"How unfair........ The school systems are all acroos the map. If they would just listen to the mothers of these children. We know when something is wrong with are child. Its called motherly instinct. Its most unfortunate that there is so much red tape and waiting for your child to be eval. I had my son tested privately and now the school wants to do their own testing, which won't be done until next year. wish me luck. For the record my son has state ins. and it is covered un mental health. As for private help with Ld I don't know much about it except that is exspensive. Which we can't afford. You would think these places would just do it for the children and not the amighty dollar. In this coun try all that matter to people is the dollar not helping chlidren or people."

"my son is in the 9th grade and has been struggling in school since grade 3 he was tested for ld and placed in ld class which was determined later that year he did not need. the test results showed no ld however the portion of the test that tested his ability to retain information severely below level so i kept him back in third grade because he could not read well enoough. he has been to psyhologist and medical dr's and placed on concerta he says him concentrate. he has also duffered from headaches since age 4 .i am writing you becuase no one takes his dx seriously the either do not understand the disorder and how real it is for him. my problem is that my child is losty in the system when it comes to getting help. he could benifit from a smaller classroom and instruction from teachers that understand this disorder or a plan for kids like him. though it may not be a ld it is affecting his ablity to learn. he does not have behavioral problems' but if you tell him to do something and anything interrupt him it becomes the new focas of his attention. he has been like this for as long as i can rember he is unorganized and loses everthing. we have the no child left behind policies but my child is being left behind. i am trying to be supportive of him but at this point i am ve! ry scared for him if he does not get some help. the moat heart breaking thing for me is that i see him starting to give up, because he is trying and he beginning to feel deapare. he state ' it feels like i cant do anything right and it feels like everything i try to do goes wrong.' All his life my child has been outgoing caring respectful and an all in all good boy.i feel like im watching his hope and enthusiam fade im loosing my child. if you have any thing you could share with me i would appreciate it. "

"My nephew experienced this in second grade and is now in fifth grade reading at a third grade level. He is way behind in all areas, but does not qualify for special education services or a 504 plan. I need a referral to an education advocacy lawyer. Does anyone know anyone in California that provideds this service? I just want the school to do their job and educate my nephew. the ironic thing is I am a special education teacher. Any information would be appreciated. Thanks!"

"Dr. Hunter, before you to say 'This option may be costly but…', perhaps you should consider that this reader could be in the same situation we are. When we have to take our child for her physical to begin school, we have to choose between paying the utilities or the car payment that month. Getting private evaluations and tutor isn't an option for us. There are hundreds of thousands of us out here who work hard enough to be ineligible for assistance, but still can't meet the basic needs of existence, much less the educational needs of our children. My husband was out of work for two years, during which time I battled cancer. He finally got a job, making about 1/5th of what our income was before. We lost our dependable vehicle, our home and most of our possessions in an attempt to stay off the streets. We KNEW we wouldn't be able to provide private schools, counseling or testing for our daughter who has Attachment Disorder, so we scrimp and save every day to pay the lowest r! ent available in a bad neighborhood that happens to be in a good school district. We believed they would help her. Instead they have even fought me about having her tested. Because she has moments of brilliance (as most RAD children do), they discount the fact that she typically does not have a clear understanding of instructions, content, or expectation. Because she sometimes remembers events or material, they assume that her typical short-term memory issues are deliberate. She is over a year behind in reading skills. Her grades stay at the D level only because she does manage to slip in occasional A's with all the F's on her tests and assignments. They tell me she is making 'progress', so they don't want to label her. I tell them I don't care about labels, that I want her to get a good education. She is functioning academically at a first grade level in the third grade. What are their expectations when she gets to the 5th, 8th or 12th grade? We don't need advice t! o go pay for services the school is legally obligated to provi! de. We need advice on how to make them do their jobs."

"Our school regularly looks at Section 504 plans for students who do not qualify for special education services. It holds a less strict definition of 'disability' and allows for team planning between parents, student, and teachers to create a viable plan for success."