How do I know if my child needs special help?

Ms. Dorothy -

I have a child that struggles from day to day with literacy. Some days he writes great big letters and fidgets, moving the book close and then far away from his face. Then other days he writes between the lines nearly perfectly and reads with ease. On the days he struggles, he retains nothing and always feels down about it. Have you any advice or insight as to what the problem may be? Does he need special help? What solutions would you suggest?

- Mom of a 3rd grader

What a challenge it must be for him to face days like that! Feeling down seems like a very appropriate response to that kind of struggle.

I wonder if there is anything else consistent about the days he cannot focus. Sometimes changes in routines can have an impact on the ability to concentrate. Being aware of his sleeping, eating and other daily routines might give you some insight into his difficulty retaining what he is supposed to be learning in school.

Any kind of dramatic change in his life, or reasons he may be depressed should be considered as well. Be sure to check with his teachers and have him monitored in case something is happening at school that is leading to his struggles.

Those concerns aside, it might be a good idea just to have his eyes checked. It is rare that a child makes it all the way to 3rd grade without a vision screening catching something, but it happens. I would recommend taking him to an eye doctor for a full eye exam.

It would be a shame to have him waste any more learning time in discouragement if what he needs is a pair of glasses!

How can I get a wiggly kid to sit still?

Ms. Dorothy -
I have a little guy who won't sit still! He is always tipping his chair, and even falls out of his chair sometimes! He doesn't seem to mind, but it makes me crazy because it disrupts everyone around him! Is there a trick to getting wiggly kids to settle down and stay still?
-1st grade teacher

I'm so glad you didn't try and diagnose and drug this child, or ask me to! Lots of kids are wiggly by nature, and it is really hard for them to stay still.

I think you hit upon the only real reason we would expect them to be still - so they don't disrupt others. The truth is that those wiggly children often can't concentrate when they are still, so it certainly isn't for the sake of their own learning that we'd make them stop moving.

When you consider that many of us fidget, doodle, jiggle a foot, or tap a pencil when we are trying to concentrate, you can see that refraining from movement doesn't need to be the goal. What we need to do is provide children with strategies for moving that help them to focus while letting others focus at the same time.

I recommend a one legged stool. Often you can ask your school Occupational Therapist or Physical Therapist to locate one for your student. I've even had parents build them for my classroom in the past. A one-legged stool requires two feet on the floor (so make sure it is the right height for your wiggly guy) to keep it in balance. The act of holding the chair upright focuses the child's energy in a way that frees up their mind to concentrate on the task in front of them. Other children like to try the chair, but it is only those who really need to wiggle that find the chair comfortable for working.

I know some people who like to use a fitness ball chair and say it works the same way, but I'm kind of attached to my one-legged stool.

You can also get strips of rubbery material to tie around the feet of the child's chair. This will give him a place to put his feet, to bounce his feet, even to kick at while he is sitting.

I would still want to be sure that this guy is getting enough time to be active in his day. When it's time to work in one place for a little while, give him some tools to help him focus his mental and physical energy in the way that best suits his learning. And remember, too much time sitting in one place will make anyone wiggly!

How can I help my child strengthen her hands for writing?

Ms. Dorothy -

My daughter is in pre-school and she can't hold a crayon very well. I'm concerned about her being ready for Kindergarten in the Fall. What can I do at home to get her ready for writing?

- Mom of a 4 year old 

Kindergarten teachers everywhere wish more parents like you were working with their future students! 

One thing I always recommend is using tiny little pieces of chalk or crayon because it forces the use of the muscles in the fingers & helps them develop. Tweezers, tiny beads, even eye droppers will require using the same muscles, but without making it a chore for a little one.

Try giving her the challenge of picking beads out of a bowl of uncooked rice using tweezers, or of squeezing drops of colored water onto a coffee filter with an eye dropper.

My students love picking corn kernels off dried cobs with tweezers. They also like using a push pin to poke holes in construction paper. Trace puzzle shapes on construction paper and, instead of cutting with scissors, try to perforate the paper with enough pin holes to remove the shape.

The side benefit is that these tasks take tremendous concentration and help to develop focus as well as the small muscles needed for writing.

Most of all, don't worry too much about the actual writing. Time is the most important factor for developing the muscles in the hand, and she'll be ready before you know it!