Friday, April 2, 2010

Learning Disorders

We've finally started making headway on ways to help Jaylee at school.  They've finally narrowed down her learning disabilities.  She has Auditory Processing Disorder and Visual Processing Disorder.  Both are brain dysfunctions, most likely due to the brain damage she received the first few years of her life.  We're still learning about them... but basically APD means she can't process what she's hearing correctly.. and AVP means her actual site is fine, but her brain doesn't SEE what her eyes do... therefore, not processing it.  It's starting to make a lot of sense why she has an aversion to reading, math, reading stories aloud with me, etc.  

One interesting sidenote, they said with AVP you generally rely on one side of your brain and when you try to access the other side your brain goes all wiggy.  We've noticed it with math, especially following left to right. If a math problem is horizontal Jaylee doesn't struggle AS much... but you put the same math problem in front of her vertically and she has a complete meltdown.  They said that the combination of VPD and APD creates a really rough environment for learning in school.... generally the children check out because their brain is over-stimluated, working overtime trying just to make sense of what they are hearing AND seeing.  Which means she exhibits signs of ADHD.  Interesting, eh?  They don't think she has ADHD afterall, but that once she can hone in on coping strategies in the classroom a lot of her behavior issues will decrease.  Interesting.

I guess there are a lot of disorders/layers within VPD and APD, but at least know they know what they are dealing with we can start to make modifications in the classroom or get her specific therapy to help her along.  Do any of you know anything about either of these disorders? 

3 comments:

Jennie said...

I recently found this site and am so glad I did. I marvel at all of the other "warrior moms" out there.

As for AP disorders, my son has them as well. We have recently started Occupational Therapy with PCMC Rehab to try and help him with these issues.

It truly is amazing how much of the issues they face and how disguised they are from the every day world, impact their behavior.

tiptoe mama said...

I'm glad you've made some progress in learning what's going on with Jaylee. Poor girl having to overcome so much! I hope that now they've identified the problem they'll be able to help her.

Martha said...

Wow, Lori. That's awesome they were able to diagnosis something like that. It totally makes sense why she struggles with certain things. I really hope they can adjust things in the classroom setting to help her work through the difficulties she'll be facing. Jaylee's such a tough kid... she's been through so much and still has much more to work through, but she'll get there. It's amazing how much more knowledge there is about disorders like these that use to be passed over without much thought.