Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Twice Exceptional LD masking actual IQ?

I've heard before about LD's masking giftedness, but was wondering if any of you have experience with taking an IQ test before and after DX with an LD. Are there ways for a tester to take an LD into account when evaluating someone?

My 2E daughter actually had a FSIQ in the gifted range after 2yrs of remediation, therapy and diet intervention. Previously her profile was so spikey a FSIQ could not be calculated and giftedness (and LD!) were not mentioned at the first assessment.

Her VIQ did not shift at all. 126 both times - 2yrs apart, different tests and different testers. Working memory went from the 13th to the 79-87th (this has been tested multiple times recently in different ways and now hovers between these scores), visual/spatial went from about the 85-90th to 99th.

I think that the WMI truly has changed and has had a profound effect on her functioning in the world. I think the visual spatial was always her strength, but she had some visual issues, dyslexia, left right crossing issues, etc, which were masking her performance there. So I genuinely believe the measured changes in those areas reflect improvement through remediation.

DS has had two IQ tests, two years apart and they are both very spiky. He has HFA. In both cases, the testers said that the full scale score was not reliable. It was 111 on the first WISC and 126 on the second WISC. The first tester thought that his score on the matrices subtest was the most indicative of his "true" IQ.

I think the WISC underestimates my child's actual abilities. Two years after starting therapy, DS took the COGAT. He had been grade accelerated one year, so we had scores compared to his age group and scores compared to his grade level. His overall age-matched percentile was 97%, with 99% in math. His grade-matched percentile was 93% with 99% in math.

Are you asking if the tester can make accommodations based on knowledge of an LD on an IQ test? You can receive accommodations on achievement tests, but usually accommodations aren't given on an innate ability IQ test such as the WISC/SB/WJ-III because they are specifically designed to measure different types of abilities. Our ds did receive an accommodation when he was given the GogAT, but that's a learned ability test, which is a different type of test.

IQ scores can definitely go up though for a student who's had an LD diagnosed post-testing and then received remediation which allowed them to improve their abilities in the area that was low prior to diagnosis.

Our ds has had the WISC before and after diagnosis, and after handwriting OT but his dysgraphia and fine motor challenges aren't going to go away, they are a part of who he is, and his subtest score that is impacted by that challenge was consistent before and after diagnosis.

polarbear

Your mileage may vary, but I've read many cognitive reports that go beyond the scores to offer a professional opinion about how valid the scores are given the circumstances. For example, the report might say that the full scale IQ is not judged to be a true summary of the child's cognitive ability because of disparities in the subscores. Those disparities may be results or indications of a learning disability. Or the behavioral observations might note that the student had difficulty sustaining attention. This is rare because of testing is one-on-one and most of the questions will be in the "goldilocks zone" of not too easy, not too difficult.

I used to give academic assessments in my school district, and I did have to give so many accommodations to autistic students, in particular, just to get through testing, that the actual scores were not valid. At the same time, I also recognize that the tests aren't much of an indication of what the child can do, either, due to how that particular disability impacts testing.

The WISC allows the tester to also give a score called the GAI, in addition to FSIQ. That can be more indicative of ability for some gifted/KD kids because it places less emphasis on working memory and processing speed.

The report does mention a GAI score. FSIQ is 126 and GAI is 130. I'm more concerned that due to the scatter between the VCI and PRI "true" IQ is not being measured. The most significant scatter though IS between VCI and WMI 137 vs. 110, which is taken into consideration with the GAI.

VCI--114
PRI--137
WMI--110
PSI--112