Hi kikib,
There are some pros on this board that will have more specific input for you. But as a parent of a 2e, I'll just say this: we mucked around for several years getting assessments from one expert or another, none of whom specialized in gifted kids, and none of whom gave us info that actually helped us or our kid. We finally went to a clinic that specializes in gifted kids.
It ended up requiring a total of fourteen 94-mile round trips over 9 weeks, and I'm very, very afraid of what I'd find if I added up the total cost. Probably close to five figures.
It was totally worth it. DS had a scad of tests, hit ceilings on multiple WISC-IV subtests, required lots of extended norm testing, and also was assessed as having some serious 2e challenges (auditory processing, dyslexia, dysgraphia). The report with related recommendations was nearly 50 pages long and filled with content that really gave us somewhere to go. PM me if you want to hear more details.
There was a recent thread about "impostor syndrome" - where gifted folks don't really believe they are gifted. I know I have issues with this. What's worse, I have "impostor syndrome by proxy" directed at my son. At one point, I went so far as to have a serious meeting with our clinician, asking how they could demonstrate that they weren't just giving me an answer they thought I wanted to hear. They pretty much read me the riot act, and I deserved it.
Anyway, this report smacks me in the face when I start wallowing in those questions about the sources of his difficulties - or his strengths. Now, when he is struggling, I can step through what I know and usually find a way to help him. That report is an anchor and a validation and a source of wisdom about my son, from people who really know about these sorts of kids. We're so glad we did it.
Still paying off the credit card though!
Good luck,
Sue
