Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment Is testing my child making a spectacle of him?

I have got use to people acting funny towards me since my 2 year and 10 month old is highly gifted. He is already reading and has a very large vocabulary. He also loves numbers and counts well into the hundreds in English and Spanish. His pediatrician said he's a savant and referred him to a psychatrist for a neuropsych to more accurately gage his abilities and see if there are any disabilites. Someone, who I thought was my friend, but has been rolling his eyes and acting strange anytime my son spells a word, said that I am making a spectacle of my child by allowing doctors to test him. He also said he doesn't need any special education and can do fine in normal schools. He accused me of making him feel different than other children by allowing the testing. I don't know what to do. I figured going along with the testing would better help me understand what he needs. I think my son already knows he is different. He already barely speaks to any of his peers at day care, seems very frusterated, and only prefers adult conversation. I am so sad that this guy doesn't get that I am just trying to do what is best for Isaiah, not make a spectacle of him.

Quote:


"Let's start with the question of when to test.  When is the gifted child too young / too old for testing? The best time to test for giftedness is when a question needs to be answered.  School selection, educational placement decisions, early kindergarten, these are the kinds of questions that need an answer grounded in a comprehensive assessment, including testing.  The recommended ages to begin to answer these questions, and therefore the recommended ages to test for giftedness are from ages 5 to 8.  Note that there is a ceiling effect for gifted 5-year-olds on the WPPSI (Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence); if possible, wait to test the gifted child on the WISC (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children) after the child's sixth birthday.

By age 8 most gifted children already need to have accommodations in place for their appropriate education. Negative effects, such as underachievement and withdrawal, can start in the early elementary years in gifted children. Twice exceptional gifted children's learning disabilities can seriously affect test results by age 8. Early identification is key to proper social and academic placement for the gifted child."

http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/why_test.htm

Hoagies inventory of tests & what they mean

http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/tests.htm

"What the tests don't tell us

Some psychologists and counselors believe that a particular pattern of individual IQ subtest scores suggest a certain type of learning disability or weakness.  You might hear that a wide variation between verbal and performance scales on an IQ test (depending who you talk to, 2 or 3 standard deviations or 30 or 45+ standard scale points) for example, indicates a learning disability.  While this is a widespread assumption, research does not support this theory.  Read IQ Subtest Analysis: Clinical Acumen or Clinical Illusion? for a research-based explanation of why subtest analysis may not be good science at this time.  That said, many testers and researchers find that subtest scores combined with clinical or classroom observation IS an excellent indication of possible learning disabilities.

That said, in the hands of a twice exceptional experienced tester, subtest scores combined with personal observations will point to areas where further evaluation might be needed to confirm or deny learning disabilities in a gifted child.  The WJ-III cognitive, with it's large variety of subtests, is said to provide the most information in the potential identification of twice exceptional (gifted and learning disabled) children."

http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/tests_tell_us.htm

I've been reading that said a lot. If you just need a qualifying iq score to get in a program you can use any tester just fine. If you suspect possible 2e find a tester who specializes in testing gifted children so they have enough experience knowing what they're looking at. The three I've heard of are the Denver gifted center, dr. Amand, and Aimee Yermish. I think there's a list in the Davidson database- the square icon in the links box in the sidebar above Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

It wouldn't be making a spectacle of him, because the testing would be private. However, unless your pediatrician has some reason to suspect disabilities, I think the suggestion that your son be tested at such a young age is very strange. Is there some reason to test him now? I only ask because absent the specter of LDs, it seems like a big waste of money and time; you can't use the scores for access to services, and they won't really be useful in raising him either. Everything I read also says that the younger you test a small child, the less accurate the results may be long-term.

ETA: I agree with ColinsMum; if you're not worried at all about autism, I'd consider turning down testing at this stage.

DS4 was doing similar at that age. We aim to test at 6, so that hopefully it is more accurate, but know that he is at least HG in the meantime. We have been able to skip K without testing. I don't think testing will make a spectacle of him but unless you have concerns about disabilities it is probably worth waiting. It can be an isolating but an interesting journey nonetheless.

The use of the word "savant" and "disabilities" and the suggestion of testing at such a young age makes me think that your pediatrician wants your son tested for autism, rather than for giftedness. Here's hoping that the result is "it's OK, he's not autistic, just gifted" but you certainly can't expect to get good information about how gifted at this age. If I were you, I would present the testing to other people (if you need to mention it at all) as being to rule out autism, anyway; that's much easier for people to accept, I think.

Do you have any concerns in that direction yourself? If you feel absolutely confident that there's nothing going on except giftedness, you might want to turn down the testing.

I say this in the most supportive way possible. You have said many times that people around you are saying something is wrong with the way your child is spelling all of the time, not playing with toys appropriately, not interacting with peers. You said he plays with older kids but is he playing like older kids (pretend play, for example?) or are they just more accepting of the fact that he doesn't want to play? I'd get him tested. It's possible he is highly gifted AND has Asperger syndrome, in which case he will still be the amazing, brilliant kid you know and love and he can still live a happy full life but he's going to benefit from very specific support and you are going to have a lot of new things to learn about how best to help him. From your posts it sounds like you are very scared of a diagnosis other than gifted and very defensive when people around you are saying something might be wrong (understandably). However, it also sounds like it is very possible there is something in addition to a high IQ going on. The neuropsych will be able to tell you. It's really going to be ok, a diagnosis is not a death sentence at all and will only help him get support to lead a happier life.

Good luck and I hope you get the answers you are looking for. If people want to argue with you about your decision to get him tested just tell them your doctor advised you do it and you are taking your doctor's advice, even if it means wasting some time.

I am going to try and answer all of the questions here. I am sure that my son is gifted due to is rapid development, especially in the area of language, however I have had concerns that he also has a disability as well. Mainly because he strongly resists change and reacts in dramatic temper tantrums anytime things don't go exactly his way. He also does not socialize with his peers at daycare.

He is very social and outgoing with older childre and adults, has a great sense of humor, and enjoys make believe play. I do have concerns about him being mildly autisic or having Aspberger's. I believe his pediatrcian does as well and this is why he is sending him for a neuropsych evaluation.

His pediatrician specifically said he has high IQ/Savant abilities especially in the area of language and that he is considering him a non autisic savant at this time but he is no expert. He said this is why he is sending him for a neuropsych to gage his abilities and/or any disabilities. By this statement he obviously is concerned autism is a possibility and so am I. If I was not concerned I'd have him tested older, just for placement in school.

One thought to factor in your line: "He also does not socialize with his peers at daycare."

If he is highly advanced, then a group of kids who coincidentally share his birth year are not necessarily his peers. If you plop a five or six year in with a group of two and three year olds, what would happen? Of course interests more like a five or six year old with the emotional control closer to the calendar age.

Ignore your "friends" and go get him tested. If he is on the Autism spectrum, early intervention is incredibly important. Without it, his temper tantrums will continue, and probably get worse. You think a temper tantrum is bad now? Wait until he's 8 hears old and weighs over 50lbs! Find a well-respected neuropsychologist or developmental pediatrician and get on the waiting list (it can easily take 9-12 months to get in to be evaluated.)

Your response sounds very sensible to me. Ignore your friends and get him tested--but try to find someone with expertise in both giftedness and ASDs.