills, primarily using the Grey Social stories.

I don’t really think of these as “treatment” but I guess it count. LD isn’t “treated” really….maybe I’m misunderstanding your question?

Barb

BGB,

I am refering to modalities that would treat LD patients. I am in terms of medications, EEG feedback therapy, training in adaptive skills, counseling and cognitve rehabilitation.

Does the fact that nobody has responded to this post to report any treatment options really say that there are no treatments being offered LD patients?

Are there any therapies being offerd for LD?

People often don’t respond because they are afraid of getting into a swamp. Even me sometimes.
Treatments are a big question. Two huge issues:
(1) There is no “cure”, only improvements. So people looking for the magic bullet are always disappointed. And they sometimes take their anger out on the people who are trying to help.
(2) You have suggested some medical options on another thread. This can get dangerous both for the LD person and for the helper — medications and other medical treatments can have all sorts of side effects, some of them dangerous and even deadly; and helpers cannot practice medicine without a license and risk pretty nasty lawsuits, especially teachers and other people in positions of responsibility. (You should think twice before advising these things as well.) And to make it worse there is a lot of snake oil out there; it is very hard to separate out the worthwhile treatments from the useless and even harmful. Claims of miracles are always very questionable, and ten times as questionable on the internet.

[quote:97cd2b8ef4=”victoria”]People often don’t respond because they are afraid of getting into a swamp. Even me sometimes.
Treatments are a big question. Two huge issues:
(1) There is no “cure”, only improvements. So people looking for the magic bullet are always disappointed. And they sometimes take their anger out on the people who are trying to help.
(2) You have suggested some medical options on another thread. This can get dangerous both for the LD person and for the helper — medications and other medical treatments can have all sorts of side effects, some of them dangerous and even deadly; and helpers cannot practice medicine without a license and risk pretty nasty lawsuits, especially teachers and other people in positions of responsibility. (You should think twice before advising these things as well.) And to make it worse there is a lot of snake oil out there; it is very hard to separate out the worthwhile treatments from the useless and even harmful. Claims of miracles are always very questionable, and ten times as questionable on the internet.[/quote]

I’m surprised that someone with your insight would post something like this. My God! It is not like I am suggesting they take LSD! If someone has a cold is it a big thing to say, “Try Nyquil or Sudafed” 2 safe and legal OTC drugs that even a child can buy in most states??! Geez! If I give somebody an asprin for a headache an suddenly practicing medicine without a licence?

I think it is a bit reckless to say there is not a cure. Just because a cure has not been found does not mean there is no cure. I am not suggestin a magic bullet but patients that have symptoms like Tranwwreck’s often respond to motion sickness meds and antihistamines. Being that Benydryl is cheap as are the motionsickness meds this treatment is overlooked.

Trainwreck is no dummy. He/She would know enough to do it right. Trainwreck could ask the pharmacist for FREE if it is OK to take Benedryl and Drammaine together in the dosage I suggest. I already know that it is safe.

Victoria, with all do respect, I know the side effects and no lawyer would sue me unless he was interested in singing soprano the rest of his life.

Who is suggestin a mircale cure. I would strongly suggest that Trainwreck try this combination of OTC drugs that are safe when used together. I would suggest that Trainwreck brush his teeth. Is that practising dentistry woth out a licence. I would sugest thathe rinse his hair with cold water. Is that practising cosmotology without a licence?

I am suggesting a safe course of drug treatment that could possibly change his life.

[size=18]There is a cure for LD[/size] If may have even been discovered but it does seem that there is no definition for this “disorder”.

At this point the LDers that I know would take any snake oil they could get their hands on. God knows there are enough snakes in the LD business.

Trainwreck, try what I have suggested for a month and let us know how you make out. Some people notice major improvement in a day or so. Maybe for you this will be a miracle cure.

TammyCat, if you were working in a school and you gave a student one single aspirin, yes you WOULD be taken to court and you WOULD lose your job.
Aspirin is safe for a lot of people. For certain people, including myself, with digestive diseases and chemical sensitivity, it is literally deadly. In fact it was on the news today that aspirin is linked to a lot of emergency room admissions and deaths from internal bleeding. Aspirin has also been linked to deaths of otherwise healthy children and teens — one newsworthy case was a healthy eighteen-year-old — from something called Reyes’ Syndrome, and it is now very strongly advised not to give it to anyone under twenty. Believe me, a school employee who handed out aspirin would be in big trouble. Besides which, nowadays in schools, kids cannot take *anything*, not even their own prescription medication, without a signed parental permission slip. I know, I had to sign several of those for my daughter to take antibiotics for her tonsillitis and Tylenol for the fever.

