Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment HELP WISC 4& WIAT 2 results

I need the experts to tell me what's up! I am in China on a business trip so I have alredy typed thi once and lost it so I will give the basics and add more later.
She says we should review results with a neurologist- can someone give me any idea why and what they might be looking for? I asked about dsygraphia going into the test but she says we should rule out any other neurological possibilities) WHAT???
She opened with DS's" unique set of thinking and reasoning abilities make his overall intellectual functioning difficult to summarize by a single score on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children – Fourth Edition (WISC-IV). His verbal reasoning abilities are much better developed than his nonverbal reasoning abilities."
Results
WISC4
VCI 148
Similarities
37
19
99.9%
Vocabulary
46
16
98%
Comprehension
34
19
99.9%
PRI 123
Block Design
46
14
91%
Picture Concepts
18
11
63%
Matrix Reasoning
28
16
98%
WMI 94
Digit Span
13
8
25%
Letter-Number Sequencing
16
10
50%
PSI 126
Coding (CD)
54
14
91%
Symbol Search (SS)
33
15
95%
FSIQ 132

WIAT 2
Reading 117
Math 116
Written Language 99
Oral Language 119

a lot of other charts that show significant discrepancies between tests and subtests
Composite differences:
Reading/Written Language
Math/Written Language
Orl Language/Written Language

Noted difference bewteen Wisc and WIAT on a number of areas
HELP!!
Thanks!! I am going from factory to factory all over China but I will look as soon as I can!
Brandy
I may not be able to respond to questions right away sinc
Brandy

I am sure you noticed the significant discrepancy between your DS' working memory (WMI) and the other WISC IV index scores(VCI, PRI, PSI). This low WMI could very well be the source of the discrepancy between your DS' FSIQ and WIAT scores. According to a recent article in Child Development, low WMI predicts lower than expected achievement in reading and math and is a significant predictor of school underachievement. Here is a link to an overview of the article:

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog...ing-memory-problems-find-out-why-matters

Now as to what, neurologically, underlies the low WMI score, I have no idea. Your DS' WISC scores are superior to very superior except WMI.

Also, my DD had the same language in her report: her "unique set of thinking and reasoning abilities make her overall intellectual functioning difficult to summarize . . ."etc. I think that must be stock WISC report-writing code for a large discrepancy between index scores. Your DS has a 49 point spread between VCI and WMI-over three standard deviations. My DD had a similar spread between VCI and PSI.

Hope this helps some.

fwtxMom- Thanks! Yes I definitely noticed the spread and have been trying to figure out if it is some type of learning disability, dysgraphia- he DREADS writing, horrible speller, and awful handwriting.
Did you find that your daughter had dysgraphia, ADHD, NVLD or something else going on?
She said she would not rule out dysgraphia but wants to see if anything else neurological is going on. UGGGGG!
Thanks again!
BRandy

What you describe with your DS sounds like dysgraphia but his test scores seems to say something else. His Coding and Symbol Search are pretty high for a kid with dysgraphia. Generally dysgraphia will affect those scores. Perhaps this is why your tester is hesitant about saying dysgraphia?

My DS has dysgraphia and ADHD. He has a large discrepancy (41 points) between his PSI and PRI. His PSI is 100. His tester also gave him the Beery Visual Motor Integration test and he scored in the 37% for his age. I think between that, the low PSI (Coding and Symbol Search) and his symptoms we arrived at dysgraphia. His WMI is above average (113).

My DD has the huge discrepancy between her VCI and PSI but she has no learning issues. Her WIAT scores and her WISC scores lined up nicely. Apparently lower PSI is common in gifted kids and does not necessarily affect academic success but the low WMI can, per the article above.

Here is an article that suggests various possible causes for written output problems:

http://www.123helpme.com/view.asp?id=121667

Also Mel Levine's book "The Myth of Laziness" discusses various conditions that can lead to written output problems. Some are neurological. I would say that between your DS' lower WMI and atypically high PSI (for dysgraphia) the neurologist consult recommendation is spot on.

Good luck!

kcab- he was sick for a long time and he had been sick for a week prior to the test. I almost cancelled it because any baterial or viral infection can affect him now. He "lost" a lot of basic skills- he had to relearn multiplication at 8 and he had tuaght himself division when he was 6. So that may have a lot to do with it too.

FWTXMOM- thanks for the article and info on your kids. I am just searching for possibilities. Now i need a Neurologist in the DFW area!
Brandy