Alif: A Special Journey on Learning (Part 4)

Assalamualaikum... and a very good day ahead to all...

I know.. You have been waiting for this final chapter of Alif's diagnosed as a slow learner. I was really really busy juggling life as a mother, wife, student and as a daughter, of course as a friend too (I forgot to list Shaklee Independent distributor!!). Life is really looking bright and quite serene for me, even though I really had a tight schedule... I'll share my routines in the next entry.

Now, about Dr. Sofia Ali from Ramsey Sime Darby Medical Center.

She's the best peads in children's development and neurology, I think maybe a handfull in Malaysia.

We chose to see her for Alif's case because:

1. She is much easier to get an appoinment with than government hospitals peads or other specialist.
2. She has good recommendations by the Dato' specialist at KPJ Shah Alam.

Ok, bare in mind.. hospitals, even private hospitals when you make an appointment, BE EARLY!!


I learned it the hard way.

Our appointment was at 9am.
We arrived at about 8.45am and we were already number 12! Guess what. the doctor checks in at 10am. You figure out the math? Half an hour per patient. What time we meet the doctor?? Yup.. about 4.30pm! Only Alif and I were there, soulmate can't take leave from work (as usual). We had breakfast, brunch there (Alif really drained my wallet that day). I was so bored. I said to Alif, let's have lunch somewhere else... Whre at?? Sunway Pyramid!! yesss... that's so near (just 10 minutes drive). After lunch at Popeye's we walked and shoped until my ankles hurts about 2pm, we drove back to SDMC.,.. and still we have to wait. I had to use the nursing room to express milk for Ariq.

When our turn was up (Alhamdulillah), Dr. Sofia was about to turn blue (just an expression). She was just to tired!! I should have known. However, her diagnosis on Alif was really on the surface. All about the symptoms and then she explained what Alif had. She drew a nice diagram about learning disability.

From her simple test (yes it was simple reading and probe question and answer tests), she draw a diagram like this ( I redrew it back). She said, Alhamdulillah, Alif is not ADHD or Autistic. He might have a bit Dyscalculia. But most of the problem is that he is a slow learner. She explained what is a slow learner briefly. However, I  dug deeper after that.

WHAT IS A SLOW LEARNER??

From this website http://www.memphisneurology.com/pdfs/handout_slow_learner.pdf, you can read more. It talks about slow learner. "Being a slow Learner is a life long problem. A Slow Learner is a child whose IQ is low enough to cause considerable difficulty in keeping up in the classroom. An average IQ is 100. Slow learners score between 70 and 90 on IQ tests. Less than 70 is considered Mentally Retarded. Slow Learners are not Mentally Retarded."

"Slow Learners may have problems not only with math and reading but also with coordination such as penmanship, sports, or dressing. Often they are quiet and shy, and they have trouble making friends. They may have a poor self confidence. They have trouble with abstract thinking such as in social studies or doing math word problems. They often  have a short attention span. All of these problems cause them to have a poor self esteem."

Alif's problem is another PHD for me. Definitely!

According to Dr. Sofia and the OT (I'll tell you later about her), he has problem retaining and filtering important information.  Just like the diagram above. In other words, he has problems processing information.


WHAT CAUSES SLOW LEARNER??



What causes Slow Learner is still a mystery.

I know some blamed me for that matter. Some might say because Alif was borned through vacuum suction, he became like that. Some might say I was not teaching him enough, or giving my fullest attention to him that why he became like that. Maybe Alif's fall and concussion was the reason for him to be like that. Some even labeled me as a bad mother. Too career-oriented. Some even said it's kifarah of what I have done (dosa) before.

Am I to be blamed??

I don't have a choice do I?

Maybe I do have dosa. I always repent, InsyaAllah.

Allah chose me to be the Mama of Alif for a reason. I know I am strong enough to handle this problem. I love him just as much as I love Aimy and Ariq. I have no boundaries for my love for my kids. Sometimes it kills me to see him falling so far from his friends. Even Aimy is catching up. I know for a fact, everything happened has hikmah hiding inside. InsyaAllah, I stretch all I have energy, money and all the doa and 'amalan' I can to help him. I just need people to understand. Support us.

I wrote this entries coz I want to share my experiences.

MasyaAllahutaala... I had numerous responds and help in every way.


Alif was given some medication by Dr. Sofia. Notrophil and some DHA capsules. He was prescribed with 2 times a week occupational therapy (OT). I had to teach him to read every day, which I do everyday too.

Dr Sofia Ali asked me to enroll Alif to OT at WQPark in Kelana Jaya. It was a bit too far, so I searched a place where it's closer (Shah Alam if possible). Alhamdulillah, I googled and found GreatLife Physio at Section 13 Shah Alam. Gave them a call, and Allah led us to Naza, the occupational therapist. MasyaAllah, she has brought so much positive impact in Alif's development.

After 2 times meeting Dr. Sofia Ali, Alhamdulillah, I saw improvement in Alif's performance. He still forgets things but sometimes he remembers the important things which I feel proud inside. I know he might not be as brilliant as any of your kids or any of my other kids. But, please don't judge him.

Definitely, I won't stop.

I might not have special notes from Alif telling me how much he loves me (I seriously want that).

But yesterday he gave me this... (ok, I don't know where he got that, from school I guess)

I broke down and cried.
He smiled, didn't even understood why I cried.