Expert Advice

Ask Dr. Silver

January 2009: This Month's Questions

Dr. Larry Silver answers selected questions from LD OnLine users regarding diagnosis and options for managing learning disabilities.

Below are the newest questions answered by Dr. Silver. To view all questions, organized by topic, visit the All Questions section.

Do you have a question about diagnosis and options for managing learning disabilities? Submit it now!

What is the relationship between Auditory Processing Disorder and ADD?

My fourteen-year-old son has ADD and APD. He’s currently on medication, but does not seem to help. Could the APD keep the medication from working?

Gina

Gina,

The Auditory Processing Disorder will not interfere with the medications used for ADHD (ADD). The question is whether what is seen as inattention is truly ADHD (ADD) or a reflection of his Auditory Processing Disorder. If it is the latter, medication will not help. Speech-language therapy will.

What can you do about programs that say they help LD, but lack evidence that they succeed?

I am concerned about programs like Brain Gym and Bal-A-Vis-X, which claim to be beneficial for children with learning disabilities, ADHD, behavioral disorders, and a whole host of other problems. These programs are being implemented in schools without a shred of controlled research to document such claims. Can anything be done to stop them?

I share your concern. The definition of a “controversial therapy” is either that: (1) there is no evidence to support the concept; (2) there is clear evidence to show that the concept does not work; or, (3) the concept is being used for financial gain before there is research to validate that the concept is correct. I believe that the programs you refer to fit definitions 1 and 3.

The problem is that if a parent has a child with a disability, he or she is vulnerable to anyone who says they can help or fix their child. Such parents are at risk for spending time and money and for putting their child through programs that will not accomplish what is stated. The organizations will not change. The best hope is to educate parents and to remind them, “the buyer beware.”

How can I help an ADHD child with "sluggish cognitive tempo?"

After extensive testing by various places, my son has been diagnosed by a psychologist with ADHD-PI and sluggish cognitive tempo. He has just started taking band and playing the flute. Band is held at the end of the day when the other students have a study hall. As expected, he is having difficulty finishing tasks and tests in class.

The teachers want me to withdraw him from band to give him extra time to finish these things. He wants to continue band. He does not have an IEP yet. I am waiting for the written report from the psychologist to schedule an appointment with the counselor. The school tells me that with ADHD he does not qualify for additional resources.

Is sluggish cognitive tempo considered a learning disability? Will the diagnosis qualify him for additional resources, such as a resource teacher or just an IEP?
Should I withdraw him from band and make him concentrate on academics or should I insist that the school make other accommodations to allow him to finish his unfinished assignments?

It appears that the school has done formal testing, called psycho-educational testing. These data should clarify why he has “sluggish cognitive tempo.” The most frequent causes are weaknesses in what is called processing speed or in what is called working memory. If these are the reasons, targeted special education tutoring should help.

You are correct — ADHD is not a disability under education law, thus, an IEP will not be done. ADHD can be considered under what is called a “504 Plan” and would include some assistance, such as the study hall.

Your options: You might let him stay in the band and provide a private special education tutor to work on his areas of difficulty. If formal psycho-educational testing has not been done, you might request that the school do these studies (or have them done privately).