Hi
I am new here but at the moment at a crossroads. As background my second and youngest child (4.5 yrs) has been assessed as HG on WPPSI (but psych feels likely more EG). She was a self-taught reader from two (very obsessed with books and would push me to read many books to her), first words around 8 months, speaking in sentences at 16 months, singing whole songs at 13 months etc. The dilemma is not this child but my older son who has never been tested. Whilst he verbally was similarly early (and possibly spoke in greater volumes) he never taught himself to read/ read early. He did memorise his books before or around 2 though and seemed to really enjoy books at least up to starting school. he started daycare at 20 months when carers immediately remarked that he would be having complete conversations with them and enjoyed regaling stories to the other children and making them laugh. Also highly curious during the preschool years - the questions were so profuse (and often difficult to answer) that they almost drove my husband over the edge. Obsession with death and anxiety issues over it came at just 3. Told me santa could not possibly make it around the world in one night at 3/4. His constant and creative experimenting and messiness in doing so almost drove me over the edge! His preschool teacher described him as exceptionally verbal, also highly intuitive and observant of detail. They thought he was possibly gifted or at least highly intelligent - they experienced his constant questions which took the class past the boundaries and to a different place(they have never mentioned this re my daughter). He has always been extremely social and also a great negotiator with us and highly manipulative.
Fast Forward to school. Does above average in grade one (first teacher thinks possibly gifted at outset) but identifies fine motor difficulties. Darcy starts reading but follows an average to above average timeline. Grade 2 also does well (never to the extent we expected though) - - writing is below average (fine motor again), maths excellent, reading assessed as high achievement (to my disbelief as I found he avoided it at home and seemed slow and stilted when reading aloud). This year (gr. 3) his reading just makes average (avoiding reading more), writing and english now below grade average. Maths is interesting - with work which does not involve reading he is near top of class, but with maths problems which involve a lot of reading he now falls to very average. The teacher says he is extremely social but also highly self-conscious when asked to perform in front of peers, highly imaginative, tends to concentrate on things that don't matter though, mind races ahead of writing (ideas are great but they don't translate). he also suffers from a high degree of anxiety, procrastinates and almost finds it impossible to make a decision even over the smallest things, emotionally appears highly sensitive (eg. in grade one cried for weeks on hearing his school had been burnt by an arsonist and was also very anxious about it).

Does anyone have any ideas/comments that may help? Has anyone experienced anyting similar - particularly such a discrepancy between siblings? Should I have him tested? I mentioned that he may have a reading issue/disability but they said he is performing at the average level so does not qualify for learning support. Thank you so much for listening and my apologies for such a long post. Tiz

Do you have a place where you could get your DS fully assessed for possible learning disabilities and GT? It sounds like it may definitely be worth it. I would be surprised if he weren't gifted to some degree. Does he like school? Does it seem like a fit for him?

Hi kimck

Thanks for your quick response and interest Yes, he loves school in a social sense - he seems very popular and the other children find him very funny. his teacher also says he is full of energy and seems to really like learning. IT is the reading that bothers me - very turned off reading aloud and hates doing his homework.

I could take him to the same psych that tested by daughter she is a gifted specialist. I feel a bit funny as he is performing so average.

I would explain to the psychologist exactly what you described in your post. I would think she would be happy to help you understand your son's strengths and weaknesses and how to help him with reading.

If you suspect a learning problem, I think the sooner you find out what's going on, the better. Then you will have time to help him before he gets too behind.

I think it's a crime that schools wait until children are failing to give them services, but maybe there are things you can do for him outside of school.

Tiz2008 - welcome!! Your DS sounds very similar to my DS10. He started talking about 8 months, speaking in full sentences about 15 months, etc. However, he did not teach himself to read and when he did learn to read he'd start out on one line and then wind up on another line, he'd reverse words (saw for was) and his handwriting was atrocious (sadly still is). He was reading way above grade level and making great grades so his teachers kept telling me nothing was wrong and that it was just a maturity issue. I finally had enough and told his teacher this past year something was wrong and I wanted to know what to do. She gave me an OT check list and all of his problems feel under visual perception issues. I had him evaluated and he has a visual tracking/perception problem and he has been receiving therapy for it since last October. It has made a world of difference in his life and I only wish I had found out the problem sooner. Check out www.covd.org for more information if this sounds like something that might be going on with your DS.

I have told this story many times here and I am sure people are tired of hearing about it - LOL!!!! - so if you want more information send me a pm. Look under my stuff at the top and go to messages. Hope this helps!!! I know how frustrating these things can be.