Benadryl and Sudafed are safe for a lot of people. For some people, including myself, with thyroid damage and chemical sensitivities, they can literally be deadly. I had a couple of blackouts while taking Sudafed. Luckily none of them happened while I was driving a car, but I now know not to go near the stuff.
As above, if a school employee gave these to a student without specific dated written permission from the parent, they would be in deep trouble, fired and taken to court, no kidding.

Nowadays kids get expelled from school for giveing one Tylenol pill to a friend, again no kidding.

These rules may seem silly to you. Well, maybe you have LD, but you’re one of the lucky ones who is not dealing daily with life-threatening health conditions. Count your blessings.

Years ago, a lot of kids died of unknown causes, and a lot of kids with chronic illnesses didn’t get any schooling. Now the death rate is down and the school attendance rate is way up including all sorts of handicaps. In order to deal with both those isues, people have to be a lot more careful than they used to be.

[quote:9ed8cd1035=”victoria”]TammyCat, if you were working in a school and you gave a student one single aspirin, yes you WOULD be taken to court and you WOULD lose your job.
Aspirin is safe for a lot of people. For certain people, including myself, with digestive diseases and chemical sensitivity, it is literally deadly. In fact it was on the news today that aspirin is linked to a lot of emergency room admissions and deaths from internal bleeding. Aspirin has also been linked to deaths of otherwise healthy children and teens — one newsworthy case was a healthy eighteen-year-old — from something called Reyes’ Syndrome, and it is now very strongly advised not to give it to anyone under twenty. Believe me, a school employee who handed out aspirin would be in big trouble. Besides which, nowadays in schools, kids cannot take *anything*, not even their own prescription medication, without a signed parental permission slip. I know, I had to sign several of those for my daughter to take antibiotics for her tonsillitis and Tylenol for the fever.

Benadryl and Sudafed are safe for a lot of people. For some people, including myself, with thyroid damage and chemical sensitivities, they can literally be deadly. I had a couple of blackouts while taking Sudafed. Luckily none of them happened while I was driving a car, but I now know not to go near the stuff.
As above, if a school employee gave these to a student without specific dated written permission from the parent, they would be in deep trouble, fired and taken to court, no kidding.

Nowadays kids get expelled from school for giveing one Tylenol pill to a friend, again no kidding.

These rules may seem silly to you. Well, maybe you have LD, but you’re one of the lucky ones who is not dealing daily with life-threatening health conditions. Count your blessings.

Years ago, a lot of kids died of unknown causes, and a lot of kids with chronic illnesses didn’t get any schooling. Now the death rate is down and the school attendance rate is way up including all sorts of handicaps. In order to deal with both those isues, people have to be a lot more careful than they used to be.[/quote]

Victoria, I think you may be overstating the case a bit. While it is true that the school nurse cannot dipense anything other than the Ritalin and other garbage that are prescribed to the kids. I doubt if too many parent would sue if another student or a teacher. No court would allow such a frivilous law suit and being that teachers can get away with much more agredious beahvior a little St. Joseph’s asprin is not going to get reasonable people. in a huff.

I have heard about schools expelling kids for having asprin and calling the cops to handcuff unruly 7 year olds but that goes to show you just how screwed up our schools are.

Your point is a bit of a red herring. Trainwreck is an adult and even if he were a 12 yearold he would be safe doing what I suggest. One in a million kids get Reyes syndrome and a connection between the use of asprin on kids with high fevers is suspect. Asprin if used correctly is safer than most of the foods that Americans stuff into their cake holes.

Victoria, life has risks. The risks associated with OTC drugs is known and probably less than being struck by lightning.

All these meds have warning lables. If people are unwilling to read those lables and follow those warnings then they deserve what they get.

It is really funny that people are bashing steroids and asprin while extremely dangerous drugs with a high probability of deadly side effects are given out everyday.

