HappilyMom - I'm glad you have some answers to the things you'd been wondering about - the things you've learned from the neuropsych should help tremendously as you move forward to advocate for accommodations etc.
And how do you explain the significance of a 4 SD spread to those who don't have any understanding of testing (i.e. elementary teachers)?
This is jmo, but honestly, you don't. What you need to explain are the specifics of how each challenge your ds has impacts his ability to show his knowledge and complete his schoolwork. If there are areas he needs remediation or individualized instruction, you need to explain why he needs the outside-the-box help. My ds has around a 3 SD discrepancy on his WISC - but really that discrepancy is more of a fall-out of the challenge, not the root cause. I try to focus on what is really going on and to show examples of how the challenge impacts rather than expecting to get accommodations or understanding based on the discrepancy in IQ subtests. For example, this is how I advocate for one of my ds' challenges - dysgraphia. I explain that ds has a neurological impairment that causes him to not be able to use handwriting reliably to show his knowledge, the challenge is that he hasn't developed (and won't develop) automaticity of handwriting, when he uses handwriting he does not have working memory freed to work about other things such as punctuation, grammar, spelling, *content* etc. I have examples of his written work with handwriting, scribing, and keyboarding. I also have examples of timed handwriting and can compare that with data that is representative of what typical student handwriting speed is for each grade level. In addition to those things, it has helped me to have brief summaries that explain dysgraphia very very simply and to the point and that were put together by credible sources who were far removed from either myself or my neuropsychologist
And I refer to the section of our neuropsych report that *isn't* the testing section, but instead lists in plain English what my ds needs to be successful in the classroom, and lists a diagnosis.
Also obvious on this round of testing is that ANY written or timed component shuts him down fast. Written AND timed brings total shut down, major anxiety attack, and full on refusal.
Our ds was in this same place when he was initially diagnosed - so we started him learning to type right away. I also started scribing for him on homework until he was capable of typing. I would start advocating for scribing or keyboarding in the classroom right away too - for anything other than short answer (1-2 words). And of course follow any other recommendations you received in the neuropsych report.
Good luck advocating!
polarbear
