Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment Picking a tester

nm

If you believe your child may be dyslexic, do some research and before you have her tested, have some facts and questions in your mind. A good place to start is Dyslexic Advantage by Drs. Eides. It is the most comprehensive, current, positive book on the topic.(IMHO!)

Hope you find a tester that is experience and has some background in the scope of dyslexia.

we are in the process of having DD8 evaluated by a private psychologist with a similar background, lots of experience with our district, etc due to 3+ years on noncompliance on my DD's part. She had an IQ test at 2.5 and the district's use of a test called the Raven are in agreement that she is at least 2 deviations above normal, so this is well within what both most schools and private psycholigists, etc term as "gifted"...but gifted does also have ranges...and it's relative. If your DD really DOES have dyslexia, I would think either of the testers you are considering should be able to find that. If you are expressing concern about that to the private tester, she should be explaining to you how the tests are used to diagnose and treat, etc...
On the other hand, it would be irresponsible of her to NOT mention (probably to all her clients) that sometimes the test shows the child isn't truly gifted, but still of above average intelligence
Your DD might also not have dyslexia, but something else...a well qualified evaluator should be able to unearth that. And that's not cheap either...answers cost money. Luckily, DH and I agree on how important this is and it's effect on our home life is worth what it will cost for us to get a better picture of what our DD truly needs.

Hi Mimmy -
I added something to your old thread:
http://giftedissues.davidsongifted.org/BB/ubbthreads.php/topics/114778.html#Post114778

Do you want to post the original scores and subtest scores that the student got, and see if we can get some meaning out of them? That might help me give advice about tester vs. hospital

Good luck
Grinity

nm

Given the scores, and your description that your daughter is 'above average' I think it's time to stop worrying that she'll be 'too gifted' to be understood by the Children's Hospital. I think they are by far the better choice, and if they are more expensive, at least you have a chance of learning something that might help you - while getting another IQ score just doesn't seem likely to generate a way forward for you from where I'm sitting.

Love and More Love,
Grinity

I'd just like to clarify that I'm not worried my dd is 'too gifted' to be understood by the CH. I just want to be sure to pick a tester that has experience with diagnosing children with LDs that's all.

I had my DD tested originally with someone who was not gifted or LD experienced. Our second round of testing paying tons more was a totally different experience. The money was well worth it. I know would not to go with a tester that I had any negative feelings toward. I think the comment by the private tester would be a big red flag for me. Our first tester did not even tell us that our DD had hit ceilings. She had quite the spread in her scores, and our tester said she'd never seen that kind of spread. UHM guess I should have known better, but I did not. Plus at the time my DD was way against testing as she knew we were thinking of changing schools, which we did regardless of the tests. I just think that she did not put herself into the tests and needed a tester who would facilitate her putting everything she could into it. I think that the second round the tester "got" my kiddo so much more and the scores were much much more representative of what I felt/seen etc. I would easily pay double for good accurate information. Actually the difference is priceless. Good luck