Put it into perspective. Think about the real risks. Suggesting that an adult take 2 very safe legal OTC meds to meidiate the symptoms of his condition is a pretty thoughtful thing to do.

If a couple of relatively harmless pills could make Trainwreck’s life better don’t you think it is worth the tiny risk? Again, putting it into perspective, Trainwreck is probably at greater risk not taking them that he would be taking them. If you remember Trainwreck had mentioned balance and motor skill problems.

Believe me, I’m not overstating the case. One OTC pill is very likely to put me in the hospital.

Trainwreck *might* be safe taking these medications — and might also have a side effect reaction and die in a car crash. And people who already have problems are exactly the ones at highest risk of side effects. You want to take on that responsibility?

[quote:5ffb619e07=”victoria”]Believe me, I’m not overstating the case. One OTC pill is very likely to put me in the hospital.

Trainwreck *might* be safe taking these medications — and might also have a side effect reaction and die in a car crash. And people who already have problems are exactly the ones at highest risk of side effects. You want to take on that responsibility?[/quote]

…And he might get hit by a meteor. Victoria Victoria Victoria, think about it. The neurological symptoms he describes are potentially more life threatening than any of the very safe meds that I suggested he try. I would not want to see Trainwreck working on a scaffold or a ladder but with proper medication that would improve his CV dysfunction he would be better off. His impariments put him at risk at far greater risk than a little drowsiness. If you are drowsy you don’t engage in potentially dangerous activity. Tranwreck is an adult and he can make adult evalutaions.

Victoria, children as young as 2 are being given very dangerous mind altering drugs by doctors who should not even be in business. Victoria, really, what is worse an adult on Benedryl and Dramamine or a child on Dexadrine (trucker’s speed)?

The schools overreact to everything because they suck at what they do so they need to divert attantion from their failures by making kids seem more screwed up than they really are. They give these poor kids every excuse they nee to fail and if it weren;t for people like you who can pick up the pieces we would be in much worse shape than we are know.

Victoria, you are too smart to fall for their BS.

Hmmm, this is fascinating. It’s been a mere week since I first posted here, and already people are arguing me. I never realized that my condition/s would bring about so much debate.
I found it especially amusing that I’m being referred to as “he.” LOL. For future reference, I’m a 24 year old FEMALE. I can understand people assuming I’m male, though, LD is more common than males. I went to a summer camp for children and adolescents with LD/ AD(H)D, and the male/ female ratio was definitely in favor of males.
Anyway, on to the subject of the current debate: Victoria, and Tammycat, you BOTH make good points. LD, and how to go about dealing with it, is an immensely complicated issue, and there’s nothing black and white about it. A couse of “treatment” (I use the term loosely, because LD is not something that can be simply treated, as strep throat can with a course of antibiotics — I plan to come back to the issue of “treatment” later in this post) Anyway, as I was saying, a course of “treatment” that works wonders for one person, may lead to enormous problems for another.
In any case, I’m not rushing into anything at this point, I’m simply exploring my options. I plan on trying other things before I consider the antihistamine option. I know that I am easily tired, and am not about to leap right into “treating” myself with a medication that I know will knock me out. If I do reach a point when I decide to try Tammycat’s suggestions, I will do it at a time when I have a few days at home when there’s nowhere I have to be, and nothing I have to do. I’m a lot of things, but a risktaker, I’m definitely not. If anything, I’m cautious to a fault.
As for the idea of my working on a ladder, ordying in a car crash, once again, I had to laugh. LOL, I’m terrified of ladders and would never, ever climb one — I need the solid ground beneath my feet. working on a ladder does not fulfill that need for me. Dying in a car crash, is also highly unlikely. I don’t drive, as I failed my road test four times, then decided that I couldn’t bear anymore failure in that area and gave up. I take the Subway pretty much everywhere, and take other trains on the rare occasion that I’m travelling alone to a place outside the city I live in. I’m hardly ever in a car, so I really don’t see myself dying in a car crash.
Anyway, as for the issue of “treatment,” I think one problem people are here is a simple issue of semantics.As I stated earlier, LD is not something that can be “treated”as strep throat can with antibiotics, it’s a much more complicated issue. In my humble opinion, a better question to ask would be one regarding the quality of SUPPORT people are receiving for their LDs. Ideally, people living with LD should be receiving support for LD in one way or another throughout their lives, as it will manifest itself in different ways through different stages of life.
In this regard, I was put at something of a disadvantage. For a time, I was going to resourse room for help with schoolwork, had the benefit on untimed standardized tests, and I recieved OT for about a year and a half. However, when I was twelve, my Individualized Education Plan (IEP) was thrown out, and I entered into adolescence, and later, adulthood, with no real support system. The support I received as a child was of little help to me, as I entered other stages of life, and LD manifested itself in new and challenging ways which I had not been prepared for, and could not possibly have foreseen.
I believe that if the question is revised to focus on quality of support, instead of treatment, there will most likely be numerous responses, and hopefully some healthy discussion, as to various ways and means to cope with and compensate for, LD.
If I offended anyone with this post, I apologize. that was not my intention. My interpersonal skills are not my strong point. I respect everyone here, and find it very interesting to read the diverse viewpoints that have been offered — it gives me a great deal to think about.
I wish everyone the best.

