Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Twice Exceptional New Insights and Neurofeedback?CAUTION REALLY LONG

Okay, here's an example. DD's vision processing is also linked to memory. We are just learning about this, so bear with me. One of the things that was difficult for her to do was remember a group of images and then recite back after the picture went away. EX: a pear, a watch, a shoe, a dog, a fork.

Since DH and I love to debate whose family is responsible for these little glitches... We debated it one night after the kids were in bed.

We ended up pulling up an online "test" that would show about five pictures in a row for about 30 seconds. Let's pretend it was the above example. DH did it. The screen went blank and then he recited the list correctly. Then I did it correctly. But DH said, wait you didn't do it. Sure I did, I said, I just recited it in the correct order after the screen went blank. Well he brought to my attention that while I was watching the images, I started saying it under my breath: a pear, a watch, a shoe, a dog, a fork, a pear, a watch, a shoe, a dog, a fork, a pear, a watch, a shoe, a dog, a fork etc. Then when the screen went blank, I simply repeated it again.

So did I do the "test" correctly or not?

Thank you all for your insights and advice. I am really grateful to receive not only feedback, but warmth when it could've easily been censure.

I'm sorry if I've only been providing glimpses into my circumstances. I tend to get fixed on only one aspect of something and so I ignore the other parts and cause myself a lot of grief.

I spoke with my mom and read the IEP papers as suggested. What I found interesting is that in half of the battery of tests given to me as a 2nd grader, I did not score in the gifted, or even superior range. This comes with the qualifier that I became frustrated or overstimulated very easily during many of the tests and I believe the stress carried over into others that didn't bother me as much.

Ironically, my achievement test was much higher than my IQ test, the WISC-III. It was inconclusive with a 135 VIQ and 100 PIQ. I know the IQ>ach. discrepancy is very common, but I can't fathom how my IQ wouldn't be considered gifted but my achievement scores point to an HG level of functioning.

As far as diagnosis, they labeled me as a very ambiguous "Multiply Disabled Student" and never once used a specific acronym, even for the sake of comparison. During the conclusion of the report when I assume my difficulties would be summarized, they simply stated that I was a "Multiply Disabled Student".

The content of the report was far more focused on my classroom behavior than it was on my academic problems. They stated that I was a highly sensitive and self-critical child that would become frustrated at any challenge. My teacher who was interviewed for the report stated that I seemed like a very bright child that had occasional glitches which bothered me more than they concerned her. The school psychologist suggested that I had Aspergers because I had a difficulty relating to kids my age. She based her entire impression on the fact that I rocked when I became upset and that I wasn't really interested in socializing with kids because they couldn't discuss hacking video games or genetics with me.

I have considered Aspergers in the past as a possible explanation, but the symptoms which plagued me at that age subsided too quickly without any kind of intervention. As far as I know, you can't just have Aspergers and then get better from it.

As a toddler I had a balance problem and ran into things a lot. However, I had OT for a year and it never was a problem again. I later studied martial arts and placed in some competitions. I am also able to play the hardest songs on DDR while the actual Aspergers-diagnosed students in my school couldn't even complete a basic song. Rocking(as I said above) is the only stereotypical behavior I have ever demonstrated. I still do it now, but only in the highest level of privacy.

I was never obsessive but I tended to perseverate on things that bothered me or caught my attention. When something particularly stung, I would ruminate about it for days. This perseverance would sometimes lead me away from the main point of something, what my teachers described as "not seeing the forest for the trees". However, as I entered high school I was overwhelmingly a "big picture" person and I am still horrible with details. As you know from my previous posts, my VIQ/PIQ discrepancy closed and on the most recent test I took, PIQ surpassed VIQ.

One telltale symptom of Aspergers that I never had though was the social cluelessness. I always understood the social conventions of whatever age I was even though I found them immature. I was always able to figure out why people did things the way they did, and always knew what and what not to do to offend or bother others. Though I've always appeared eccentric to others, they have never doubted my ability to socialize. I have a large number of both acquaintances and close friends, 100% of whom are "neurotypical".In fact, I often give advice to those less socially-savvy ones. I know how to flirt and I am pretty decent at securing hook-ups. I have also had several genuinely romantic relationships both in high school and college in which I knew how to handle emotions appropriately. For all intents and purposes, I do not consider the autistic symptoms I once had to define me as a person and I simply consider myself an "eccentric neurotypical".

I know that I am genetically disposed to something like this, since my dad's brother is a high functioning autistic and his other brother has a severely autistic son. However since about middle school psychologists haven't diagnosed me with Aspergers upon consultation and say that I am in a normal range of functioning in every area. Thus, almost all of the Aspergers issues I find on LD sites are impertinent to me.

As I said before, I still believe executive functions are a weakness of mine and account for the great variability of my performance on different days, ranging academically from acing a test to failing it, or intuitively understanding a lecture to getting nothing out of it. With my past issues as a backdrop, it wouldn't surprise me if my executive functions are lacking.

