This is a little long, so if you are breezing through, forgive me. This came from my son's testing report and I'm not sure how to begin to address it (and the doctor didn't have concrete suggestions). Oh, for those who need numbers, his comprehension subtest of the VCI was 9, the other two subtests were 19 and 16, to give him a 128. Here goes:

"Although DS6 has no significant intellectual weaknesses, one area where he is average compared to his same aged peers relates to the abilities of: social judgment, application of practical knowledge and judgment in social situations, ability to evaluate past experiences, and knowledge of conventional standards of behaviour. His parents may want to work with him on: understanding social customs, societal activiites such as how other children react to things, how the government works, and how banks operate. They can also discuss the actions of others to help develop an awareness of social relationships and what to expect of them. Role playing situations can also help to facilitate his understanding of why we do things in the world the way we do them. Encourage DS to take another's point of view. Also focus on helping him to recognize dfferences and likenesses in his world (in shapes, textures, and daily surroundings). Doing exercises that involve classifications and generalizations can help him with concept information."

Huh????

I might add that he is an only child and his father thinks role playing is a joke (perhaps one small indicator of why his score here was low?). DS doesn't have many friends although he is involved in karate and soccer. He has only made one friend at school this year that just in the last week or two has he mentioned asking him over.

I have no idea how to tackle this recommendation. Any suggestions? Am I supposed to sit him down and say "okay, now we're going to learn how a bank works"? Which, by the way, I thought he knew, but I digress. Then, move on to "now, we're going to learn recognizing differences in shapes"? What to do, what to do?

OK, Squirt, it's very Test-ese, but my far-away interpretation is that... the kid needs to realize that there are other people and that they have needs and wishes and beings too. Think Sartre and "Why are there other people?" ( because they get in my solipsistic way ) and so on. The government working and banks operating bit reads to me to be straight out of standardized testing rhetoric. Perhaps the diagnosticians have been asked to tie their conclusions to state content standards (via NCLB) and because of that must produce this more- or -less incomprehensible statement. Think (in large terms) EMPATHY.

Aline

Ok - well field trip to the bank might be a way to start. The American Banking association probably has a website that explains it as well. Try 'How things work' website for ideas.

Have you explained where baby's come from? - that usually his high on the interest meter.

But here's what I would did - (Looking back I think I unknowingly hothoused this subtest without realizing it, because it's what I find interesting. We did "Where babies come from at age 3" - for fun.

Tell me what kind of Television you all watch. I would reccomend recording some episodes of the Simpsons, if your son isn't too young for them, and watching them with him and stopping at the jokes to see if he 'gets' them and to explain them if he doesn't.

For those of you who are gasping - just be glad I didn't reccoment watching 'South Park!' That's the 'Advanced Version.'

Of course you can use any show you like, I just love being controversial. My son literally did go through a Simpsons and then a South Park immersion experience, where we Tivo'd a bunch of episodes, and he watched with his hand on the pause button, demanding explainations of evey joke. And yes, I did warn him that if I heard "Eat my shorts" exit his mouth that the shows would got to time out for a good long while.

Love and More Love,
Grinty

Personally, this doesn't sound like something you can address by explaining how banks work or classifying shapes. What if you try verbalizing things like your motivations and decision making processes. If he's not interested in fantasy role play you can read books together and discuss the characters' points of view and motivations, etc.

Cathy

Isn't this just a social studies subtest? I'd suggest you ask the psychologist what he meant. Before you get flustered, you should make sure whether the doctor was talking about lack of substantive knowledge about things like how banks work, or whether he or she was talking about lack of social skills. My interpretation is the former, others here seem to assume the latter. You should ask, rather than guess and/or worry.

Great, Dottie, now I have to worry about Aspergers!! Which, actually, I think my husband has, but that's another issue entirely.

I like all the ideas so far, please keep them coming. We did do the "where do babies come from" last year. He wanted to see my vagina. He also told his dad (who had no idea this conversation had taken place) that he wanted us to make a baby and this time he wanted to watch Daddy put the seed inside Mommy. The next day, we were at the neighbor's swimming pool, and he is singing at the top of his lungs "Vagina, VaaaaagIIIIINa, oh my mommy has a vagIIINa". Thus followed a conversation about appropriate times to talk about it.

I'm going to bed. Good night, all.

Too funny

Grinity, are you still sure it's a good idea to cover this subject?

Love it!!!!!!!

Seriously, though, I would go back to the tester with your questions. No mention of Aspergers from the tester from what you describe. I think if you don't feel at ease with the information as described, you could always get a second opinion. Also, if Aspergers is a concern, maybe you could seek out a pediatric nuerologist. If it is an issue, better to know. Also, if it's not an issue, it can be ruled out and then that's one less thing you have to think about.

Neato

Absolutly - It's terrific practice to understand the subtleties of when to keep one's mouth shut! Much safer than the really taboo subject of 'Is Santa real' - now that's the one I would have kept mum on in retrospect. Sex is embarrassing, but that's the nature of sex.

BTW - simple line drawings are a better idea than home movies or show and tell. Or you can demonstrate with puzzle pieces the 'lock and key' nature of things.

You can use balled up socks to demonstrate the baby being born AND teach a handy housekeeping skill at the same time!

LOL -
Grinity

OMG! Grinity--I was thinking the same thing (Simpsons!) when I was reading the initial post. My kids really think that everything they know is from the Simpsons (after all my agonizing over schools--all I had to do was buy DVD sets). Common sense, jokes, innuendos...even DS6 gets all the jokes, allusions, etc. these days.