[quote:a2836104a3=”Trainwreck24”]Hmmm, this is fascinating. It’s been a mere week since I first posted here, and already people are arguing me. I never realized that my condition/s would bring about so much debate.
I found it especially amusing that I’m being referred to as “he.” LOL. For future reference, I’m a 24 year old FEMALE. I can understand people assuming I’m male, though, LD is more common than males. I went to a summer camp for children and adolescents with LD/ AD(H)D, and the male/ female ratio was definitely in favor of males.
Anyway, on to the subject of the current debate: Victoria, and Tammycat, you BOTH make good points. LD, and how to go about dealing with it, is an immensely complicated issue, and there’s nothing black and white about it. A couse of “treatment” (I use the term loosely, because LD is not something that can be simply treated, as strep throat can with a course of antibiotics — I plan to come back to the issue of “treatment” later in this post) Anyway, as I was saying, a course of “treatment” that works wonders for one person, may lead to enormous problems for another.
In any case, I’m not rushing into anything at this point, I’m simply exploring my options. I plan on trying other things before I consider the antihistamine option. I know that I am easily tired, and am not about to leap right into “treating” myself with a medication that I know will knock me out. If I do reach a point when I decide to try Tammycat’s suggestions, I will do it at a time when I have a few days at home when there’s nowhere I have to be, and nothing I have to do. I’m a lot of things, but a risktaker, I’m definitely not. If anything, I’m cautious to a fault.
As for the idea of my working on a ladder, ordying in a car crash, once again, I had to laugh. LOL, I’m terrified of ladders and would never, ever climb one — I need the solid ground beneath my feet. working on a ladder does not fulfill that need for me. Dying in a car crash, is also highly unlikely. I don’t drive, as I failed my road test four times, then decided that I couldn’t bear anymore failure in that area and gave up. I take the Subway pretty much everywhere, and take other trains on the rare occasion that I’m travelling alone to a place outside the city I live in. I’m hardly ever in a car, so I really don’t see myself dying in a car crash.
Anyway, as for the issue of “treatment,” I think one problem people are here is a simple issue of semantics.As I stated earlier, LD is not something that can be “treated”as strep throat can with antibiotics, it’s a much more complicated issue. In my humble opinion, a better question to ask would be one regarding the quality of SUPPORT people are receiving for their LDs. Ideally, people living with LD should be receiving support for LD in one way or another throughout their lives, as it will manifest itself in different ways through different stages of life.
In this regard, I was put at something of a disadvantage. For a time, I was going to resourse room for help with schoolwork, had the benefit on untimed standardized tests, and I recieved OT for about a year and a half. However, when I was twelve, my Individualized Education Plan (IEP) was thrown out, and I entered into adolescence, and later, adulthood, with no real support system. The support I received as a child was of little help to me, as I entered other stages of life, and LD manifested itself in new and challenging ways which I had not been prepared for, and could not possibly have foreseen.
I believe that if the question is revised to focus on quality of support, instead of treatment, there will most likely be numerous responses, and hopefully some healthy discussion, as to various ways and means to cope with and compensate for, LD.
If I offended anyone with this post, I apologize. that was not my intention. My interpersonal skills are not my strong point. I respect everyone here, and find it very interesting to read the diverse viewpoints that have been offered — it gives me a great deal to think about.
I wish everyone the best.[/quote]

I became very intridued with your posts. When I read them the wheels started turning because you display all the classic symptoms that many dylexics have. I buy Levinson’s proof that C-V dysfuntions is the cause of many cognitive problems like the various LDs and even some psychiatric illnesses like panic anxiety and schizophrenia.

