Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Twice Exceptional Working memory/executive function - how fix? Help!

My DD is a bit like that but not quite to the extreme. Her working memory scores are well below average but not as low as the processing speed. She does get alot "worse" when she's tired or stressed out, and if she's given verbal instructions in a noisy environment, she'll have no recollection.

I can't help with advice with more formal programs, but some things I do with DD are

1- ask her to repeat back what I just said or asked her to do, (I try to make good eye contact when I do this, but if you're just yelling up from the basement can you get me the yellow flashlight, that's harder!!)
2- write down as much stuff as possible for daily tasks or things you've agree to. Lots of color is good for my DD or allowing her to pick the format, where it goes, etc.
3-make as many natural consequences affect her as possible within reason (like losing points for forgetting a book report instead of me reminding her of things like this constantly).

I've found that continuously emphasizing her strengths (by allowing her to make efforts and achieve in these areas) as I go about working on the challenges makes a big difference. This makes DD more open to working on the challenges and helps her see herself in a whole, balanced way.

...and my DD is also very high on visual learning (that's part of the whole stealth dsylexia mystery) and demonstrates very high focus and follow-through on things she's interested in or has on her mind at any given time (that's more the absent-minded professor thing...they're thinking about their findings from an archaeological dig and not which coat they should wear or if they should grab the coat before they walk out the door LOL).

It does sound a bit in the dyslexic range. Actually sounds quite familiar to me (though I don't have dyslexia.) Interesting given the common strabismus starting point.

So, if I want to remember verbal information, I have to visualize or doodle or find a pattern in it. Definitely need the top down view of things... I can't see the trees if I don't first see the forest. It may be he needs help in finding these kind of strategies, or it could be something else.

Like I said, I do buy that he isn't ADHD ... (But i am no doctor or expert) I could try ADHD drugs I guess but I hate to do that when I also believe that he isn't truly ADHD but his executive function and working memory is really deficient . It's weird in my heart I know SOMETHING is wrong but I also feel in my heart it really isn't ADHD/ADD. But what to do. I don't know ... Maybe I am wrong ... Maybe I should be pushing for an ADHD dx

All of your posts are great - good info ! It's so weird, isn't it? Bzlzy, my DS seems very similar to your dd. zen, yes it's some sort if processing problem - and yes maybe resulting somehow from strabismus ...

You might not want my advice, but I'd just take a deep breath and try some daily strategies and do more research before you push for a dx that might not be appropriate.

Does your DS have a Feb. vacation? We have it here, it's really great timing. Time for a breather from school, do lots of fun stuff even if just at home all day.

Have you read books like The Dyslexic Advantage (whether or not he is dyslexic, that's type of "top down" thinking), Misdiagnosis/Dual Diagnosis of Gifted Children and all that?

Also Dr. Thomas Armstrong has a site and books that I really like for "neurodiverse" kids.

http://institute4learning.com/neurodiversity.php

I forget how old your DS is - have you asked him what he thinks might work for strategies (not the big therapy issues, just day-to-day things) or gotten his opinion? I think many of us get into the pattern of one-way communication with our kids when we're trying to help them. I've found my DD(9) loves to be drawn in to the plan, but sometimes it's hard to stay in the productive/strategic mode and not fall back on the direct/remind mode.

I'll respond individually more when I get on my laptop but really appreciate ALL the thoughts and advice and all of the posts

and p.s. my DD was diagnosed by a behavioral optometrist as having convergence insufficiency. The pediatric opthalmologist absolutely disagreed, said it is the way her brain is wired (actually upon doing some research this opinion is more closely associated with things I've read by the Eides). So we're between a rock and a hard place there...that's another thread.

If our DS and DD sound similar, I would really try emphasizing strengths like crazy and engage him in his own learning about his profile and things that might work for him. My DD started the whole color-coding thing before I even read about it in one of Thomas Armstrong books. It gave me goosebumps - maybe my kid knows more what's best for her than all the adult "experts"!!

Bzyly, of course I want your advice! No haven't read those books! Yet!

There are a ton of techniques to leverage strengths. One of my favorite is building a mental map of a walk through a location and using the visuals in those locations to associate with items in a list. It is a very common tool in memory competitions.

Here's a link describing the method:
http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTIM_05.htm

Mind mapping is another tool that plays to visual-spatial + creativity strengths:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mind_map

I'd definitely go with bzylzy on exploring methods and ideas with your son.

It's ironic because my DS has the ADHD diagnosis you need for meds, but I don't want to try meds. Isn't it funny how it works out sometimes.

My neighbour's MG DS10, who has similar issues to yours, was assessed for ADHD and didn't meet the criteria either. Instead they've worked with an OT to try and coordinate his central nervous system. I guess the theory is the OT activities stimulate areas of his brain and force the right and left hemispheres to work together (I think that's what his mom told me - I could be mistaken).

Have you tried OT?