Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Twice Exceptional Higher IQ, low processing speed and daily fatigue

Not being a medical doctor and not having a particular family example, I didn't want to point at a specific diagnosis. But when blood sugar is either unavailable or quickly depleted articles I've read say you might expect crashes (e.g. 10 minutes activity then exhaustion,) muscle fatigue, and vision problems. Common glucose management issues could include hypoglycemia, diabetes, dietary issues, etc.

I'm new to this board and felt compelled to add my 2 cents. I am the mother of an amazing ds with an IQ of 150. His processing speed is 40 points lower, so naturally I was concerned. I recently spoke with the someone who helped me understand the issue a little more. She compared my son;s mind to that of a ferrari, always working at high performance. She said his processing skills were like having non performance tires on a ferrari. The engine is working at a high capacity, but the tires are holding it back.
Don't worry, this is something that can be improved. It's a matter of working with your child to develop skills that help him slow down a little, learn to think through a process and proceed in a way that works best for him.
We are currently giving our son 3 tasks to complete and no other instructions. He has to map his way through the process. It really seems to be helping.
Hope this was a little helpful.
All the best!

Sagemom,

Love your description. My son is age 16 and 2E with very slow processing. His doctor described his brain as a Ferrari with a Fiat Transmission. It's a beautiful machine but will only go as fast as the transmission allows.

Another metaphor the doctor use to describe my son:
You are the village elder. People all around you are going to get whipped up over this, that and the other. They will come to you for wisdom. You'll tell them to go away while you think long and hard about it for a while. You'll take your time thinking deeply, looking at it from various angles. Then, you'll come up with an amazing answer that no-one else has thought of. Maybe you should think about a career working in a "think" tank.

Funny thing was that in 9th grade, he took a science class called Aerodynamics and the Physics of Flight. His teacher (who didn't know about his challenges) told me that my son frequently came up with very unique solutions/answers that no-one else thought of.

I guess it gave us a chuckle and a way to cope with the late discovery of his 2E issues (end of 9th grade). He is a junior now.

My son has a very large spread in test results as well (low single digits to high nineties) - processing speed is particularly slow along with "graphomotor impairment" (which I believe is fine motor dysgraphia) and ADHD.

He gets very tired! It takes him a tremendous amount of mental energy to get through each school day.

I hope this helps someone!

I hope this adds a little levity. I've found it very comforting to know that there are others out there dealing with similar issues.

I would look at:

Developmental Coordination Disorder/Developmental Dyspraxia
Sensory Processing Disorder (esp. visual and auditory)
ADHD

These three things tend to go together so you may be dealing with them all. Wikipedia has a good page on Developmental Coordination Disorder.


My DD is exceptionally slow with processing when she is not medicated for her ADHD but "almost" normal when medicated. For instance if she is not medicated and I ask her what is 10-7 I might get a blank stare but she answers within a second when medicated.