I think you should take time out of your schedule to try this treatment. If you live in the NY area perhaps you could even be seen by Dr Levinson but in the mean time I would like you to try this simple test.

Levinson proved that people with dylexia percieve and process motion differently than non dylexics. Basically objects moving blur suuner for dyslexics. I don’t remember if Levinson explained why this happens but he froved conclusively that it does. In one of his books he showed writing examples of dyslexics before the recieved antihisamine and motion sickness meds and after. The results were quite dramatic.

Here’s what I would like you to do. Sit with a non dyslexic and watch a cieling fan that has variable speeds. Ask the person as the spped increases at what point the fan blades become blurred. Go on the meds for a week and try it again and see if there is a difference. See if your pennmanship improves.

Let us know.

I have not been upset at all by anything you posted. I was happy to read everything you wrote.

Victoria and I are 2 strong minded and spirited people who can see the fprest for the trees so well that we get a bit frustrated when other people don’t. Any exchange between me and Victoria though spirited will always remain respectful. Victoria is a very down to earth person with the ability and the courage to call a spade a spade. We need more people like her.

Sorry for assuming that you were male. The handle Trainwreck sounded male to me.

From what I read your condition severely limits many aspects of your life

[b]Victoria[/b] was referring to the notion of a zero tolerance policy. At some high schools and whatnot, a student is not allowed to bring attention to the fact that they are allowing one of their fellow classmates to borrow an asprin (for example) because their princial might inforce the zero tolerance policy to such a strict extent that the students involved could get in big trouble. There is a modification of that rule which applies to nursing homes as well. And [b]Tammycat[/b], please remember that [b]Victoria[/b] does not live in the US, and her country has different laws and things, eh?

[b]Also, it is really not cool to ever give anyone under the age of 15 or so asprin. There is a disease called Rhye’s (I could be spelling that wrong) Syndrome, that is a very bad disease that no one would want a child to get which results in a child ingesting asprin and not being able to properly metabolise it. [/b]

And furthermore, I think that with regards to all medication; one ought consult their Doctor. In this life, one just never knows, alright? Like if you have low blood pressure and whatnot, Benadryl is bad. If you are on certain prescription meds, overthe counter drugs in general are something you should ask your doctor to take if you need to. And remember, there are portions of Sudafed that can be isolated to make Crystal Meth, so one ought not take that without consulting with a doctor because their body might not take to kindly to it if they have like ADD or something. And then, like so on and so forth.

I am sure that Tammy Cat was not trying to do anyone any harm, but one ought not take any form of medication that is someone on a message board speaks about without consulting thier doctor. Not, the person at the drugstore, but their doctor. And one ought not really buy into their being a cure for any l.d., there are ways to try and learn how to manage l.d. but no cure.

[quote:85253f897e=”merlinjones”][b]Victoria[/b] was referring to the notion of a zero tolerance policy. At some high schools and whatnot, a student is not allowed to bring attention to the fact that they are allowing one of their fellow classmates to borrow an asprin (for example) because their princial might inforce the zero tolerance policy to such a strict extent that the students involved could get in big trouble. There is a modification of that rule which applies to nursing homes as well. And [b]Tammycat[/b], please remember that [b]Victoria[/b] does not live in the US, and her country has different laws and things, eh?

[b]Also, it is really not cool to ever give anyone under the age of 15 or so asprin. There is a disease called Rhye’s (I could be spelling that wrong) Syndrome, that is a very bad disease that no one would want a child to get which results in a child ingesting asprin and not being able to properly metabolise it. [/b]

And furthermore, I think that with regards to all medication; one ought consult their Doctor. In this life, one just never knows, alright? Like if you have low blood pressure and whatnot, Benadryl is bad. If you are on certain prescription meds, overthe counter drugs in general are something you should ask your doctor to take if you need to. And remember, there are portions of Sudafed that can be isolated to make Crystal Meth, so one ought not take that without consulting with a doctor because their body might not take to kindly to it if they have like ADD or something. And then, like so on and so forth.

