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?