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Achievement testing vs Intelligence testing


4KookieKids
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I'm considering having my 7 yo tested for achievement or intelligence. I have so many questions!! Would a test with our psych be best (assuming she does that), since she knows us well already? Would a talent search test be sufficient? How do you prepare a kid for taking a computerized test when they're not super familiar with computers (and it doesn't seem like there are a lot of practice tests available)? What sort of accommodations (e.g., sensory issues?) might be made (if any)?

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A full battery IQ test, preferably with someone who has experience testing 2E kids, is what you want.

 

It would be most helpful in the context of a full neuropsychological evaluation.

Any particular test?

 

Also, how do I find out who has experience with 2E kids in my area? Is there a list or something?

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I would basically say what you said in your first post, but condensed: "I'm figuring out that I may have been pretty off base in understanding what my kid is capable of. What would you think of me seeking an IQ testing so that I could get a better idea of how he thinks? Especially because I homeschool and am therefore responsible for teaching him the best I can, that information might be really helpful to me. Is that something that would happen here with you, or somewhere else? If somewhere else, do you have a recommendation? When I call to set that up, is there anything in particular that I should be asking for?"

 

I'm assuming you already know the current psych, are comfortable with them, and generally trust them.

Edited by Jackie
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I would basically say what you said in your first post, but condensed: "I'm figuring out that I may have been pretty off base in understanding what my kid is capable of. What would you think of me seeking an IQ testing so that I could get a better idea of how he thinks? Especially because I homeschool and am therefore responsible for teaching him the best I can, that information might be really helpful to me. Is that something that would happen here with you, or somewhere else? If somewhere else, do you have a recommendation? When I call to set that up, is there anything in particular that I should be asking for?"

 

I'm assuming you already know the current psych, are comfortable with them, and generally trust them.

 

thanks! That makes sense and I've been re-reading it to learn it better because I always freeze up on things like this (even though we do are comfortable with and trust our psych).

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Thanks, folks. Turns out I was making this way harder than it needed to be. The psychologist just said a neuropsych eval would be good for us but we'd need a referral from our primary pediatrician. I called his office and got the referral over the phone, even... lol. Dumb that I made it harder than it needed to be! :)

 

 

In hindsight, maybe this was the wrong forum to post this on. I'd read so much on hear about intelligence testing, but perhaps it belonged on the LC board instead. It's still hard for me to figure that out with a 2E kid!

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I'd read so much on hear about intelligence testing, but perhaps it belonged on the LC board instead. It's still hard for me to figure that out with a 2E kid!

You need both boards, after all you are dealing with 2E issues. Do you have an autism support group locally? Word of mouth is still the easiest way to get recommendations. Check the billing codes when you get your insurance bill for the evaluations unless it is all covered. The wrong billing code means more out of pocket for us so my husband called the insurance to get that mess clear up.

 

The WISC tests itself did not tell me as much as I wish but comparing my boys subscores was interesting as my kids are a year apart and their academic abilities are so contrasting. Part of their academic contrast is personality.

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You need both boards, after all you are dealing with 2E issues. Do you have an autism support group locally? Word of mouth is still the easiest way to get recommendations.

 

I do not yet. I've tried reaching out a bit, and I've found a bit of help, but most of the people I've met (so far!) have kids who are very much in the "classic" autism camp, and so it's hard to find help with my robot-building, bilingual, artsy, extremely talkative and social (albeit incredibly awkwardly) and highly intelligent kiddo (who also just happens to be very ASD as well). I find myself increasingly cautious in sharing too much of our journey for fear I'll be laughed at for not having "real" problems (since it wouldn't be the first time).

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Well boo. Doc and psych were both on board, but insurance says it'll only cover a neuropsych eval in the event of a traumatic brain injury. :(

Ours subsidize some tests and not others. So we did testing in parts instead of one neuropsych evaluation so we end up with many insurance billing codes. We also use HSA to pay. So we end up paying nothing out of pocket since our HSA was sufficient. We asked for itemized quotations then my husband called insurance to cross check.

 

My district would evaluate for autism, ADHD and run achievement tests but not the IQ tests. You can call the district office and ask, then mail in a request for evaluation if you want to.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Well insurance ended up covering it, but now I want to bang my head against a wall. Lady gave him the Wisconsin card sorting test, and he thought it was just a long game like paper, rock , scissors. Kept getting eight or nine right and then the next one wrong. I asked him about it in the car afterwards, and he just responded that she'd doneso many the same, he thought she'd be ready to switch already. I don't feel like it tasted his ability to adapt at all. Sigh. He's such a black and white thinker, I wonder if all the tests will be this frustrating? I really wanted to say something, just to help him understand that she's not just choosing answers randomly and it's about finding the pattern, but was afraid of messing up the results. What would you have done?

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Well insurance ended up covering it, but now I want to bang my head against a wall. Lady gave him the Wisconsin card sorting test, and he thought it was just a long game like paper, rock , scissors. Kept getting eight or nine right and then the next one wrong. I asked him about it in the car afterwards, and he just responded that she'd doneso many the same, he thought she'd be ready to switch already. I don't feel like it tasted his ability to adapt at all. Sigh. He's such a black and white thinker, I wonder if all the tests will be this frustrating? I really wanted to say something, just to help him understand that she's not just choosing answers randomly and it's about finding the pattern, but was afraid of messing up the results. What would you have done?

 

I'm not familiar with the test. But I know what you mean. One the one hand, tell the kid that it's just a game, have fun. On the other hand, tell the kid it's a super-expensive and super-important game, don't screw around with it!

 

A good test though, ought to take into account the testee giving purposefully "wrong" answers, especially in cases of ASD. Did you receive results yet? Can you contact the tester and ask what they think about what your son said? The score might still be valid, even if your son did it "wrong."

 

 

Also, just throwing this out there, have you had his working memory or processing speed tested? 

 

My son has much the same profile as yours (he's not diagnosed ASD, yet, though he may get ASD-1). One thing I am finding as he gets older and schoolwork ramps up is that the WM deficits are getting more and more problematic. 

 

 

I've been thinking it would be great if there was a 2E subforum here somewhere. Not sure it would be best under LC or here on AL. I sometimes feel awkward posting on LC (yes, he's doing Algebra) and also here on AL (no, he can't read that book and understand it on his own, no matter how great it is or how conceptually ready he is for it). Lately I've just stopped opening threads on things I'm wondering about. Or maybe we should add a tag, so instead of CC for "Christian content" write 2eC for "twice exceptional content"?

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DD will be doing testing in a few weeks. She's done achievement testing before, and knows that the purpose for that is to let me know what she already knows. For the IQ testing, we've told her that it is special testing to tell us more about how her brain works and how she thinks, not necessarily about what she knows.

 

We've had discussions in the past when I've been surprised that something is exceptionally easy/difficult for her about the fact that everyone's brains work differently, and therefore hers works differently from mine. She understands this concept, but is continually astounded when I don't intuitively know exactly how her brain is working, so she inks this all sounds like a fantastic idea.

 

I don't know if this is the "right" thing to say or if it is helpful to you, though!

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