I am sure that Tammy Cat was not trying to do anyone any harm, but one ought not take any form of medication that is someone on a message board speaks about without consulting thier doctor. Not, the person at the drugstore, but their doctor. And one ought not really buy into their being a cure for any l.d., there are ways to try and learn how to manage l.d. but no cure.[/quote]

Zero tolerance is a joke. It is another example of how screwed up our schools are.

Secondly the meds I mentioned are available without a prescription. Benedryl is very safe as is Drammamine. Doctors are busy enough treating sick people they don’t need to be bothered with silly questions about OTC drugs that are safe. Nothing bad will happen if someone takes drammamine and benedryl. They may get sleepy.

I know what over the counter drugs are and I know that you really need to weigh your postings carefully on this board becuase some of what you say is misinformation.

OTC doesn’t mean “don’t worry,” **especially** if you’re wired differently. Different people have different reactions to things; hey, peanuts are available OTC and yet they can kill some people.

Tammy,
I was interested in reading your insights. Don’t worry about the gender thing. I kind of thought of trainwreck as being genderless. LOL.
Anyway, I was especially interested in what you had to say about how I exhibit symptoms of dyslexia. I used to think that I couldn’t possibly be dyslexic, because I nevre had a problem with reading. then, when I was a junior in college, I was doing my final project for one of my Education classes. We were allowed to choose our topics, and I chose to write a research paper about LDs. I decided that dyslexia would be one of the LDs I’d focus on because it’s a reatively common LD, and one that most people would have heard of. Anyway, in the course of my research on dyslexia, I realized that I exhibit many of the non-reading related symptoms. I also recall reading that dyslexia is no a simple reading disability, that it is far more complex than that. Since then, I’ve wondered if I might be dyslexic. I probably am, especially since I have no sense of direction, and get lost in situations, in which one wouldn’t think it possible to get lost..
About the ceiling fan test, it’s an interesting idea, but I don’t come across many ceiling fans in the couse of my daily life. Honestly, I’m too busy at this point in my life to seek out a ceiling fan, just to sit and stare at it with a non-dylexic. I mean no offense to anyone, I just don’t think that this ceiling fan test is absolutely necessary to comfirm what I already strongly suspect.
I’m not going to go the antihistamine route at this point. Sue, from my experience working with children, I know all too well what you mean about peanuts. However, I’m not worried about life-threatening reactions. I’ve taken Benadryl, Dramamine and Bonine before for other reasons, and the worst they’ve ever done is turn me into a zombie. However, I don’t want to try this course just yet. I tend to be tired all the time as it is, and when working with 3-4 year old children and attending graduate school (classes start tomorrow, so if I go MIA for a while, that’s why) I need to be as wide awake as possible. If I was to go the antihistamines route, I would need to find something else to take with it to counteract the drowsiness. For now, I’m going to look into non-medicinal treatment options. However, I’ve lived with these limitations all my life. At times, it really bothers me that I”m “different,” however, to an extent, I’m used to my challenges and have learned to live with hem. I just need to find better means of compensating in a few areas.
anyway, it’s been really interesting to read everyone’s views. best of luck to all of you.

One of the first things I figured out working in coed schools for people with learning disabilities was that yes, the girls/young ladies often had real language *strengths* that made their learning differences/disabilities look totally different from the guys until you looked under the strengths and saw the other things they struggled with. Sometimes it would be somebody who could only sound out words at a third grade level but had a vocabulary and comprehension - if spoken or read aloud- at the college level. I know this is what some people think of as “classic” dyslexia but a lot of the guys didn’t “comprehend” the verbal subtleties; they comprehended things in a more 3-dimensional way.
And then there were the girls who could read a blue *streak* - but somehow got all the way through that novel and honestly never realized what the mad wife stuck up in the attic had to do with the plot or the characters. They could get the details but not the connections and relationships — fortunately if you showed ‘em how to do it, they could learn :-)
There were lots of inbetweens, too - but mainly it was those verbal strengths and the indications of what the brainwave people have shown to happen - that when girls read, more parts of their brains are activated than when boys do, so it’s a more complex cognitive process.
This has always been something that fascinated me :-)
From your writing, you are not in the “don’t get the comprehension” category either, ‘cause it’s awfully hard to have good output like that without comprehension. So it could mostly be a perception/ vision thing. You might want to — in your spare time of course :-) - check out some of the exercises that I think are online… if I get the chance I”ll try & scare them out of the archives. THey’re things you can do to try to train your eyes to track along the pages better to read more smoothly. One thing that just about all our students did (*all* of ‘em were supposed to, it was a big school thing :-)) was track along under the words with a pencil, and sort of “scoop out” phrases to help with comprehension. I have an article about “phrasing” in the reading comprehension section of my website that describes it at least a little, and the article about the importance of fluency also goes into it. That would be stuff that you could just play with now, with grad school stuff.
Do drop in occasionally and keep us posted - or sign on and vent if things get hairy :-)

