Thanks again for so much useful information. If I am understanding correctly there can be 2 different uses of this diagnosis - one implying an Aspergers type profile and one just a cluster of results where other skills pale in comparison to the super high verbal abilities. Am I interpreting correctly? Most people, however, are not likely to understand this dual purpose and may assume/assign social issues to DD that aren't actually a problem. (I had to laugh at the idea of DD showing subtle traits that we overlooked. I vividly remember the 2 year old who used to "mirror" whatever body language she saw. Whenever a well meaning adult kneeled down or bent over with their hands on their knees to make eye contact and speak to her on her own level DD would do the same, making her eye level even lower...) Is it possible that her social skills are actually advanced - like her verbal abilities - and what we may be asking her to do is "dumb it down"?
I checked out that yahoo group - I will need to set up a Yahoo account to join. Thanks. Again though it is listed as Gifted NLD/AS - this points out where my discomfort is coming from...
The other day we were at a birthday party - ironically for a new friend she met on that cruise where she "should" have been seen as making the other kids uncomfortable. Huge excited hello, big hugs for the birthday girl. Then all of the kids off in their own direction to play in the large play gym where it was being held. I observed to see if I should be concerned. DD would have much rather be playing with another child than on her own but respected the "rules" of this group that all were playing on their own. Once a group started playing together she joined. Later, after the limo ride (don't ask!) back to the birthday girl's home she was 100% one of the group - as if she had known all the kids for years. I realize my vision may be skewed but does this sound like a kid who has social issues? Yes she was a bit sad when she had to play alone at first since she is VERY social and would have preferred to be with someone right away but she adjusted to the group dynamic and followed their unwritten rules.
I had tried to find someone who specialized in 2e and went through Dr. Beljan to get the referral to the first guy we saw last November. That was a disaster - totally useless "report" that was deemed to be invalid. When I spoke to this neuropsych about his 2e experience he said that his practice has found that you get better results without a specific area of specialty - you diagnose without blinders on so to speak. He assured me he sees many, many gifted kids (and the area where he is located makes me believe that) and he was highly recommended by our consultant. I can't try to substitute my own untrained opinion for his on things like the ADHD-I diagnosis but I can recognize that it is known to be an issue with gifted kids. Yes, we will be going back for a follow up meeting after the report is written. In the meantime the psych plans to speak with him - hopefully that will help.
I have now entered the discouraged almost panicky part of this journey. I am hoping the psych we found will coordinate with this neuropsych and together they will present the information in a way that will help the school understand how to meet her needs. I just can't help the feeling that with the principal already making very, VERY poor decisions for DD we may just be providing her more weapons for her arsenal rather than ways to improve things. Unfortunately we had to decide that day about releasing the yet-to-be-written report into her educational file. If the district was going to pay for it we had to sign all the releases before the testing began. It is now going to be a part of her permanent record - good, bad or indifferent...
