Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Twice Exceptional Please help me nut this out

I have a 6yo son who was diagnosed with Asperger's last year. I do struggle with that a bit as a diagnosis, to my mind he's not got the obsessiveness & ritualistic type behaviours, though he does have other traits. I'm no expert of course. It's been a label that's accessed him a lot of help He's had a few different tests performed, and nobody really seems to be able to tell me just what is going on. Any insights would be very welcome.

He is in Year 1 and achieving at a high level at school in both reading (5th grade level with great understanding) and maths (not extended at all, but all results usually in the top 1-3 of his year), but struggles with written tasks, maintaining attention & following instructions.

WPPSI-III (perf at 5y11m) - I haven't been given subset scores, just the following:

PIQ 98th percentile
VIQ 50th percentile
PSQ 37th percentile

He is visibly slow in processing & responding to speech. His speech lacks the correct rhythm. We have worked heavily on his social language, and he's improved dramatically over the past year, but it was an enormous issue. Under all that though he has an amazing vocabulary, and good general ability with language.

He had LiSN-S (Listening in Spatialized Noise) assessment today, and the results indicated that he has difficulty understanding speech in background noise (>3 SD below the mean), but that his spatial processing ability is within the normal range (1 SD below the mean). Apparently had he showed spatial difficulties it would have pointed towards CAPD, but as it was they couldn't give us a reason for his troubles.

Raven's Matrices - above 98th percentile (this was conducted by school this year to determine selection for the gifted program. They begrudgingly told me the result verbally when I asked why he was not included).

Conners Rating Scales for ADHD indicated attention problems, hyperactivity, impulsiveness & social problems.

In short there's an amazing little guy in there. He struggles in many ways, but his school achievement is great considering the deficits. I'm not exactly sure where we need to go next or what we can do for him. He doesn't receive any support or extension at school, though he's with an excellent teacher who has been amazing for him. Learning support seem to see him as not needing help.

I'm not really sure what I'm asking, but I'd appreciate any thoughts.

Given my history raising a similar child, if this were my child, I would ask that the learning support people help you get him OT for his handwriting difficulties, and perhaps the use of a scribe for classwork until the handwriting improves to the point where he is able to get what is in his head out on the paper. We started my son in OT at age 5, and provided him with a scribe and training in keyboarding as well as handwriting instruction. This was incredibly helpful to him in reducing his frustration with written work. The motor difficulties/handwriting issues are characteristic of Asperger's, as is the odd prosody. The psychologist who diagnosed my son with Asperger's noted that although he scored well within the ranges for ADD inattentive and ADD hyperactive on the Connor's, most of the behaviors that qualified him on that scale were Asperger's traits, and he seemed to have few actual difficulties sustaining attention during the testing and assessment period.

You might want to point out to the people who tested him for CAPD that there is a huge discrepancy between his spatial abilities and his other intellectual abilities. If they cannot diagnose CAPD despite the evidence of depressed spatial functioning, that doesn't mean that looking into accommodations for CAPD would be useless. Because of his difficulty processing language in noisy environments, he may experience life as if he has CAPD, and the sorts of coping strategies and instructional supports that are useful in CAPD might help him be more successful in situations where auditory processing is needed.

What kinds of help is he getting? It sounds like not much at school.


My DS8 (gifted/Asperger's) took a while to take to school. The writing component was a big issue. Sometimes this can be addressed through OT; our school refused to address it, so we worked on it through outside ABA therapy (lots of speed-writing and fluency drills).

Do you have access to a speech/language therapist to work on the speech and receptive language issues? I would recommend it.

Does your DS do as well with comprehending fiction as nonfiction? My DS has always tested far above grade level in reading, but when he was younger he really had a hard time reading fiction (plots usually revolve around social understanding); we have worked on that through lots and lots of exposure, and it's improved markedly over time. If it's a relative weakness, I'd say work on it, because by 4th grade they are typically learning things like history and social studies by reading fiction books that deal with those issues.

Schools in the US are required to address "functional" (not only academic) needs; which means that DS has had access to a limited amount of social skills training at school, as well as direct support for things like sitting still for instruction and learning to look like he's paying attention. This has helped him "do school" more successfully and not alienate teachers or other kids.

DS's attention did improve in the gifted pullout (smaller group is better) and when he got appropriately accelerated math. At age 6, I don't know what's available to your DS, but you probably do want to keep an eye on the appropriateness of material. That said, people with Asperger's also generally have a very hard time learning what they're not interested in-- we have found it necessary to constantly try to expand his interests and his flexibility, in order that he pay attention in school.

I'd also recommend that you check in with the parent forum at http://www.aspergersyndrome.org -- nice people who've solved a lot of tough problems.

DeeDee

I'm afraid I don't have much help to offer, but just wanted to let you know I understand the frustration that you are going through. My DS does not have the Asperger's diagnosis, but has the writing and attention problems. It is so frustrating to know how smart they are, but not see that brilliance translate into good grades and scores at school.

So was your son eventually included in the gifted program? How do you feel about having to ask why he wasn't included? I think that maintaining a good relationship with the school is important, if they can give him excellent-fit teachers, for example, that will help a lot, but OTOH, some of us have fallen into the trap of not asking for what our child needs in the name of maintaining a good relationship. I'm not saying that this particular gifted program would or wouldn't be a good place for your child, but your child is gifted, and it would be reasonable for them to call you in and share the data and discuss the pros and cons, yes?

Welcome,
Grinity

In the USA it's illegal to exclude a child from a public school gifted program on the basis of disability. I have the sense that you're not in the US, and I don't know what kind of school you're in, but you should definitely find out more about your rights.

DeeDee

Thank you all for your input. DeeDee correct, we are not in the USA. Australia, small private school.

He is doing OT, and it has made a big difference to him. I credit a lot of his increased performance at school this year to the work we have done there. We have not concentrated as yet on handwriting issues though, I will discuss this with his OT when we see her next week. I think the ideas given about using a scribe & computer are very good ones.



Essentially, lots of funding for non-school based services - he's been doing speech therapy (though we're on a break now), psychology, OT. He's made a lot of progress. Unfortunately the way the govt funding works here he is no longer eligible for much help when he turns 7 at the end of this year. Next year will be expensive, so I'd rather start getting more help through school organised.

School is a sore point. I was promised the world last year, still waiting for it to be delivered. On the plus side his teacher is one of the good ones, she works really well with him. She has experience with ASD children. She has a well ordered and controlled classroom that suits him so much more than the chaotic classroom he hated last year.

And no, he wasn't included in the gifted program. They tell me that due to limited budget they only have space for 6 children in the program from each year, and he was number 7. Considering most of his results are at worst top 3 across all subject areas (except sport & written expression) I strongly doubt that is the truth. If I thought the program was worth it I might fight, but having had two daughters go through it before I'm not convinced he's missing out on enough to make the battle worth it. Though I do think the small group would be good for him, regardless of the subject matter. I eventually moved the girls out of the school to access an outstanding gifted program elsewhere. He will move when he's old enough (& trustworthy enough) to endure the bus travel.


He does pretty well considering. Some things go completely over his head, particularly all the social ideas as you mentioned. I found that happened even with my older girls though, as they're reading a text designed for a 10yo with the eyes of a 6yo, lots of life experience is missing to help gain meaning. My 9yo is re-reading texts she read at 5 and has been telling me how much better they are the second time around

In our experience, a smart, organized, and understanding classroom teacher is one of the real key elements to success.


In a private school I imagine your rights are pretty limited (if it's anything like here). Sounds like you know the options well and will keep on top of it!

Best,
DeeDee