On the search to figure out what's going wrong with their child's learning, some parents find their child receives multiple diagnoses.
Symptoms of many learning disabilities overlap and multiple assessment perspectives can lead to multiple diagnoses.
Sometimes this happens when communication between parents, teachers and health professionals is not as clear and collaborative as it should be.
There's an old Indian parable about six blind men who each touch a different part of an elephant.
The man who touches the leg says the elephant is like a pillar.
The man who touches the tail says the elephant is like a rope.
The man who touches the ear says the elephant is like a fan.
You see where this is going.....
Receiving multiple diagnoses can be confusing and unhelpful to determining which therapies to prioritise.
Some aspects of development and learning are precursors to others. A delay or disorder in one area of development can affect therapy progress in other disciplines. So make sure the people assessing and treating your child have all the information they need from you and other professionals. That way you should get more holistic advice.
Any service that is worth a parent's investment cannot work in isolation, or claim to be the only answer to your child's difficulties, especially if it sounds like a quick fix.
My advise is, when you receive multiple reports and opinions, ask yourself "what is the main area of functioning that is holding back my child's learning?", then prioritise one step at a time.
Symptoms of many learning disabilities overlap and multiple assessment perspectives can lead to multiple diagnoses.
Sometimes this happens when communication between parents, teachers and health professionals is not as clear and collaborative as it should be.
There's an old Indian parable about six blind men who each touch a different part of an elephant.
The man who touches the leg says the elephant is like a pillar.
The man who touches the tail says the elephant is like a rope.
The man who touches the ear says the elephant is like a fan.
You see where this is going.....
Receiving multiple diagnoses can be confusing and unhelpful to determining which therapies to prioritise.
Some aspects of development and learning are precursors to others. A delay or disorder in one area of development can affect therapy progress in other disciplines. So make sure the people assessing and treating your child have all the information they need from you and other professionals. That way you should get more holistic advice.
Any service that is worth a parent's investment cannot work in isolation, or claim to be the only answer to your child's difficulties, especially if it sounds like a quick fix.
My advise is, when you receive multiple reports and opinions, ask yourself "what is the main area of functioning that is holding back my child's learning?", then prioritise one step at a time.
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