Update on our ADHD Evaluation

[KatWrangler]

Well as luck would have it, Conner didn't really display any behaviors associated with ADHD at the evaluation. He was calm, made eye contact everything a normal 6 year old would do.

So we left the Psychologist office with a different evaluation form for my son's Kindergarten Teacher to fill out and return to the Psychologist. Then we will go from there.

Right now the Pyschologist is leaning toward him being borderline to not having it.

So now I don't know what to think.

Question, we had a neighbor that asked my husband if Conner was gifted. Is it possible to be ADHD or borderline ADHD and gifted too?

[QueenOfTheMeadow]

Originally Posted by KatWrangler

Well as luck would have it, Conner didn't really display any behaviors associated with ADHD at the evaluation. He was calm, made eye contact everything a normal 6 year old would do.

So we left the Psychologist office with a different evaluation form for my son's Kindergarten Teacher to fill out and return to the Psychologist. Then we will go from there.

Right now the Pyschologist is leaning toward him being borderline to not having it.

So now I don't know what to think.

Question, we had a neighbor that asked my husband if Conner was gifted. Is it possible to be ADHD or borderline ADHD and gifted too?

Sure is! There are a lot of kids who have special needs, but are also considered gifted. I know two kids with ADHD that fall into that category. My middle son has been labeled at gifted with a learning disability (not ADHD though.)

[karne]

Yes, absolutely-2E is the term. However, this is a bigger subject because sometimes issues that look like they belong to ADHD have more to do with giftedness. Try the Gifted Forum for some input-it's really helped me understand.

[KatWrangler]

That makes sense.

You should hear all the things he wants to invent. It's like where are earth are you coming up with this stuff? It's amazing to hear him. But he isn't a great student. He still had trouble reading.

[KatWrangler]

Now I am wondering if we should of talked to the Psychologist about the gifted possibility.

[QueenOfTheMeadow]

Originally Posted by KatWrangler

Now I am wondering if we should of talked to the Psychologist about the gifted possibility.

I would definitely bring it up next time. It sounds like he could use a full evaluation that will look into the gifted side of things too.

[karne]

Have you done, or are you doing a full neuro psych eval on your ds? The assessment for ADHD ythat you're doing sounds like you may only be pursuing a particular concern around some behaviors (maybe school related?). A full w/u would address your child learning and behavioral needs more completely.

[quaz]

Originally Posted by KatWrangler

That makes sense.

You should hear all the things he wants to invent. It's like where are earth are you coming up with this stuff? It's amazing to hear him. But he isn't a great student. He still had trouble reading.

Gifted does not necessarily mean being a great student.
A kid could be bored in school, and not perform well.
Only 50% of gifted kids enter Kindergarten reading.
How are his math skills? Puzzling? Ability to think through complex problems?
With giftedness you have to look at the whole picture. If any direct relatives are gifted or suspected to be gifted, that also is a good indicator that the child could potentially be gifted. (There is a heriditary aspect to it.)

When it comes to ADHD and giftedness, things get very convoluted.

One can be 2e, which means twice-exceptional. That would be gifted + something else like ADHD or aspergers or 'somthing'.

On the flip, one can simply be gifted, but seem to be ADHD, but not really.
Gifted kids can show a number of over-excitabilities. They may 'more' emotional, 'more' imaginative, 'more' sensitive or 'more' physically on the go.

A good book on the subject is
The Misdiagnosis and Dual-diagnosis of Gifted Kids

There is a section in there that talks about ADHD and giftedness.

Good luck. It isn't necessarily easy figuring out these things.
Tammy

[sapphire_chan]

He's barely 6 and people are telling you that not progressing in reading means he can't be gifted??

[CarrieMF]

He still had trouble reading.

that's because he's 6. Most 6yo's are not reading & if they are they aren't reading well.

[LynnS6]

Originally Posted by KatWrangler

That makes sense.

You should hear all the things he wants to invent. It's like where are earth are you coming up with this stuff? It's amazing to hear him. But he isn't a great student. He still had trouble reading.

I've got a 2E kid -- sensory processing issues + mild anxiety + verbally gifted. I was a bit surprised at the fact that he came out gifted verbally (but "just" above average in math) because he wasn't an early reader. He didn't read much at all in K, he did OK in 1st grade but was a very reluctant reader and didn't really take off until 2nd grade.

Ds also isn't a 'great' student - he does well, but he doesn't like to stretch himself. He doesn't like to check his work, so he's 'sloppy' and makes mistakes on stuff he knows.

It's also possible that your son is a Visual-Spatial learner. A lot of kids with that characteristic are gifted, but also don't excel in school (early on) because school tends to be verbal and sequential. (My kids are verbal and sequential. Ds was just not an early reader.)
http://www.visualspatial.org/what_is_a_vsl.htm
http://www.gifteddevelopment.com/Vis...earner/vsl.htm

I've got a friend whose son is a Visual-Spatial Learner, has sensory issues and severe ADHD. He's also highly gifted. He's the most creative, out of bounds child I know. He's amazing. He's also been quite a challenge for his parents. (School just did not work for him.)

[joensally]

Originally Posted by LynnS6

I've got a 2E kid -- sensory processing issues + mild anxiety + verbally gifted. I was a bit surprised at the fact that he came out gifted verbally (but "just" above average in math) because he wasn't an early reader. He didn't read much at all in K, he did OK in 1st grade but was a very reluctant reader and didn't really take off until 2nd grade.

