My son is six years old and appears to have a language disorder. We have not ruled out an auditory processing disorder because of his age, but have noticed some red flags for ADHD. He has an amazing memory and is a very visual child. He also is already reading on about a second grade level and is interested in doing simple math.
He starts kindergarten soon - how is he going to get an appropriate education when his development is so uneven? What can I do to make sure he is keeping up and being challenged? My child is both “gifted” and delayed - it seems the school system may not recognize these two together. I need advice.
First, might I comment that six-year-olds, especially boys, often develop unevenly. Their language and/or motor skills might be more advanced than the other. These differences often resolve themselves by age seven.
However, if you are concerned, I encourage you to meet with the principal of the school he attends. Present your concerns. If you have speech-language or other evaluations, provide a copy. Ask that the principal schedule a meeting with his assigned teacher and the appropriate special education team at his school. Discuss your concerns with this group and ask that they respond to your concerns.
Should the principal have a “wait and see” attitude, suggesting that you wait until mid-semester or later and you do not want to wait, you might want to get more information on his inconsistencies from the speech-language professional to present to the principal.
Topic
Special Education