Hi,
I have just joined this forum because I can't believe what I'm reading.
I have an 11 year old boy (is that DS11?) who is in a gifted program and doesn't write unless there is absolutely no other option. Also, he never did timed tests for addition or multiplication although he has no problem with the concepts and has now learned his facts because he's doing much more advanced math. He was a preemie, born at 25 weeks, no current medical conditions except poor eating habits, tested into the gifted program in 2nd grade, a voracious reader, a sponge for information of any kind, very immature for his age both physically & socially, funny as all ... But, his output isn't there.
Two years ago on the WISC-IV he had a coding score of 5, with an overall processing speed index of 83 (13th percentile). His working Memory Index is more in range (86th percentile) but is comprised of the Digit Span (98th percentile) and letter number sequencing (50th). VCI is high across the board. The psychologist who administered the test said that the mere fact of having such large discrepancies of scores would not only be extremely frustrating for him, but is an LD in and of itself. At that time she also diagnosed dysgraphia and ADHD, with a provisional diagnosis of Adjustment Disorder with Anxiety. We got a 504 plan for the dysgraphia to get the teacher off his back. She had turned him into the "bad" kid in a school with very few bad kids.
The dysgraphia doesn't exactly fit because he can form his letters really well, is naturally a good speller,but he does not even come close to expressing himself in writing the way he does verbally. A psychiatrist we saw to discuss ADHD went with Anxiety as primary diagnosis and he went on anti-anxiety meds. This helped a lot with emotional issues at school (shutting down, frustration, giving up). Then 4th grade, new teacher, better writing, but still not even close to his verbal abilities.
Now in 5th grade, at the gifted magnet school full time, the writing still isn't happening and I'm immersed in looking for the right "label"? for want of a better word. He's now on meds for ADHD but I don't see these helping much and will probably discontinue.
You've given me tons to look at: convergence insufficiency, non-sequential learner, visual spacial learner, motor planning. I can't even keep track of it all right now. But I had to write to join the club of "coding 5".