Dear Train:

First, watch out for the political battles over words.
There is a small but noisy and occasionally obnoxious group of people who insist that the word “dyslexia” be the only word used, always and everywhere. This causes confusion because the word is used inappropriately; dyslexia is a problem with reading, and other non-reading things are other things; putting everything under the same umbrella just muddles the issue when you are talking about many very different issues. Also, the political and economic pressure causes a reaction on the other side, and the word “dyslexia” is banned by many school systems in response to excessive pressure. All a silly waste of time and a huge waste of resources arguing over words instead of trying to do something to help.

Second, look into something called Non-Verbal Learning Disability, NLD or NVLD. There are a couple of websites; when I looked into them last year I didn’t like them because the tone was very very negative and unhopeful, but others seem to have been finding the websites helpful recently so perhaps they have improved.
I have all the smptoms of NLD myself, except that I’m a successful math major and very upbeat and positive, so I confound the self-stated “experts”. But I have directionality problems, coordination problems, late learning handwriting (and bless Mrs. Ross who taught me correctly), no time sense, a very odd spatial sense, memory issues, serious organizational issues, a tendency to reversals especially with numbers (and yes, successful math major), left-right confusion, shyness, difficulties with “reading” emotions, difficulty being appropriate in social situations, and social difficulties especially in groups. Sound familiar?
It’s called Non-Verbal Learning Disability because the problems are with learning things that are NOT language based; I read just great and know several languages, not a problem, it’s these clocks and schedules and handwriting and filing papers that get to me. This sounds like you to, so look into it, but don;t let the negative people get you down.

[quote:5bafc47388=”victoria”]Dear Train:

First, watch out for the political battles over words.
There is a small but noisy and occasionally obnoxious group of people who insist that the word “dyslexia” be the only word used, always and everywhere. This causes confusion because the word is used inappropriately; dyslexia is a problem with reading, and other non-reading things are other things; putting everything under the same umbrella just muddles the issue when you are talking about many very different issues. Also, the political and economic pressure causes a reaction on the other side, and the word “dyslexia” is banned by many school systems in response to excessive pressure. All a silly waste of time and a huge waste of resources arguing over words instead of trying to do something to help.

Second, look into something called Non-Verbal Learning Disability, NLD or NVLD. There are a couple of websites; when I looked into them last year I didn’t like them because the tone was very very negative and unhopeful, but others seem to have been finding the websites helpful recently so perhaps they have improved.
I have all the smptoms of NLD myself, except that I’m a successful math major and very upbeat and positive, so I confound the self-stated “experts”. But I have directionality problems, coordination problems, late learning handwriting (and bless Mrs. Ross who taught me correctly), no time sense, a very odd spatial sense, memory issues, serious organizational issues, a tendency to reversals especially with numbers (and yes, successful math major), left-right confusion, shyness, difficulties with “reading” emotions, difficulty being appropriate in social situations, and social difficulties especially in groups. Sound familiar?
It’s called Non-Verbal Learning Disability because the problems are with learning things that are NOT language based; I read just great and know several languages, not a problem, it’s these clocks and schedules and handwriting and filing papers that get to me. This sounds like you to, so look into it, but don;t let the negative people get you down.[/quote]

Dyslexia, like Victoria said has become a catch-all lable. More often than not people with dyslexia als suffer from dycalclia and dysgraphia. I think because Victoria is such a real go getter any dyscalia she may have experienced she was able to overcome with sheer determination and hard work. It is said that Albert Einstien suffered from dylexia. I mention this because Artihmetic and Mathematics are 2 very different things.