Once again, thank you for readjusting your perspectives as new information surfaces (either from documents or my jumbled memory)
and I am sorry if I appear to not acknowledge your suggestions (I am considering them, I just want to fill in more unknowns for everybody helping me out!)

Jake <3

So did reading that report give you any of the answers you were looking for?

Are you trying to make sense of your previous schooling experience to put your college experiences(academically and socially) into perspective?

Are you trying to determine if you have an executive funcion issue and looking for an answer on how to handle it?

both of those.

Well, Jake, the first thing I'll say it that it's taken 20 some years to get where you are. I'm not sure you will be able to resolve all of it in a short time.

Meaning, I'd recommend that while you look for answers, you continue to focus on your studies. I'm confident you will end up resolving your concerns. You seem to be asking all the right questions, just prioritize and make sure your main focus remains on graduating college.

If you want to determine if you have an executive function issue, I would probably start with a nuerologist, perhaps one that works with learning disabilities. I don't remember having medical insurance or a lot of cash in college, could your parents help you with this?

If you can see a specialist you may want to check out your state or local gifted organization for recommendations. It might be helpful to look for a doctor who has some experience dealing with the little "nuances" that come with being gifted.

Concerning the present, school, let me ask: Do you do better on essay exams or multiple choice? Do you find that you think you are prepared for the test only to get it back and wonder how you got a much lower grade than expected?

Neato

Its very easy to for me to get distracted and then because I can focus very hard on the distraction and want to study it 100%, I lose context in the lecture or with more pressing tasks. If something is really boring, its easy to let the mind wander.

Here is what I have learned to counter that.

To get the most out of something critical, I have a procedure I follow.

Studying, test-preparation, work projects, etc. I follow the same process. I have these processes written down and look them up to refresh myself and I update them if I find something new. When I deviate from these processes, I run into grief. If I stick to them, I get 100% on tests and knock peoples' socks off.

Because I follow a process and track where I am, I can drop the study session or the work project, indulge my curiosity, then get right back on track. I know where I am and how long it will take and what is left so I can meet my obligations. I am not afraid of pulling all nighters and know I can multi-task as well. The strict planning is my crutch.

Another term I have heard is, "Plan the work and work the plan."

My wife loves the "Seven Habits of Successful People." You could also look that up.

There is a "test" of executive functioning:

http://www3.parinc.com/products/product.aspx?Productid=BRIEF

It is for ages 5-18 though.

Maybe I left out a fact that's somewhat important...when it comes to essays I go through hell organizing my ideas and choosing my words. In fact, it wasn't a cakewalk writing all of these really long posts, especially when it came to sounding coherent AND including the stuff I wanted to say. Just like in school essays I remembered additional stuff I wanted to say in these posts, only after it was already too late. If we go by what is too late, then I rarely finish in-class essays on time, although I have been able to in college by sacrificing clarity and making "slippery slope" arguments.(which usually work!)

As far as scores on mult choice vs. essay exams... In the past I usually got marked down for not finishing essays so I had a lower maximum # of points I could even earn from the start. Even though the ceiling that existed on essay exams wasn't there for multiple choice ones, I would still score all over the place.

I have gotten to a point where I never think I am prepared for a test because I just don't know if everything will work itself out in my mind. In the past I would study as much as I needed to get something but then when I saw a similar question on a test I would just lock up and not know how to answer it at all. I thought I had test anxiety and taught myself relaxation techniques to not "lock up" in these situations, but now I just stare calmly in confusion at my paper instead of anxiously lol...
The sensation I can liken it to best is having a washing machine in my head. Everything gets moved around at a rate beyond my control, the place something ends up is rarely the same place that I put it to start, and I can't stop it at will and try to get a bearing of where everything is.

I've gotten somewhat dismal about the usefulness of controlling my anxiety; it seems like it doesn't really do much but put me in a better mood. It doesnt improve my ability to think at all. The difference is one of being held at gunpoint when you're calm and when you're tense- either way you're still being held at gunpoint.

I am frugal enough at college to live on about $200 a semester, meaning I have several grand at my disposal which I saved from summer jobs.However, I need to know my chances of actually making improvement before I shell out money to quacks who charge sky high fees to just pass me along to the next guy in the chain.
I have seen three psychologists in the last 10 years,
two of them gave me empty advice, one of those two tried to call me the "Aspergers miracle child" and claim that HE helped cure me(every session he would just lather me in praise..that was a waste of money). The one I see right now was somewhat eccentric as a youth himself, so he has been very useful in gauging the long-term impact of some of my traits. However, he seems to believe that everything I describe are normal glitches that anybody can have. He says they might be a bit more pronounced because of my atypical brain profile.

Jake

Jake, I think you have some very interesting insights...I hope you're studying psychology

Jake

I have been skimming this thread today. I get the same thing, but when streessed. Multitasking can be an issue. However when focused things are great. I can even multitask when I feel in control. What you describe seems normal to me. Do most of our issues on memory occure while under stress. And converserly do you seem to do better when focused and engaged in an activity you like, or find motavation to do.? Just a WAG on my part.

Edwin