ktw@whuxi.UUCP (WOLMAN) (12/07/84)
Our son Jacob, now six-and-a-half, has a mild Learning Disability categorized as Perceptual Impairment. It was spotted by his Kindergarten teacher in the Wayne (New Jersey) public schools last year. He is receiving a modified form of First Grade with speech lessons and a great deal of individualized instruction. I am interested in talking/corresponding with other people on this net who may have run into the same situation. We've been led to believe it is in some ways hereditary but highly "compensatable" if caught early. I tend to agree with the hereditary theory, since much of Jake's behavior and problems in school until this year recalled much of what I went through in the New York City public schools during the Fabulous Fifties. The great difference is that the NYC schools hadn't the slightest idea that I might have some form of LD. I wasn't obviously retarded; I wasn't physically disabled; ergo, I was just lazy/not working up to my potential/neurotic. Jake's experience is proving to me that there is some degree of progress in the fine-tuning and treating of less obvious forms of LD. I managed to overcome enough of the problem to now hold an earned doctorate; I expect Jacob will probably be able to grab a handful! Again, I'd like to exchange experiences with people whose kids have some kind of Perceptual Impairment and/or other mild forms of LD, simply so we can broaden the base of our own understanding, support each other if necessary, and talk about how well our kids are doing! It so happens Jacob is about 180 degrees from where he was a year ago. To be able to break that cycle of non-achievement is one of the greatest sources of pride in the world for me, for my wife . . . and for Jake. Respond to this net and/or to my FULL path: Ken Wolman whuxi!ktw.