Please help if you can. I am the Mother of a 9 year old son that gets A”s and B’s on his report card, is very visual (to the point that I would say he has a photographic memory), and very likable. My problem is that he is unable to organize his thoughts and get them out of his mouth. He gets frustrated with himself and says “just never mind” a lot! He can read a book, and answer any question that you ask him about it just fine. BUT, it you ask him what the book is about…he is unable to tell you. He just can’t get the thoughts organized. It is very upsetting because I know that he knows what is going on, he just can’t say it. He starts his sentences over and over constantly. He does not stutter, he is just trying to remember what it was he was going to say (I think).The school has not recognized the problem. I have not brought it up for fear that he will be labled.I have taked him to a place in our town called Solutions For Learning. They say they can help him after we get a hearing and a eye exam. I know his eyes are fine and am pretty sure his hearing is also. They say it is a COGNITIVE PROBLEM. Can someone help me understand what is going on with my son and how I can help him? Is Solutions for Learning the answer? Thank you ahead of time for your help. I am desperate. KIM
Re: 9 YR/OLD SON THOUGHT PROCESS DIFFICULTYS
Your son needs an evaluation by a speech/language expert and possibly an evaluation for LD. It is difficult to know what will help until you know the nature of the problem. These kinds of difficulties are indeed cognitive in nature, but that doesn’t mean that your son isn’t smart or able. He may well have an expressive language weakness. He may also have problems with higher order reading comprehension skills such drawing inferences, making predictions, answering “why” or “what does it mean” questions. Some kids have good rote memory skills and are able to hold a lot facts in their heads but have difficulty making sense of those facts. In the earlier grades this tends not to be a problem, but the farther you get in school, the more necessary it is to be able to draw inferences from facts. Some children with nonverbal learning disabilities have the kinds of difficulties your son has, but his strong visual skills would not be a good fit with that diagnosis. How are his spatial abilities? How is his handwriting/drawing? Is he good at sports? The answers to these questions, and other that would be asked during a thorough evaluation by a professional who specializes in diagnosing learning disabilities, may provide clues to what is going on.
Thanks!!
Thank-You both very much for your responses and insight. I think that I will start with [u]Columbus Speech and Hearing[/u] in our town. I appreciate the help. Kim
putting thoughts in order
If they believe it’s a cognitive problem, why do they want to do a hearing test and a vision test? And when was the last time he had a hearing test and a vision test? Most good pediatricians and family doctors are doing those during the annual routine physicals we get for our children.
You might save yourself some money by accessing the results of his last hearing test and vision test from his doctor but in any case, I’d agree that it’s likely to be cognitive based learning difference.
Some people do have trouble putting their thoughts in order. Sometimes that goes along with ADD, sometimes not. Some people stumble through their sentences through adulthood.
Speech/language pathologists can work with such people and perhaps could work with your son.
Good luck.
Re: 9 YR/OLD SON THOUGHT PROCESS DIFFICULTYS
They want a hearing and vision test to eliminate any physical causes of his struggle with getting the words out of his mouth. I should have mentioneed earlier that he reads at a 5.8 level (the eighth month of a fifth grader) and he is in third grade. He does struggle some with math but nothing to out of the ordinary. I guess I am just afraid that if he does not get the thought process down and become better able to communicate verbaly and with written word that school will become a struggle for him down the line. Then on the other side I wonder if I am just being to judgemental of him and want him to be perfect (I dont think that is the case but I do try to look at all sides honestly)…..He does not like sports or trying anything new that he doesnt think he will be good at right away. I sometimes think that is because he tends to think he should be wonderful at EVERYTHING. I have assured him that is not the case in life and that sometimes we all struggle to learn certain things….KIM
Dear KIMGTK,
As a general rule I would stay away from generic learning centers if that ‘s what the place in your town is. You would be better served to hveyour son evaluated by a speech/language pathologist who can help determine if your son has an expressive language problem. I thnk that would be a reasonable place to start, but others on this board may have other ideas.
My son also repeats himself, particuarly when he is excited and trying to get alot of thoughts out quickly. I’ve come to believe it is a retrieval problem that has also effected his reading. But there are reasons why someone may speak that way and it deserves investigation, particuarly if he is feeling frustrated.
Don’t worry about labels - he’ll be relieved to get assistance if he needs it.