Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment The Enigma That is My DS

Wow, Polly, I could pick your brain all day. Thanks a ton for all of that info.

I love your suggestions. I do know that my DS was extremely nervous when we got to the doc's office the day of testing. So much so that he was clinging to me and didn't want to go back. A lady neuropsych tested him and while she was nice, she wasn't super warm to get him started. I walked back with them then walked out.

Admittedly I was concerned that they didn't know him at all and were testing him. He had to be tested to get into his Pre-K private school a few years back. He walked into a similar situation not knowing the testers. Half-way through the test they realized he was playing a trick on them by answering the correct answer to what had previously been asked. When they caught him he giggled then performed correctly. He is quite silly. He is also extremely bashful in certain atmospheres. He has really come into his own due to maturity the last year or so. So many of his quirks are harder to see as in you really have to look for them...but I digress.

Last thing the tester told me was that after lunch my son was spent. So basically whatever tests he did after lunch were a wash due to attention issues. What I didn't like was at the follow-up the lady who tested him was not in the meeting. It was the head doctor. I didn't say anything but I was confused. I had the initial interview with both docs but the results appointment with just the head male. Weird.

Your suggestions on timers, etc., are great. I'm trying to establish a homework routine right now. All in all my DS is really a good kid that wears me out! He historically has had a lot of ASD characteristics but those mirror so many other diagnosis. Getting the ADHD label gives me a point of reference to research now.

Regarding treatment: the suggestion was to do a 5 week computer course called Cogmed. Have you heard of it? Medication doesn't seem necessary to me right now either, but I definitely won't rule it out for the future. I'm thinking one day at a time right now. I'm just extremely scared of school becoming a huge obstacle, plus I think he would be excited by the projects in a gifted setting within his school. Our district does have a portfolio for qualifying by the way.



Sorry for novel!

And yes, that study is fascinating. Son hasn't been diagnosed with DCD but with all the OT we've invested in through his preschool years I wonder...he is so uncoordinated and clumsy. He used to run so awkward but he's a good runner now. In fact, (probably due to ADHD and they run on a motor) he will jog with me for a good 2.5 miles and can talk the entire time. Ha!

So when in all that line-up of tests was the wisc given? Are you saying it was after lunch? Certainly not ideal if it was later in the line-up.

I feel like you deserve to talk to the tester that actually tested your DS.

One thing I was going to mention about the block design subtest is it is first. They put it first because it looks friendly to most kids, supposed to be a non-threatening way to start off. My DS didn't do as well on this subtest as the other non-verbal ones. I thought it might be that it being the first subtest he may not have been settled down, maybe a bit anxious or hyper. He does have coordination issues but it doesn't seem to affect his speed on jigsaw puzzles at home. So it felt sort of like a stretch to assume that fine motor speed impeded him, I just don't see how arranging some blocks can take that long...maybe I don't have a good handle on that subtest. For my DS it could also just have been that he didn't care enough about speed, I can see him fiddling around making something interesting with the blocks before getting around to doing the actual question.

That is great there is a portfolio option for the gifted program at your DSs school. It would be nice if there weren't a necessity to do a different IQ test.

Polly