Welcome Tiz. I second what the others said. Just from your brief post, it could be gifted/LD combo. Since you're asking the question, you need to pursue it. If you have someone specialized in testing gifted kids, all the better. And i would definitely pursue visual perceptual issues as well. The sooner the better.

Oh yes, it's a crime that a child has to fall 1-2 grade belows before the school will assess. And often with these kids, who have involved parents at home, the parents keep them from falling that far behind or else their intellect compensates for some time before a problem is bad enough for the school to take notice.

Good luck and welcome again!
Dazey

Thanks so much to everyone for their useful input - I really appreciate it. I have now booked the iq test for the psychologist - WISC IV. She also wanted to know if I needed the achievement test as well (WIAT) - I was thinking yes, as this may serve to further show if there is a LD - does anyone have any comments on this?

thanks again,
Tiz

Yes, i would definitely do the achievement test. I think it will help to paint a clearer picture.

Yes, Dazed&Confused that was exactly how I was feeling. Thanks Tiz

I am resurrecting this thread in order to gratefully thank both EandCmom and Grinity for recommending I take DD6 to a behavioral optometrist.

I used the above link, EandCmom, to find one in my area and made an appointment. I just got off the phone with her and she was great. She seemed to know exactly what I was talking about when I gave the history and asked tons of questions that were so relevant to what I have been observing with DD.

What compelled me to finally make the appointment was this link:

http://www.eyecanlearn.com/

I can't remember who posted it originally, but thank you!

I thought DD for sure had a tracking issue, so I had her play the "games" which may indicate if the child is having some trouble.
No issues. In fact I went down the whole list and she quickly and easily did all the "games" as she does with most new activities. But when we got to the section for visual perception she was literally stopped in her tracks. She could not do 4 out of the 5 excercises.

Now obviously this is not a diagnostic tool, but it was enough to warrant the appointment and I am very pleased with the Doctor I found throught the COVD website.

Either way I will be so happy to either address the issue or rule out a visual processing disorder.

I will follow up in a few weeks when I have more information, but this is something I would have had no idea about checking into had it not been for the kind people willing to share and participate on this board.

((warm hugs))

I'm so glad I could help 'Neato!!!! I hope nothing is going on with your DD but if there is, I really hope the doctor can help. My DS's perception is now perfectly normal and while his tracking still isn't where we'd completely like it to be, he is on grade level now. The therapy really has helped him and hopefully, if something is going on with your DD, it will help her too. She is young too so it will be wonderful if you can catch it this early!!

Glad I could help and keep us posted on how the meeting goes!!!

Thanks for the update!

Opinion. Have him tested. More information is usually better. Statistically... you know... and it sounds like you are in denial. One of the most profoundly gt kids we know didn't read early but when he "learned" he jumped 8-9 graded reading levels in the year. Everyone has there favorites but I'd go for a quickie WISC and WJ with the follow-up being a conversation about the results and general counseling. plus if you 'need' the testing to help with counseling your insurance may help defer the cost.

Hi, I am new here. I only have one son. The WIAT was about 145. He is bore at school. I believed he is "underachievement". Can I apply to DI Young Scholars?

Here is a link to the DYS criteria. DYS Young Scholars You can do it w/ only one test score + portfolio items but from what I've read, it's harder to get in that way.

welcome!

Hi Tiz!
Welcome. I'm so glad you are here!
I think it's a great move that you are going for testing. It's really hard internally to get over the 'well the teacher says it ain't broke, so what's wrong with me for wanting to fix it?' BTDT - what a waste.

Now, I'm going to be a bit of a grump, or perhaps my outward-directed perfectionism is showing, but are you really thrilled about your tester? You didn't seem to be head over heels in any of your posts, and I'm wondering with your son that you might need a real superhuman type to unravel his mystery. HG isn't 'garden variety' gifted, so if you aren't dazzled by your daughter's tester, don't be afraid to say - hey - if this were easy, we would have figured it out by now, I'm going to travel for this one.

Maybe you can list your top 5 areas where you can stay with relatives plus your home (don't tell us which is which) and we can PM you our favorite testers.

I'm not trying to put your current tester down, and they may be the the best choice, but I want to support you if there is a worried spot in you that says, "This is really unusual and I need to travel for this one."

After all, if you was so impressed by your tester after your daughter's experience, you would have signed your son up right away, even if it meant being embarrassed by his 'average' output, no?

Either Way - Best Wishes,
Grinity