Of all the LD theories Levinson’s make the most sense to me. Although I believe there are other people who suffer from dyslexia. Levinson has showed a great deal of evidence that in most cases dyslexia is a result of CV dysfunction.

Twreck, if you are not interested in trying the benedryl and the Bonine, something I would strongly reccommend because the drowsiness is temporary you can do some basic vision training.

See if you can find an old record player. I mean an OLD one. Find one that has 16, 33, 45. and 78 rpm. Put a large print book on the turn table and put it on the lowest speed and try to follow it with your eyes and read it.

This will help you with many things like reading and balance. You may also want to experiment with trying some limited vision experiments. If you wear glasses place some black electrical tape on the nose edges on the lenses about 1/8 - 1/4 of the way in. Then try reading.

This will not effect the way you see the printed words but it will block peripheral visual input and as a result your reading may become easier.

Sue, really, you are being a bit of an alarmist about these harmless meds. I understand your concerns because the drug companies have peddled a ton of poison over the years but Benedryl and the OTC motion sickness meds are safe. They have been around for a very long time and they are very safe.

I want to thank everyone for their feedback. I’m sorry it took me so long to respond. Classes started this past week, and I’m already exhausted and overwhelmed with trying to keep up with everything and deal with that on top of my full time job.
Anyway, Victoria, you might be on to something with the Non-verbal Learning Disability. Years ago, when I was in fifth grade, I was given an IQ test. My Verbal IQ was 127. Meanwhile my Performance IQ was 75. I remember my mother telling me that the evaluator said he had never seen such a large disparity between the two scores. When I was tested again the following year as a formality, so they could legitamately throw out my IEP, they said that my IQ scores had gone up, but they didn’t say whether or not the disparity had decreased. I know that’s a symptom of NVLD, and many of the other symptoms you describe apply to me as well. I’ve had a very negative attitude for much of my life, and it’s only in the past few years that I’ve begun learning to be more positive. I actually remember reading about this particular LD online a few years ago, and wondering if I might have it. I didn’t think about it too much, though because the site mentioned that people with this disorder tend to be very literal minded and not “get” jokes. I’m really not particularly literal minded, and I do get jokes. I actually have relatively healthy sense of humor. I guess one doesn’t need to meet all the diagnostic criteria in order to have this particular LD. Victoria, if you’re a math major (I am SEVEREleY mathematically challenged) I guess you’re living proof of this.
The more I think about it, I don’t know how I never diagnosed with it. My evaluators also missed my very obvious sensory integration dysfunction, and invented diagnoses of their own, saying I was “off center” and “posturely insecure.” It honestly makes me wonder about the competency of these “experts.” Apparently, any conclusions they come to need to be taken with more than a few grains of salt.
How many of you have similar experiences, being misdiagnosed, or being extensively tested but never diagnosed with a disorder you are currently almost positive you have? I’m just curious…

My son struggled in school since the 2nd grade. He has been diagnosed with Auditory Processing Disorder. He has had many of the organizational issues and concentration issues you described. We found a combination of therapies to help him. He is 13 now and is doing really well. He has had speech therapy, some emotional therapy to learn to control frustrations. We try to limit empty carbohydrates and keep him well hydrated. Drinking lots of water helps to keep him focused. Believe it or not, XBox360 Rock Band has helped him too. Something about the coordination of the sound/beat, visual beat and hitting the drum at the same time seems to be rewiring his brain or making ear/brain connections. For several years, he had morning flax seed oil in oatmeal or yogurt for Omega 3s. He also takes a supplement, Elevate Brain & Eye Learning Memory Supplement by BioSource Naturals which is on Amazon.com.

http://www.amazon.com/Supplement-Learning-Contains-Vitamins-Guaranteed/dp/B001BGJGQG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=hpc&qid=1227449623&sr=1-1

It contains Amino Acids, Minerals, Vitamins & Herbs for brain and eye support. They are capsules, but they open and are tasteless in yogurt, applesauce and pudding. I am a Doctor of Naturopathy and formulated this product after 6 years of research and trying to help my son. After a month of taking it, I was getting raving emails from his teachers.