When my son,
Andrew, was two
years old, no
one could
understand a
word he said. I
took him to
Heartspring for
testing and
speech therapy.
Even though
Andrew had been
in speech for a
year he still
had difficulty
understanding
that letters
stood for
sounds. We
would work a
week on
one letter. For
instance, if the
letter "M" was
introduced in
speech class, we
would have
snacks that
started with
"M". He would
walk over a
giant "M" taped
to the basement
floor saying the
letter and
sound. After a
week with "M",
his therapist
would move to
the next letter
and bring back
"M" for review.
Andrew would
look at the "M"
and not even
remember it.
The speech
therapist
recommended
testing for
learning
disabilities.
He was diagnosed
with a central
auditory
processing
problem before
he started
kindergarten.
We knew he had a
learning
difference and
thought we had
everything in
place for
success. We
went to IEP
meetings not
understanding
much of the
educational
jargon but
trusting the
school to do
what was best
for our son.
By the end of
third grade,
Andrew still
could not read.
We pulled him
from public
school and
special
education to
place him in a
private
Christian school
thinking a more
structured
environment and
phonics would
help. At the end
of that year, he
still could not
read. We kept
him in the
private school
and also placed
him at Sylvan
for reading.
After almost a
year of
tutoring, Andrew
still was not
making
significant
progress.
Sylvan
recommended we
take our son for
testing with a
respected local
psychologist. At
this testing, we
learned for the
first time
Andrew was
severely
dyslexic. We
connected with
another mother
of a child with
dyslexia who
told us about
the Alphabetic
Phonics
program. This
reading program
was developed by
the staff at the
Texas Scottish
Rite Hospital in
Dallas, Texas,
to address the
needs of
dyslexic
students.
Andrew made real
gains for the
first time. A
few years later,
we returned to
public school
and special
education
services.
Dyslexia is a
lifelong
disability, and
Andrew will
always need
accommodations.
School was
difficult for
Andrew. He had
his share of
being made fun
of, teachers not
understanding
his disability,
principals
trying to cut
services to save
money. On the
one hand, he had
teachers who
seemed to not
want children
who received
special
education
services in
their classes.
On the other, he
had teachers
that bent over
backwards to
help him. One
in particular,
Mrs. McDuff,
took him under
her wings and
taught him
photography
while he worked
on the
yearbook. She
let him take
hundreds of
pictures,
training him on
what to look for
and where to
position himself
for the best
shot. She let
him concentrate
on photography
and didn't
require him to
write. She
encouraged him
to try writing,
but never
punished him for
not writing
well. His
grades were not
the best, but he
desperately
wanted to be in
the regular
classes. He
failed to pass
many classes and
made them up
during the
summer to
graduate with
his peers in
2004. My
husband, Roger,
and I were
dancing in the
aisle during the
graduation. We
were so proud of
him. He didn't
give up.
Andrew is
currently
attending Butler
County Community
College on a
full
scholarship to
take pictures
for the school
newspaper and
magazine.
BCCC has a great
learning center
to help students
with learning
difficulties.
