Welcome JustAMom,
I'm really, really glad to hear that your son is in preAP classes and getting perfect grades. I'd love to see what his IQ score would be now, on an individualized IQ test. I'll bet it's beyond 140, and that his near perfect scores may still represent him not being truly challenged. So when the folks say you are using the medication to get the scores, you can at least think to yourself - for all we know he could still be underachieving, even with the medication! Actually my hope is that he is perfectly placed, perfectly diagnosed, and perfectly challenged. After all these years - Yippee!!!

Smiles,
Grinity

Thank you Grinity,

I've always been curious about his true IQ though in the state that I'm in, the school districts rely on OLsaT, ITBS, or Stanford (or a combination of). I looked into the WISC however, it's quite expensive since he doesn't show a learning disorder, at least the definition of one in this state. I've read Colorado's handbook on 2E children and found it very interesting how they diagnosed children using the discrepancy between the verbal and ability portion of the test. I wonder if this occur for my son.

His IQ has not been very important to me except what he chooses to do with it. We were very lucky to have a retired medical school professor teach his 7th grade biology class a few years ago who inspired him. He's very interested in biomedical engineering.

I just feel a little lost trying to do what's best.

Thank you everyone for your words. They mean a lot to me!

One nice thing about the WISC, is that it 'should' come with the interpretations of a knowledgable professional who can offer some guidance. Is is a real pain that we Moms are left so much on our own with these 'difficult to raise' kids.

I agree that his IQ isn't important, but it might be a launching pad onto you having more of a map in the 'doing what's best' department.

Welcome! Glad to hear he had a great teacher. Can you get them together nowadays?

Grinity

One way my children's IQ number has helped me is that I was grossly underestimating what they could learn and how fast. That number gave me permission to present them with material I thought was radically above level. They have thrived in a home learning environment and became more excited about learning than ever since I started allowing them access to higher levels of academic products/toys/books, etc. I wouldn't have before their tests. I think that's a good use of "the number".

Neato

Ditto what 'Neato said.

Though I guess my biggest wake-up-call actually came from the achievement test results (Woodcock-Johnson III for us, administered by the school to ID for GTness). That led to our getting IQ testing for him to confirm what we saw on the WJ3.

Still, knowing that his ability and potential were well beyond what material we had been giving him made a big difference in how DH and I have approached his education, and it's been for the best. He's much happier now that he's actually being challenged.

Welcome JustaMom!

The decision to medicate was not made lightly in your situation. In fact you son seems to be the first to recognize what might be going on. That to me shows that he has had the desire to preform better than his grades were showing. In my limited experience that is not typical of the Classic underachiever.

If your son finds that the medications help him (as they apparently do) then you are doing what is in the best interest of your child. I agree with the other posts to use the critism as positive teaching opportunities when possible and let it roll off your back when you can't.

Gifted children with ADD/ADHD can present very differently from a ND child with ADD/ADHD. I am impressed that given all the adversity that your son and your family have gone through that he has stepped up and is doing so wonderfully now! All of you deserve to congratulate each other and continue to build on the positive effects you are experiencing

Justamom -- medicating a child does not change behavior caused by poor parenting! Maybe medicating the parent might change poor parenting, but that's not your issue!

If you are getting the response you want from a 15 year old by giving prescribed medication, then don't change anything!

Yes Justamom....I agree w/ what everyone else has said. You've not one this lightly. It's working well for your son. Educate those that you can, forget those that you can't.

Thank you OHGrandma! I'll have to remember that.



elhO706, I'm taking notes. After reflecting on his earlier years, I can imagine the teachers he had fustrated were struggling with their own paradigm of ADHD being just a "behavioral issue". Oddly, my younger son's kindergarten teacher suggested my youngest was ADHD when he actually had amblyopia.



I've been trying to analyze these differences and look at the overall attitude of educators we will be interacting with. I think for the most part, my son is teaching all of us about the possibility. There is no doubt many other 2E children get ignored or fustrated in an unsuccessful school experience.

Wow... we have progress! He's been acepted into a research study on ADHD teens. At least 3 to 5 other doctors are looking at his thinking and helping him come up with ways to organize incoming information.

I feel soooooooo relieved since it was difficult to diagnose. Maybe now his dianosis will have more validity.