DD sounds like your son. She has a hard time getting thoughts out of her head, but I finally figured out that for her it is an issue in that she thinks in pictures so before she writes she actually has to translate the pictures into words before she can even begin to write it down. It is an extra step that slows her down.
FWIW, my ds also thinks in pictures (and movies). The Eides say that it can be very tough for kids who think like this to translate the pictures into words because they have sooo so much detail in their heads. OTOH, my ds tells us that's not his challenge with written expression - he can get the thoughts out a-ok if he's asked a question about something factual that he knows - but when the writing prompt is open-ended he struggles - and he says at those time he "has nothing" up there in his head
So that's another thing you might want to look at - is your ds challenged with writing across the board, or is one specific type of writing more difficult for him?
And.. fwiw... forgot to mention - when our ds was in 2nd grade, we thought his challenge was all about writing, because he sounded so danged smart when he talked. We eventually found out (around 4th grade) that the same types of writing assignments that tripped him up in class (no ideas what to write) also weren't something he could do verbally either - we just hadn't really seen that connection when he was little.
I would ask your tester what his or her opinion was of the discrepancy. DD's tester stated she saw a lot of perfectionism and wanting to do it correct and neatly so that she was not focused on speed and that that was very common.
I'd just add - I'd want a neuropsych to be sure of this. Our ds was tested with just IQ/achievement tests when he was not quite 6 years old for admission into a gifted program - and the dip in processing speed was attributed by the psych to perfectionism and being 6 and being male and not being used to timed tests (the processing subtests are timed). So we missed out on almost 2 years opportunity to be helping ds out and continued to think every time he didn't write something in class the issue was perfectionism. It *is* perfectionism for some kids - but when you've noted fine motor issues and the very low scores, I'd want to be sure it's not something else.
polarbear
