i would just like to document here some of the email exchanges we have in my family. bet (who wrote me below) is my elder brother, the 3rd in the family. benny is a much older brother, the 2nd. joan and nathan are my niece and nephew from our eldest brother. the topic is mikey, my 3rd son, now 7 years old.
previously, i have texted my wife carol that i noticed that her father (my father-in-law) has some pronunciation difficulty especially when trying to speak fast. i started to entertain this thought after reading dr. shaywitz of yale university (2006) that dyslexia normally runs in families. moreover, she said that the latest research states that otitis media does not significantly affect dyslexia. let me just get the exact quotes so that i can be more definite (i left the book at home today).
junrayx
----- Original Message ----
From: "Domingo, Jr. Rayco"
To: rayco@yahoogroups. com
Sent: Wednesday, October 31, 2007 3:01:55 PM
Subject: Re: [rayco] mikey's diagnosis
hi, benny,
thanks for the concern. it's carol's theory that his learning problem stems from his hearing problem. definitely, his slight (mild) hearing difficulty affects learning as in listening to the teacher. that's why we have requested his teachers to allow him to sit in front. his hearing problem is under control after 2 myringotomies
(one at UST & one at PCMC) & now, under monitoring by dr. sumpaico as well. the main
problem is i think recurrent otitis media. he is very susceptible to colds and is allergic to cockroaches and slightly to dust according to dr. sumpaico's tests.
however, we also noticed that mikey seems to be the least interested among his siblings in writing (& reading, if he's not interested acc to carol). when i went home last 2006, i could not entice him to start writing letters. he easily gets tired or bored or i don't know why.... i had asked carol to bring him to drs.
reyes (neuro pedia) & dr. ledesma (neuropsychologist) of PCMC before but their waiting lists are so long one has to wait for months & since carol works for dr. ho, carol asked her help. i reiterated this after interviewing candidates here who have histories of dyslexia in childhood & with slight remnants of signs till now. they
easily make simple spelling mistakes (british engineer) & clearly preferred math over
language.
i read in an ADHD book that dyslexia cannot be made definite as a diagnosis till the child reaches grade 2 coz some signs and symptoms can possibly still be overcome after that grade, like inverting "b" and "d" & other spelling mistakes. if ever mikey has dyslexia it is really not very obvious. at most, it would be mild in severity. his IQ is normal & math is good. the only area of concern is written communication & reading. meanwhile, i have ordered books on this learning disorder & plan to do my own research while consulting experts.
jun
2007 dec 14
I am late. Is this symptomic of something? hehehe Just joking. But seriously, I think I am dyslexic. Remember mama sent me to the caton while jun and nin were well into the multiplication table? hehehe. I still get spellings mixed up and interchange letters or even numbers. On that note, Joan remarked that Nathan still interchanged b and d when he was already in high school. I have to recheck that in view of the scientific research being done about dyslexia among us. I am not downgrading the importance of early intervention and the worry of parents especially. Just want to say that dyslexics can have happy lives ... like me! hehehe So goes my contribution to the scientific exchanges. hehhe
bet
2007 dec 16
thanks for this important sharing, bet!
this is one of the advantages of modern technology, like the email.
i actually don't recall being more advanced in reading. anyway, dr. shaywitz of yale
univ (2006, the book i'm reading now) says that dyslexia normally runs in families and that it is one of the factors to look for when diagnosing. if a family member is dyslexic, the diagnosis is more probable. earlier i also texted carol that i noticed that her father has some pronunciation difficulty esp when speaking fast.
the case of nathan is very interesting and significant. normally, according to dr. shaywitz, by grade 3, students start to "read to learn". from kinder to grade 2, students "learn to read". thanks for the encouragement about living happy lives. again, dr. shaywitz (he he he!) says that after grade 3, the brain is less plastic. thus, the earlier the intervention, the greater the success. the good news is that there are now scientifically-based intervention programs being implemented in the US
that we can model after. there are also "reading specialists" who are experts in this area. joy is taking her master's degree (temporarily stalled) in education major in reading. the main point of dr. shaywitz about early intervention, aside from neurological reasons is saving the self-esteem of the child. he can and should be saved from being shamed in class by teachers esp when asked to read in front of the class. at the same time, his self-esteem goes down everytime he compares himself with his siblings, classmates and peers.
maybe, we can examine whether we can do something about this for st. jude, i mean, early diagnosis at the kinder level. or, examine how far st. jude is willing to
address this issue and make the necessary accommodations.
but the point you raise is very important. in fact, dr. shaywitz said that the role of the parent is to reinforcewhat is taught in school and the parent-child interaction while tutoring at home shoud be SHORT and ENJOYABLE.
moreover, i believe that the wider context of a normally supportive, encouraging, warm and happy family environment gives the person the needed strength and
resiliency to face life's challenges, whatever they may be. this is especially true of mikey coz he also has signs and symptoms of separation anxiety.
having said that, let me thank you from the bottom of my heart for really being a surrogate father to my kids in my absence. the latest was the bday of raphael and mikey. this is something that money cannot buy or repay. that makes it all the more a blessing. god bless you a hundredfold, bro!
jun
