![]() ![]() “She flies high when we let her special interests guide her education and her social life. “We had to learn how to appreciate her for who she is and not try to force her into the mold of more typical kids,” says Sarah of her daughter. In some cases, that means letting go of what you thought you knew about your child. Whatever your child’s unique set of special gifts, it’s crucial that they get the time and support to pursue those strengths. ![]() Two online directories to check are those at Twice Exceptional Children’s Advocacy and the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates.Īlso, local groups can often suggest eresources try Washington nonprofit Exceptional Families Network or this 2e Seattle parent group, which meets monthly and has a Facebook group with more than 600 members. If you have difficulty getting help for your child, you may want to enlist the help of an advocate, a person specially trained in laws that apply to the education of children with special needs. For example, a child with dysgraphia may need an electronic notetaker, or a child with a processing-speed issue may need extended time to take tests. Some 2e kids qualify for individualized education plans (IEPs), while others don’t receive specially designed instruction, but do receive accommodations from a 504 plan. It’s not uncommon for parents of 2e kids to hear that their children aren’t behind enough to qualify for special support at school however, federal law requires schools to try to identify students with disabilities. 4: 2e children can’t qualify for help from the school system “Maybe that’s the biggest myth I see: That it isn’t a real thing or something to be addressed.” “My husband and I have both worked in the public school system for more than 20 years apiece and knew nothing about 2e until we experienced it as parents,” says Staci S.*, whose son is 2e. To complicate matters, many educators have received little or no information about this unique group of children. Their English teacher may just see a bright child who needs to try harder or who simply doesn’t complete their work. For example, a child may be verbally gifted but have a learning disability like dysgraphia, which affects their ability to take notes and get ideas on paper. Why? Often these children are overlooked because of their unusual combinations of strengths and weaknesses. Despite abundant research on 2e children in schools, there is still a lack of awareness that these children exist. Most commonly, the term refers to a child who is intellectually gifted and also has a learning disability, attention issue or special need. The term 2e refers to a child who is exceptional in at least two ways. 1: A gifted child can’t have learning issues If you’re the parent or teacher of someone who is 2e or if you’re 2e yourself, you’ve likely encountered plenty of myths about what it means to be twice exceptional. She is also profoundly gifted, scoring in the 99th percentile on the verbal portion of the IQ test. This unique profile is what’s commonly referred to as “twice exceptional” or “2e.” Sarah’s daughter is on the autism spectrum and has a visual processing disorder called NVLD, as well as a specific learning disability in math. ![]() But it wasn’t until she was 9 that the family received a complete diagnosis after more thorough testing. A school district evaluation found motor delays and sensory and social issues, and Sarah’s daughter qualified for special education services. The Seattle-area mom of two and her husband also noticed that something seemed off about the way their daughter interacted with other children. She talked early, used vocabulary much more sophisticated than that of her peers and read as a preschooler. ![]() Sarah* says she always knew her older daughter was unusual. ![]()
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