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Friday, January 25, 2013

Postscript Six: Diagnosis

handsome brothers back in Chile
Shortly before returning to Chile in January 2013 (after a year in the United States as a family) we received the final evaluation for our son who participated in the neuropsychological evaluation. Overall, our experience in obtaining this evaluation was very positive. We felt the report was fair, thorough, and captured his situation well. Now the challenge falls to us as we pursue the best means to meet his needs and help him reach his full potential.

For the record, the following is a glimpse of  the areas where he will need additional attention and assistance. I have included direct quotes from the final report. We believe - as does the doctor who tested him - that his challenges are directly related to early malnutrition he suffered as an infant in Haiti, but trust in our big God to do great things in and through him!

1. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: "Although [he] appeared to want to work cooperatively and comply with what was expected of him, symptoms of inattention interfered. [He] fidgets with any items that are within reach. His eyes tended to scan the room keeping him from remaining focused on the task at hand ... [He] has learned avoidance behaviors such as distracting the person that is guiding him, or simply changing the subject."

2. Language Disorder mixed - Expressive and Receptive: "His level of language development is essentially at a pragmatic level for needs and wants ... [he] is unable to use language as a method of organizing the world around him.

3. Global Developmental Delay: " ... his delays are associated with insults to the brain in early life. With this in mind, [he] demonstrates strength and potential age appropriate performance when materials are presented in a manner that allows him to process and comprehend the information that is being offered."

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