Undiagnosed & Misdiagnosed LD�

Reasons & Consequences �

Presented By:�Dawn M. Romano, Ph.D., NCC, LPC-S�

Gina Roussel, M.Ed., NCC, LPC �Brett J. Busby, BS�

Louisiana Counseling Association Conference �September 2016�

Misdiagnosis

• Many Disorders Share Similar Symptoms.�

• Students May Have Multiple Disorders.�

• Students’ Emotional Reactions To The Frustration Of LD May Be Interpreted As Behavior Disorders. �

• Students On The Autistic Spectrum Frequently Are Misdiagnosed As Having ADHD Or Oppositional Defiant Disorder.�

• Students With LD Are At High Risk For Expulsion.�

• Students With LD Are Disproportionally Incarcerated.�

• Minority Students Are Disproportionally Identified As Needing Special Education. �

• Minority Students Are Disproportionally Expelled�

• Minority Students Are Disproportionally Incarcerated. �

DiagnosiswithCommonSymptoms•  ADHD

•  Anxiety

•  Dyslexia

•  Dysgraphia

•  LearningDisorders

•  SensoryProcessingProblems

•  Opposi>onalDefiantDisorder

ManyChildrenWithLDHaveNotBeenDiagnosed

Many Parents Bring Their Children To Counseling For: �• Anxiety�• Depression�• Behavioral Issues �• School Refusal�• Low Self-Esteem�

All Of These Are Common Symptoms Of Children With LD�

IQHasNothingToDoWithLearningDisabili>es

•  Einsteinwas9yearsoldbeforehelearnedtoread.

•  LeonardoDaVinciwrotehisnotesbackwards.

•  CharlesSchwabhasdyslexia.

•  ThomasEdisonhadADHD.

•  WinstonChurchillhadaspeechimpediment.

•  CharlesDarwinandIsaacNewtonhadAsperger’sSyndrome.

•  WaltDisney&JimCarreydroppedoutofhighschool.

•  SteveJobs&BillGatesdroppedoutofcollege.

ProblemswithDiagnosis

•  SimilarSymptoms

•  IncorrectPriorDiagnosis•  BiasedDiagnosis•  OverRelianceonRTI•  AbsenceofEvalua>on•  LackofIndividualizedAccommoda>ons

It’sAllAboutAccess

•  Beforenewmaterialcanbelearned

•  Ithastobereceived.•  Ithastobeunderstood.

•  Alearningdisabilitycaninterferewiththatrecep>on.

WeS>llHaveALotToLearnAboutLearningDisabili>es

IsScienceOutpacingEduca>on?

TooManyChildrenWithLearningDisabili>esAreFallingThroughthe

Cracks

LDTakesAnEmo>onalTollOnChildrenandFamilies

DifferenceBetweenIDEAandSec>on504

IDEA �

504�

All Students �All IDEA Students Are Also Covered By Section 504�

Not All 504 Students Are

Covered By IDEA �

IDEA Requires Modifications To The Educational

Plan�

504 Requires Accommodations To

Ensure Access To The Regular

Educational Plan�

DyslexiaInvolvesMoreThanReadingWordsBackwards

Students With Dyslexia and ADHD Are Often Only Diagnosed With ADHD �

AllEncompassing

BiggestObstacles

• Copying From The Board�• Taking Notes �• Completing Homework�• Losing Points For Spelling �• Being Penalized For Organizational Skills �• Filling In Circles On Scantron�• Bringing Home The Right Books �• Too Much Emphasis On Learning Only From Reading �• Too Much Emphasis Only On Writing To Demonstrate Learning �• Too Much Emphasis On Weaknesses Instead Of Strengths �

CouldYouReadThisInFrontOfTheClass?

HowManyWordsCanYouRecognizeHere?

CouldYouCopyThisFromTheBoard?

CanYouReadThis?

•  1stgr-Badiespnimknilktronado\le.

•  2ndgr-OmebayimsunherTrogmasmotfeelingmoll.

•  3rdgr-Fisngctoxygemtronhtematenpyusimghetsillgsnothesibeothneirneabs.

CanYouS>llReadThis?

•  4thgr-Arciemfciwlllzafiomspibhotnawesciemfi>cihtornafiorfoexblaimhfeoausosoteanfnpuakos

•  5thgr–CweismeneoreemilpariwahsimAnapiaarbAsia,putlorgago,fneymeneqowesfieatcb.

•  6thgr–EwcnyycanfneRcfurmottneSmallemseclepnafiorfakosbfacoemWancn19affnoWissierSarTnauOadiscareirOa>tenria

•  7thgr–Fnroeclowerfswusfecwefegofnentcngovscnsfeecoun:arapnubarfsnbplvefmafon,arirfcmscscuncocthoaf,arpnripucqhnnpirg.

HowAboutThis?

•  8thgr–Oycnfnoecnnseetniseanoen,AwcriearbocfReponfFnesfmnefoeycn25yelnwcscfbocfnv,merarnrdnocoporfcbtennPnlifzonPnizos,arpdocawoenceffnewcsfpoleyopdeefsotfncfmorficcoerfuny.

WhatDoLowMathScoresIndicate?

CanYouSolveTheseMathProblems?

•  1.Whichisthelargestnumber?a.  439,383,946 b.  439,383,496c.  439,838,466d.  439,338,496

•  2.Whichofthefollowingiscorrect?a.  83,389,638>83,389,938b.  83,893,938<83,893,638c.  83,893,638<83,863,638d.  83,893,638>83,863,638

MathorReadingProblem?

•  KimberlyandMichellearetakinga4daytrip.TheywillbeleavingfromKimberly’shouse.Itis439kilometersfromKimberly’shousetoLewisville.Itis349kilometersfromLewisvilletoLakeview,anditis493kilometersfromLakeviewtoSmithfield.KimberlyandMichellearegoingtoSmithfieldandback.HowmanykilometerswillKimberlyandMichelle’stripbe?

AccommodatedFormat

•  KimberlyandMichellearetakinga4daytrip.

•  TheywillbeleavingfromKimberly’shouse.

•  Itis439kilometersfromKimberly’shousetoLewisville.

•  Itis349kilometersfromLewisvilletoLakeview,anditis493kilometersfromLakeviewtoSmithfield.

•  KimberlyandMichellearegoingtoSmithfieldandback.

•  HowmanykilometerswillKimberlyandMichelle’stripbe?

CouldADifferentFontHelp?