Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment Scores! Diagnosis!

Met with the Neuropsych this morning and got a report from her and got to talk with her for a while. Her diagnosis is ADHD, PDD-NOS and GAD with depressive tendencies. She had a lot of good recommendations in the report and also recommended a speech pathologist, to help with his communication skills, and a counselor she likes. She also spelled out the accommodations she feels he could use in a 504.

As for his test results, she said they may be an underestimate of his overall capabilities, but are 'likely an accurate reflection of his current functional level.'

(They are going to send me the full test results, this is what we in the report)

WISC-IV
VCI = 100
PRI = 145
WMI = 107
PSI = 109
FSIQ= 118

WIAT-III
Total SS = 115
Oral language SS = 113
Listening comprehension SS = 117
Oral Expression SS = 106
Reading proficiency SS = 122
Reading comprehension SS = 102
Average word reading SS = 118
Pseudoword decoding SS = 113
Written expression SS = 114
Alphabet fluency SS = 120
Sentence composition SS = 108
Spelling SS = 104
math SS = 110
Math problem solving SS = 124
Numerical operations SS = 93
Math fluency SS = 114
Addition SS = 112
Subtraction SS = 114


I haven't read much about the WIAT, so I'll have to look into that. She did list out what grade level each of the scores equated to, so that was helpful. I was surprised by how low his numerical operations score was. Not sure why that's so much lower.

I wasn't surprised his verbal WISC score was lower than his non-verbal, but WOW, that's a big difference. And I'm surprised the other scores are all so much lower as well.

I'll add more later on if I get a chance, but I just wanted to share. You guys have been so helpful and without you guys I don't know if we would have gotten all this info at this point!

Hi Amy,

Glad you got information you feel confident about. That's a wonderful step.

Why a 504 instead of an IEP? Usually people with this range of disabilities will benefit from special education services at school.

Did she give you treatment/therapy suggestions? We have seen great improvement with DS through targeted therapies.

FWIW we were told by a neuropsych that as you remediate deficiencies, test scores can change a lot, typically becoming both higher and less spiky.

Kudos to you for seeking good information to help your DS!

DeeDee

Wow, that has got to be quite a challenge with HG++ PRI scores and average VCI & others. Poor kiddo must be dealing with some major roadblocks. FWIW, my one dd with ADD tested much lower on WMI and PSI as well but I'm not sure if they are truly low so much as impacted by ADD. She's seriously fast, but she makes so many mistakes that PSI probably came out low due to mistakes not actual speed.

DeeDee - I would imagine because she knows the school district he's in and assumed he wouldn't qualify for an IEP due to not being behind in any subjects. I will follow-up with her though, since he won't be returning to that school. The charter school might be more open to an IEP in this situation.

Cricket - Well, DS is on Tenex, for his impulsiveness, so I'm sure that helped in those areas, but the Dr did say she didn't feel that part was being helped enough. She basically implied she felt his Tenex should be at a higher dose, IMO. She is sending a copy of the report to his psychiatrist, and we see him like next week, so we'll find out what he wants to do with all this then.

Glad you have some more info. Do you feel like this is on target?

Do you feel like the PDD-NOS is right? I know you were looking at Asperger's before. I found myself wondering about PDD-NOS the other day. I'd sort of forgotten about its existence. Is it going to go away with the new DSM, too?

We were told that IEPs were only available for children who were performing below grade level which virtually rules out 2e kids. 504 is pretty much our only option here and the funny thing is that my non-2e child has one while my 2e kid doesn't b/c we haven't been able to find any accommodations to write into a 504 that would actually help with her issues.

ulramarina - I believe it is all being lumped into the Autism diagnosis in the next DSM, yes. I do think PDD-NOS is probably a better fit than Asperger's, but, as always, the most important part is really getting him the right services, which I hope her report will help us with.

I feel like his WISC scores are lower than I expected (out side of the VCI and WMI... but even she said these could be under-representative. I think his PRI qualifies him for DYS.. so maybe I'll look at applying and see if we can't get even more help.

Wow this is soooo close to my son's profile. It would explain a lot. His VCI was very low compared to PRI and he is ADHD, GAD, borderline for Asperger's. It confirms a lot for me.

My (inexpert) understanding is that with gifted children - Aspergers you should see a high VCI and poorer PRI, Autism the high PRI and low VCI (or this would be PDD if the child does not meet all the criteria for Autism).

My daughter borderline for Aspergers but I actually think HFA is a better fit from my reading....

It's not that simple, unfortunately. People on the spectrum tend to have their own patterns of cognitive weaknesses and strengths, particular to the individual.

The main thing separating an HFA diagnosis from an Asperger's one is the presence or absence of a significant language delay in childhood.

I believe that marker will be downplayed in the new DSM; the proposed new definition focuses on social skills problems and patterns of repetitive interest and rigidity, which as I understand it should still easily encompass most people currently diagnosable with ASDs, including the gifted.

DeeDee