Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Twice Exceptional Need some more advice/suggestions..

I did tell her that I thought common core was a lot about critical thinking. I also told her that I want my kid to be able to back up his statements in regular life. But, she did not agree -- she said, by that, I am somewhat undermining her authority.



This is one of the things that I am trying to teach my child. That it is not really helpful to correct anyone, if it is just an opinion. Or, if the person missed out details that my child may deem important. To be honest, he does point out details that someone may have missed. I am working on how to do this in a more appropriate way. He seems to learn best during discussions, visits to places where he is allowed to talk and ask questions or while reading books/watching educational videos. He really does not respond very well to do/write this, 'because I said so'.

I will keep working on it. Hopefully, with time, he will improve.

Have you explained to him how you pick your battles with him? It is a tricky one though - if the teacher is just plain wrong is it right to let her misinform the kids? A decent teacher will never object to maths errors they have made (a lot make a game of it - spot the intentional error) or spelling mistakes as they can be used to teach checking etc. But a lot of teachers can't cope.

I wanted to come back and update and ask for suggestions. After a long wait, we finally had a thorough neuropsych testing. I don't have the scores yet, but the neuropsych said that my child was gifted and that his academic testing strongly co-related with his gifted abilities. His processing speed was low, compared to his other strengths. I will update this thread or start a new one, once I actually have the scores.

The neuropsych also said that he does not have ADHD, but thinks that he has Aspergers (even though it is removed from the DSM V), primarily due to a couple of things -- he is very precise and detail oriented , and lacks in perspective-taking. His ADHD like qualities stem from unawareness of/lack of response to other person's agenda. It was termed as its mildest form. Apparently, he is able to function okay in school, as he is always compensating his deficits with his strengths.The neuropsych also told me that considerable time was spent in discussing whether this was just a gifted child, a gifted child with ADHD or a gifted child on the spectrum. The report will also contain recommendations for the school staff/other recommendations.

What I am wondering is how this dual diagnosis will impact my child. Does anyone have a child with this profile ? What worked ? What did not work ? Am I doing my child a disservice by accepting both diagnoses ? I also did ask about dysgraphia - while his fine motor skills are sloppy, he does not meet the criteria, though the neuropsych asked me to keep an eye on it. Any advice/suggestions ?

I was thinking more about this. While Aspergers does not fit him completely, ADHD does not either, but there are some characteristics he has, for sure. I would appreciate any advice/suggestions/school strategies.

Hi mom2one,

I don't have a child with this exact profile, but I have some advice anyway My first advice is to not over think it yet - see what the report contains in terms of advice. It sounds like your ds had a thorough eval and there will be a good list of recommendations to use as a starting point.

I've found that once you have a diagnosis, the diagnosis is helpful both in advocating and in researching, but it's also important to not think to inside-the-box in terms of accommodations/remediation etc - don't get hung up on thinking "should I do this because it's ADHD" vs "should I do this other thing because it's ASD" etc. Look at each symptom/situation, and try to do what's best based on what you know of both the diagnoses and through observing your child. A lot of syndromes have overlapping symptoms, so even if, for instance, a child has handwriting challenges due to ADHD but is not dysgraphic, an accommodation that works for a dysgraphic student, such as keyboarding in place of handwriting, might be very effective and appropriate for the student who has ADHD. If your ds has "sloppy" fine motor skills and isn't dysgraphic, OT might be really helpful.

Let us know what's recommended in the report -

Best wishes,

polarbear

My DD10 had a dual ADHD, Asperger's diagnosis. She does not have ADHD, but the ADHD portion helps the school understand that she has a significant issue with executive function, attention and organization. I don't think Asperger's Syndrome is well understood by many in the education system. Putting your son's diagnosis in terms they can understand will better help them provide appropraite services for him.

I obtained the diagnosis recently, in spite of it being removed from the DSM V. I think you will find many in the psychiatry/psychology community are resisting using the the DSM V. Although extremely bright, DD10 had a multitude of issues from a young age. It took me many years to get her a diagnosis, and once I had it I was actually relieved. I think you may find that accepting the diagnosis and garnering services for your son may improve some of his anxiety and disruptive behavior at school. It really helps to have someone who understands your child teaching them. My daughter, like your son had behaviors at school that were being labeled as ODD and defiant. After her diagnosis, they were more understanding in realizing that DD10 wasn't "refusing" to do the work, they just needed to present the information to her in a different way or give her freedom to complete work her way. She also had difficulty correcting the teacher and being admonished for being rude and disruptful. There still some of this behavior in school, but at least with a diagnosis they know she isn't behaving this way intentionally. It is part of her disorder. Things to consider with an Asperger's diagnosis (every child is different, not all will need services in all these areas. I would still get the evaluations though!): OT evaluation for motor skills and sensory issues, Pragmatic language (speech therapy), social skill evaluation, executive function evaluation (BRIEF), visual motor integration (Beery VMI), social/emotional behavioral evaluation (BASC-2, SRS-II, behavioral observations), problem solving, possibly audtiory processing/perception. They are working on her IEP right now. I can post some of the accommodations they come up with if you will find it helpful.

It sounds like your son may be on the midler side of the spectrum, but it couldn't hurt to know his areas of weakness. Regarding his motor skills and writing, you can ask for accommodations like typing using a keyboard and to eliminate copying handwriting work. You wouldn't need a diagnosis for those accommodations and the school can easily implement them without providing writing services. What would probably be the most helpful is social interaction training. They can work on his social communication and his peer interactions. This kind of work will help him function normally in his classroom and later in life as an adult. All very important skills!

kitkat24