Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Twice Exceptional ADHD and test taking skills

Does anyone know if consistently superior test taking skills would be contrary to a diagnosis of ADHD?

I am still awaiting my final sit down and discussion of my DDs psycho-educational testing results, but when we met with the psych last week, he just looked at whatever the diagnostician gave him and said "well, she definitely qualifies for medication".

After reading some of the ADHD threads here, I am wondering if the fact that my DD has always had superior test-taking skills (other than timed writing) might be in conflict with a diagnosis of ADHD.

Any insight would be appreciated!

There is not a psycho educational test that can definitively rule in or out ADHD, but there are often certain red flags and patterns that diagnosticians look for that may lead to an ADHD diagnosis.

One red flag is a trend of higher scores on un-timed tests relative to timed tests. On the WISC, folks with ADHD often have lower PSI, or WMI or both relative to VCI and PRI. Evaluators often administer tests in the area of executive functioning, and often people with ADHD score lower relative to their thinking skills or academic skills in one or more areas of EF.

But, just because one scores very well on standardized testing, one could not rule in or out ADHD. ADHD is a clinical diagnosis, and the doctor would most likely consider data beyond testing. In fact, if someone does very well on academic standardized testing, but bombs in the classroom - I would want to understand the barrier to classroom performance. Things like organization, ability to stay on task, planning, sustained attention, ability to switch tasks, ability to deal with the big picture and details in a balanced way etc are needed for good grades and classroom performance. Often times ADHD presents challenges in this area. Thus you have what looks like an under-performer. But really, something else could be going on such as ADHD.

I am 99% convinced that I have ADHD, (complicated by perfectionism and some other stuff) and I have (or had!) superior test taking skills. (I also never bombed in the classroom, but certainly underperformed in college.) For me the challenges were (and ocntinue to be) in the areas Mich described above.

My ds10 has adhd and is on medication. His PRI score is 43 points higher than his PSI on the wisc-iv. He has never been behind in school but has never really gotten ahead either. His main issues seem to be with organization and staying on task. He is perpetually messy and without medication he basically requires me to hold his hand and direct him to whatever needs to be done.

I've asked him to clean up a spot of jelly on the carpet 10 times this morning and each time he gets to the kitchen to get the towel and cleaner, he gets sidetracked by the cup of snow he's had in the freezer for 3 days. The first night he tried to melt it with a laser pointer. Then with a laser pointer and magnifying glass. Then he resorted to the microwave. Then he refroze it in the freezer. Then he melted it again. Then he drank it. Who says kids with adhd have no attention span?! He's been entertained by a cup of water for 3 days!!!

Thanks Mich, that makes sense.

Yes, the psych alluded to some discrepancy in her testing, stating she was over the 99th percentile in X but then something inconsistent in Y.

Given that ADHD meds are not an option due to medical conditions, I guess I was a bit bummed out at what seemed to be an attitude of "well if we can qualify her for ADHD meds, our job is done and we need look no deeper" but maybe that is just what it is.

The psych stated that the only alternative to meds was homeschooling! What does that mean long term?

She certainly has EF deficiencies across the board but I am hoping that fish oil and time will help with those.

I guess I'll be back posting when I finally get the to see the test results.

My son is PG and the school was pondering ADHD. When we talked to Davidson, we were referred for a neuropsych evaluation.

Based on initial discussions, ADHD was a definite question mark.

After the testing, the neuropsych said absolutely no attention issues at all. She recommended appropriate placement at school - (skipping 2 more grades) - as a way of addressing the behavior issues.

I'd advise you to check out "Misdiagnosis and Dual Diagnosis of Gifted Children". Read the chapter on ADHD and see what your gut says after that.

I read it and concluded that I bought the neuropsych's diagnosis of no ADHD. I recommended it to a friend and she came to peace, for the first time, with the ADHD diagnosis of her son. She had always felt bad about having him on meds, but after reading the book, she felt better about it.

The bottom line is that it can be hard to accurately diagnose it in a gifted kids. Sometimes, their intelligence allows them to appear not ADHD on a test. Sometimes their intelligence allows them appear ADHD in class or any place else where they are bored.

Mary

Just a note - my son's "adhd symptoms" were helped by fish oil. However, it was also helped with a regular old multi-vitamin.

Are you using a fish oil with omega 3 and 6? We got better results with both than with 3 alone.

Homeschooling has worked well for many people. For us, we did some afterschool math acceleration using ALEKS online math curriculum. The extra intellectual stimulation really helped. One good ALEKS session and he was a different kid for a couple of days. It was freaky.

Mary

Deacongirl, did those skills get better with time? I have read that the EFs keep developing til age 26, and I have been hopeful that means there is a light in the tunnel without meds.

lotsotots, that sound exactly like my DD, lol, yes, major attention span - just not focused when and where you want it to be!!!

Mary, I did read the book and maybe its just me, but I still can't figure it out, my DD is a real "slippery fish". I think she just wants a diagnosis and a magic pill so badly at this point she may not be as helpful in self reporting.

For example, the book says gifted children are more likely to "choose consciously not to complete work as directed or choose not to turn it in - choice is involved" whereas the child with ADHD is unable to complete the work because no immediate consequence is involved or they may not even have brought the assignment or book home. Both scenarios could fit equally well. Then there is situational specificity: she is not consistently distracted and can sit still for hours and hours reading (so focused she forgets to eat or sleep even). The book says:

"Parents of gifted children who do not have ADHD will quickly say for instance, "oh, yes. She's passionate about reading, and when she reads, she's as unmoving as a stone. She would read for hours if we let her, and she is unaware of virtually everything around her" Such a child is very unlikely to have ADHD"

So that leaves me confused, she seems to have the traits of ADHD and the traits of gifted without ADHD.

I bought the Nordic Naturals Omega 3 which has both types, I also bought soy-milk with dha, flax-seed cereal and every form of salmon known to exist. So far my DD hasn't tried the pills but my husband and I are taking them and I feel great!!!!

I gave my DD the pills to try and she came home in a great mood, and was unusually sociable and pleasant and we played with musical instruments together for a couple hours, when I asked her if she thought the pills were making a difference she told me she "palmed them" to see if I would incorrectly attribute them to an imagined change in her. So she is messing with my psyche. Did I mention that we diagnosed her with oppositional defiant disorder after reading that section of the misdiagnosis book? ;-). Maybe if the doctor tells her to take the fish pills she will do it.

"Parents of gifted children who do not have ADHD will quickly say for instance, "oh, yes. She's passionate about reading, and when she reads, she's as unmoving as a stone. She would read for hours if we let her, and she is unaware of virtually everything around her" Such a child is very unlikely to have ADHD"
(Sorry don't know how to do that quote thing)

Hmmm...I just don't think I agree with this. I have been reading/reflecting trying to tease out adhd from giftedness for over a year now and I truly believe that I have exexcutive function deficits that are best explained by adhd (but were exacerbated by a not-challenging enough environment.)

And...sorry to say the skills have not improved with time, because the coping mechanisms I was using are simply inadequate to manage mothering 3 kids and a house with a husband who works 80 hours a week.

"The extra intellectual stimulation really helped. One good ALEKS session and he was a different kid for a couple of days. It was freaky."

This I think is so true. Part of my problem now is being in a geographic location that is just not meeting my needs intellectually. (Not that it wouldn't be possible, but the executive function/planning issues make it extremely difficult for me...if we lived, say in NYC, it wouldn't take as much planning/organization to find something intellectually stimulating to do and like-minded people to do it with.)