I took DD(almost 5) to a counselor this week for a possible ADHD evaluation, and she is suggesting IQ testing, too. She thinks it will help place her in an appropriate classroom for K. This lady doesn't do IQ testing, so I called the person who did DS's. She says she doesn't give the WPPSI, and doesn't know anyone in the area that does. Now I'm not sure what to do. If money were no object, I would take her to John's Hopkins, but I just can't justify that. How did you find a tester in your area?

Here's my usual link to get you started: http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/psychologists.htm

These are all testers recommended by parents of GT kids, not people who paid to advertise. In fact, if you find a good one not listed, please contact Carolyn K. at Hoagies so she can add the person.

HTH!

http://www.incrediblehorizons.com/mimic-adhd.htm

Before you go the ADHD route and medicate, please look at the above link.

We will definitely NOT be medicating. I just want to find a teacher that will be understanding of her limitless energy and questions. I know from experience with DS, that a good teacher is the difference between a great year and a terrible year.

Thanks, I did look on there, and the one person listed in my state in not near us.

Hi RJH - Since you can't find a tester listed on Hoagies, I would try both of the following: contact your local college or university to check if there is an education post-grad program. I would find out if they have any testers, etc. I remember my university had counselors who could administer a battery of tests. If they can't assess children, ask if they can recommend someone who does. I would find out if VA has a state gifted organization, network through that resources and locate a tester. VA Gifted HTH and Good luck!

Don't forget to check state(s) near you if you're anywhere near the border. We technically went out of state for our tester, but it was a much shorter drive than it would have been if we'd gone to one in-state.

Probably obvious, but just to be safe...

We too had no luck with the Hoaghies list. We spent lots of hours googling testing + gifted + our state and eventually found somebody we liked. Is there a gifted organization in your state? Contact them and ask for a recommendation.

You can also check with the private gifted schools or magnet schools near you that require testing. I have found that some of them near us actually have lists of recommended testers for admissions testing. At least one in our area has the list on line, links to the testers websites and everything!

Another thought is to try the nearest children's hospital. Ask for the psychology or neuropsychology office and ask if they have experience in testing gifted kids. The one in Chicago admitted they don't offer testing for gifted kids but then offered me a list of 4 names of psychologists they recommended for such testing.

HTH!

LMom (and everyone else!): If you found a tester you liked who was not on the Hoagies list, did you let Carolyn K. know who it was? If not, please do.

I had our wonderful tester put on the Hoagies list. Before that she wanted to specialize in GT kids, but she didn't have the business. (GT kids was where her heart and her training were!) But once I got her posted on Hoagies, she is now specializing 100% in GT kids. Yay!

Carolyn wants the referrrals on Hoagies. The testers who want to specialize in GT kids want the referrals, and we parents want the specialists. It's win-win-win!

End of public service announcement...

Thanks everyone! I have sent a ton of emails, so I hope I will find a tester through one of them.

You may also want to keep in mind that she may be high in the psychomotor OE. When DS was in 2nd grade, his teacher of three days told me I needed to take him to see a nueropsychologist and have him medicated. I was shocked. I did a lot of research online, and that's when I began attending the annual NAGC and SENG conferences.

In conferring with others at the conferences I learned about Dabrowski's Theory of Positive Disintegration and the OEs (overexcitabilties), sometimes referred to as Super Sensitivities or Stimulatabilities, but also can be thought of as a high intensity factor.

It is not uncommon for psychologists to misdiagnose a child with the psychomotor OE as ADHD. I've found three places you can go to begin looking into this if you'd like:

http://www.sengifted.org/articles_social/Lind_OverexcitabilityAndTheGifted.shtml

http://giftedkids.about.com/od/gifted101/a/overexcite.htm

http://www.stephanietolan.com/dabrowskis.htm

Hope this information is insightful if not helpful.

OMgosh, this one describes my DD to a tee. I mean everything on this page. I will be printing it to take to the Dr tonight. Thanks so much!

I found two great testing options! Regent University (local here) has a psychology department where students getting their masters will perform IQ testing for $50! And a place called Learning Rx will do the WJ-III Cog and Achievement for $99. So I might just do both

Great! Good luck! That is quite inexpensive... I think I'll call our local Learning Rx and see if they also offer the achievements at a reasonable price.