Expert: Dr Billy Levin - 11/21/2007

Question
QUESTION: My nine year old son has been in special ed since age 2.  He has a difficulty learning new things and is below grade level in all subjects.  He does not have a specific diagnosis.  He is a loving, happy, cooperative child in general who, as the youngest of four boys, has been pampered quite a bit.  Problem:  he reads quite well (almost at grade level), but he hates doing it!  He is supposed to read for 20 minutes daily (school homework) but makes the whole experience a torture session by whining, complaining, crying, begging not to have to do it, tapping his foot, asking every minute whether it is time to be finished, etc.  I have tried letting him read himself, just look at the pictures (to hopefully get him to enjoy his time with a book!), given him little treats as a reward for a cooperative, uneventful reading session, listen to books on tape, reading to him, alternating pages (he reads one, I read one), and have tried having other family members read with him (they fare no better than I).  I am worn out struggling with this day in and day out.  At school, however, he does not do any of this.  He will even pick up a book and read it at school without having to, and, according to his teacher, seems to enjoy it.  
How can I change the reading homework experience?  By the way, he is not very enthusiastic about other homework, but he usually will do it without a fuss.  Thank you!!

ANSWER: Forgive me, but how can a child be placed in "Special education" without a formal diagnosis. What is obvious is that he is displaying symptoms of a Neurological condition that needs firstly an official diagnosis, then teacher and parent education to make sure all know what his problem is and how to deal with it. There are spesific reading programs for him but only after a formal diagnosis is made.  There is a good possibility he might be medicated depending on the doctor's diagnosis.  My only advice is to urgently get a medical and psychometric evaluation and plan from there onwards.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: He has already had all the testing and evaluations.  While for official purposes "speech and language disorder" is what was chosen (somewhat arbitrarily), along with "developmental delay," he does not have any specific syndrome, condition, or other known entity.  Obviously, there is something wrong neurologically, but whatever it is has not been uncovered.  He has seen a pediatric neurologist, developmental pediatrician, and various other experts.  He has had the full range of genetic tests/profiling - all were normal.  None of his physicians believe he needs medication (and neither do I; his behavior overall is very good).  

Sincerely,

Julie  

Answer
I have no doubt whatsoever that a diagnosis could be made.Pervasive Developmental Delay (PDD) is a diagnosis. Speech problems are associated with left brain immaturity and so are reading problems. Immaturity of left hemisphere of brain will usually result in some form of learning problem.mostly genetic How does one name PDD and suggest nothing is wrong? Medication is not always only given for bad behaviour. The fact that he is struggking with reading  and home work  is a problem and  also suggests a learning disability problem of neurological nature. With left brain immaturity there is usuallly some degree of a concentration problem and phonic problem, hence speech and reading problem. , but epecially  for verbal input, not visual.  All in all he has many symptoms of a  typical neurological problem but if your experts cannot diagnose it would be unfair for me  to try without doing my own examination.