Ds also isn't a 'great' student - he does well, but he doesn't like to stretch himself. He doesn't like to check his work, so he's 'sloppy' and makes mistakes on stuff he knows.

It's also possible that your son is a Visual-Spatial learner. A lot of kids with that characteristic are gifted, but also don't excel in school (early on) because school tends to be verbal and sequential. (My kids are verbal and sequential. Ds was just not an early reader.)
http://www.visualspatial.org/what_is_a_vsl.htm
http://www.gifteddevelopment.com/Vis...earner/vsl.htm

I've got a friend whose son is a Visual-Spatial Learner, has sensory issues and severe ADHD. He's also highly gifted. He's the most creative, out of bounds child I know. He's amazing. He's also been quite a challenge for his parents. (School just did not work for him.)

Ditto all of this. DS has SPD, is a visual spatial learner, looks ADHD and is gifted. I think the ADHD behaviours are actually his kinestetic (sp!) learning style and the SPD more that ADHD per se.

Have you had his eyes tested by a developmental optometrist (not a regular optometrist)? The behaviour symptom list for a condition called convergence insufficiency is very similar to that for ADHD, and it leads to slowed reading acquisition as the eyes fatigue. It is treatable.

[kme]

My 11 year old is both gifted and ADHD. He tests very high and is in the gifted program but does not do spectacular in school. He does well, but you would not look at his grades and think "gifted". He is very unorganized and does not always think things through. He has trouble with things like long math problems and sitting still to read. However, when he is interested in something or is allowed to learn in a "hands on" way, he really shines. He is very insightful, thinks outside the box, is very creative and curious. Unfortunately, public schools and "No child left behind" with the endless testing does not always reward this type of learner. He is very smart but not a great student, if that makes sense.

[KatWrangler]

Off to read all the links.

Now I am really confused.

[KatWrangler]

Originally Posted by sapphire_chan

He's barely 6 and people are telling you that not progressing in reading means he can't be gifted??

No, that is my ignorance of what makes someone gifted. Sorry if I offended anyone. In my mind I guess I associate being a good student = gifted. Which I take from your response is terribly incorrect. So I need to educate myself on it.

Originally Posted by CarrieMF

that's because he's 6. Most 6yo's are not reading & if they are they aren't reading well.

They are really pushing the kids in Kindy to read. I think because of the NCLB testing that goes on in a couple of years.

[sapphire_chan]

Originally Posted by KatWrangler

No, that is my ignorance of what makes someone gifted. Sorry if I offended anyone. In my mind I guess I associate being a good student = gifted. Which I take from your response is terribly incorrect. So I need to educate myself on it.

Whew! Sorry about that, I totally misread your post. Didn't mean to jump on you! Thank goodness it is a lot easier to educate yourself than someone else.

Yeah, giftedness doesn't necessarily mean achievement and vice-versa and it can be especially hard for gifted kids with ADHD and such to achieve to their potential.

(Interesting side note, some 2E kids seem totally typical because they compensate so well, and no one realizes anything is going on until something big happens that they can't compensate for, or until they hit an area where the special need doesn't hold them back.)

[Linda on the move]

Originally Posted by KatWrangler

No, that is my ignorance of what makes someone gifted. Sorry if I offended anyone. In my mind I guess I associate being a good student = gifted. Which I take from your response is terribly incorrect. So I need to educate myself on it.

"Gifted" means that they have an IQ score in a particular range. School districts have different standards for defining "gifted."

Kids can have a high IQ and also be ADD or aspie or just disorganized!

My DD has aspergers and her IQ scores are all over the place. She would qualify for the gifted program based on scores, but it isn't a good fit for her. Her grades are all over the place because she has communication issues, and she spends one period a day in special ed.

Her sister, with slightly lower but more consistant IQ scores and no special issues, is a straight A student and in the gifted program.

Neither of them were early readers. One read at 7 and one at 8. Yet by age 11 they both read on college level.

[QueenOfTheMeadow]

Originally Posted by Linda on the move

"Gifted" means that they have an IQ score in a particular range. School districts have different standards for defining "gifted."

Kids can have a high IQ and also be ADD or aspie or just disorganized!

My DD has aspergers and her IQ scores are all over the place. She would qualify for the gifted program based on scores, but it isn't a good fit for her. Her grades are all over the place because she has communication issues, and she spends one period a day in special ed.

Her sister, with slightly lower but more consistant IQ scores and no special issues, is a straight A student and in the gifted program.

Neither of them were early readers. One read at 7 and one at 8. Yet by age 11 they both read on college level.

It doesn't always mean that the complete IQ is very high if it is a gifted with a learning disability. Actually, the difference in the different parts of the IQ, with one part being very hight and another low, testing are a good way to pick out the learning disability/gifted combo.

[QueenOfTheMeadow]

Originally Posted by QueenOfTheMeadow

It doesn't always mean that the complete IQ is very high if it is a gifted with a learning disability. Actually, the difference in the different parts of the IQ, with one part being very hight and another low, testing are a good way to pick out the learning disability/gifted combo.

Oops, you already said that! Great minds!

[buttercup784ever]

I find it interesting that your psychologist would try to make that diagnosis based on just his evaluation since a lot of ADHD kids are capable of concentrating and acting 'normal' on a one on one basis. My son's neurologist said that my son will feed off of our attention and use that to focus which is why he can do his homework if we are sitting next to him, but can't do any work in a school setting or by himself.

Josh got the ADHD diagnosis basically just based on his teacher's evaluation and our's. If it had been based on how he acted in the dr.'s office...forget it!