I have been investigating having a full neuropsychological assessment of my DS11. We had a partial assessment done last year because of issues at school (unhappy, acting out, refusing to do required work, attention and EF issues), and the tester diagnosed a NVLD based on spread in the WISC-IV score (VCI-142; PRI=113;WM=109:PSI=100) and a writing sample.
After doing lots of research and reading (including all the posts here!) I began to doubt the diagnosis and realized that the tester had not really done a thorough evaluation.
I finally found a paediatric neuropsychologist in my area, who sounded really good from his CV and web site. He does assessments for giftedness, LDs, ADHD, depression and anxiety in children and adolescents.
I sent him some information, including the WISC results and the conclusions of the previous tester. I spoke to him on the �phone today and he described what his evaluation would include:
WISC-IV (he wants to repeat it to see how �stable� the results are)
Academic assessment in math, reading and writing (WIAT-II )
Tests for executive function, attention and memory
Conner�s and behavioural rating scales (parents and teachers)
The testing would last 6 hours and be done over 2 mornings during the same week
Does this sound about right?
I wondered about a couple of comments he made on the phone.
He said he was very surprised at the NVLD diagnosis, and that nothing in the WISC profile would suggest it since DSs PRI was high average. I tend to agree with him there.
He went on to say that he is �of the old school and thinks that if all areas are average or above, you don�t have a learning disability.� I don�t know about this. When I said that there was a lot of spread in the results, he answered that yes, it was �statistically unusual� (or something of that nature) but didn�t necessarily point to a problem and that DS has a "functional" WM and PSI. He also said that he wasn�t really a fan of gifted programs. I didn�t have the presence of mind to ask why, so this leaves me a bit puzzled. On the good side, he did seem concerned about my description of low mood and sleep issues, which other professionals I�ve seen pretty much ignored.
Does he sound like an OK choice, or should I keep looking?
