Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Twice Exceptional Diagnosis - Sensory Issues, Giftedness, ADHD?

We start cognitive testing Tuesday. We know that our son has sensory issues in the sense that his senses are acute. He also likes messy play and rough housing, but the sensory issues aren't extremely pronounced. I can tell his tired and has had too much when he starts being silly or very irritable. He has poor handwriting and does get distracted. However his focus is pretty normal at home sitting at the table working on homework. His handwriting is legible but not great, but he actually scored really well during our OT testing with manipulating things with his hands.

How can I be sure we find the right diagnosis, and how do I know that his sensory issues aren't part of (poor description, but I don't know how to phrase this) "normal giftedness quirks". How can he be so "normal" when we are together despite his challenges with handwriting and thinking he knows everything? How can a doctor differentiate distraction from sensory issues and acute senses verses ADHD? The kid gets distracted, but has a memory like a steal trap? He also seems to have a certain amount of control of his behaviors. Is it ADHD, sensory overload, or boredom in class?

Any ideas?

How old is your son? Boys tend to be "slower" at developing their frontal lobes. Boys are more likely to be misdiagnosed with ADHD just because they take longer to develop.

Below are sources from experts specializing in making the distinction between gifted vs. disorder or both.

- "Misdiagnosis and Dual Diagnosis of Gifted Children and Adults" James T. Webb

- "The Mislabeled Children" Brock & Fernette Eide

- http://www.sengifted.org/programs/seng-misdiagnosis-initiative

Also consider checking out "Living with intensity". Your description of heightened senses matches the author's description of Dabrowski's sensual overexcitability. I haven't finished the book yet but it has been helpful so far in recognizing some issues we are facing are pretty common for gifted kids.

@ SAHM - I absolutely agree. ( I have read about overexcitabilities). However with our dismal IQ testing results our DS is showing up "Low-Average". He didn't want to cooperate. Everyday it's a new issue at school. We have no evidence to support what we know and what everyone else observes - ds is one smart kid.

If we survive kindergarten without being kicked out, maybe the 1st grade can test him. He will be in a different better school.

My daughter is 11 and OMG we have went through it with her. I had her tested young and she came to only have a 118 IQ even though I knew it was much higher. She would daze and ignore anything that wasn't exciting to her. We had her in a top private school and she started zoning out. We had her psychologically tested as the school was stating she had ADD. Well she didn't. She is very creative and gifted in arts and language. I started reading about gifted kids and overexcitabilities and my daughter so has the imaginational and emotional ones. It described her to a "t". She created a video game with graphics and everything at age 8 and posted to game site and overnight got over 1000 likes. As far as academics she is suffering. She is so smart but has decided she doesn't want to do the work. Positive reinforcement doesn't work with her. I have a 7 year old son who scored 130 IQ at 3 years old and he has conformed to school settings but has another set of overexcitabilities. I believe he has psychomotor, sensual, and intellectual. He watches mitosis and meiosis videos for fun. They did diagnose him with ADHD and autism when I don't really think he has that. Any advice would be great as I don't know how to keep my kids happy and academically enriched.

Oh ps daughter told me she didn't try on IQ and son had very superior scores but he got below average which averaged to 130. He told me he didn't understand the directions the examiner gave him. He is very visual and they gave it orally.

My daughter is 11 and OMG we have went through it with her. I had her tested young and she came to only have a 118 IQ even though I knew it was much higher. She would daze and ignore anything that wasn't exciting to her. We had her in a top private school and she started zoning out. We had her psychologically tested as the school was stating she had ADD. Well she didn't. She is very creative and gifted in arts and language. I started reading about gifted kids and overexcitabilities and my daughter so has the imaginational and emotional ones. It described her to a "t". She created a video game with graphics and everything at age 8 and posted to game site and overnight got over 1000 likes. As far as academics she is suffering. She is so smart but has decided she doesn't want to do the work. Positive reinforcement doesn't work with her. I have a 7 year old son who scored 130 IQ at 3 years old and he has conformed to school settings but has another set of overexcitabilities. I believe he has psychomotor, sensual, and intellectual. He watches mitosis and meiosis videos for fun. They did diagnose him with ADHD and autism when I don't really think he has that. Any advice would be great as I don't know how to keep my kids happy and academically enriched.

I am wondering how it is that you know she doesn't have ADHD? How was it ruled out? Was it the behavior rating scales didn't yield significant enough numbers? Or the tests the psych gave (like working memory tests, NEPSY, computer tests)? IS it just her OEs that cause the inattentiveness and zoning out?

Psychologist did attention test and rating scale was used. They did a computer test that had her hit spacebar if a certain letter appeared to see if she was attentive;)

Psychologist said nothing was wrong so I started researching and found the OE which described her totally. She would say things happened that didn't and really believe what she was saying. She thinks her stuffed animals are human an she's 11. She is very talented in art, music, and graphic design and most of the day at school will draw and make stories instead of work. She has been labeled as being bad at school. I ha e tried everything with her and she has the I don't care attitude. She is an a avid reader and when she does reports she will write every single detail of a thing that doesn't matter for a report. Ex full description of a tree and how the leaves will sway. She cannot generalize.

Not to be alarming, but what you've posted is very suggestive of a girl with Asperger's. The failure to recognize others' priorities is sometimes strong will, but sometimes a social skills deficit. Likewise the failure to generalize is frequently associated with kids on the autism spectrum.

There is AFAIK no proof that the theory of OEs has any validity, and IME they're often used to excuse real issues that should be treated. It sometimes happens that a gifted kid also has other issues, and that those should be dealt with.

My feeling is that since school is going so poorly, it would valuable to have the school and parents together troubleshoot what's going on and teach her the necessary skills, rather than just writing off the problems as OEs. Just my two cents.