Testing

Towards the end of Belle's preschool year she had started acting up. She'd been doing really well and then all of a sudden she started to regress. I spoke with her teachers, one of who had experience in child psychology and it was her opinion that Belle was gifted and bored. That she wasn't being challenged and didn't know how to handle her frustration. She also felt that Belle could see that she was different from the other kids and that also frustrated her. I didn't disagree with this opinion at all as it was something we'd seen with Belle for a long time now. I recalled her being upset in Gymboree when other kids her age didn't talk like she did or act like she did... didn't play or have the same imagination level as she.

I decided to give the child psychologist we'd worked with at the begining of the year a call. We'd worked with her after the whole Eton fiasco so she was familiar with Belle and her temperment. I told her how Belle had been acting and she agreed with what the teacher and I felt was the problem. She recommended we look into getting Belle tested. The testing covers a lot of things; IQ, academic level, nerological functions, learning disabilities, and so on.

Well it took us awhile to get it done but we finally did the testing. It started with a form for Belle's teacher to fill out and one for us too, then a confrience with Brad and I and the doctor and then two days of 2 hour testings for Belle. I was worried about what Belle would think of it but she really enjoyed being there and doing the tests! Go figure. :)


The results were very interesting. Actually they were not a surprise to us in the slightest for the most part. It was nice to have some things confirmed and some other things better defined.

I really don't like to put labels on anyone, espeically a kid. So I hesitate to start spitting them out, especially about my own kid. But these psychologists work in labels and definitions and percentials so I'll speak in their terms (as best as I can).

Belle in their findings and by their definition is gifted in many ways. Particularly in verbal and memory abilities. Her IQ levels were broken into catagories. Her Verbal IQ was the highest at 143 (100 is average and 110 is called "very surperior"). This put her in the 99.8 percential. That means that of her age group only .2% of others would score higher then her.

Her Performance and Processing Speed Index (complex reasoning abilities and tracking and matching abilities) IQ scores where 116 putting her in the 86th percential. So her overall IQ is considered to be 132 which put her altogether in the 98th percential. Apparently this means Belle would qualify for Mensa.

So those are the numbers for IQ. The next thing they test for is academic level. On this Belle tested to be at the 1st grade level in reading, math reasoning, and written expression. She tested to be at the Kindergarted plus 8 months level for numerical operations and spelling. This is good in the fact that it means she's not behind but the problem lies in the fact that it does not match up to her IQ... or rather put... Belle is not meeting her potentional. Not a huge worried at this point because she is only in kindergarten. But it is important to figure out why the difference between her potential and her academic level.

Belle did great on all their tests except one. There was one test they do that is 20 minutes long and the child has to click a little clicker whenever a dot shows up at the top of a rectangle. Apparently Belle flat out failed this test because she was day dreaming and not paying attention to it. This managed to, in thier opinion, earn her the label or diagnosis of "mild ADHD."

Also in their evaluation they noted Belle's social difficulties. Belle has trouble dealing with kids her own age because she's more advanced then they are in ways that makes it difficult for her to play with them. She also has trouble dealing with her own emotions. Belle is very intense feels everything at a higher level then most. This isn't in itself a bad thing but can make it hard for her to cope with day to day frustrations.

It was their opinion that her social troubles, coupled with the ADHD is what is hampering her meeting her potiential. They said that if it isn't managed that it could start to seriously handicap her in school academicaly... if she is constantly being fussed at by teachers to pay attention, and she's having disagreements with classmates that it could start to affect her self esteem and thus her enjoyment of school. And if she's not enjoying school, if it isn't an enjoyable place for her then she's less likely to put in a good effort to do well.

So for the most part I agreed with their findings. I definiately agree that Belle has trouble dealing with other kids. Part of this is due to the fact that she's on a different level then they are. We've seen this for years. She's getting better on it but the fact is kids her age for the most part don't think, or talk, or play like Belle does. Now luckily she's insanely charsmatic and kids are drawn to her and like her. But she still has some difficults with kids, she loses patience at some points and doesn't know how to cope. And yes, Belle definately has trouble understanding and dealing with her own emotions. As I said before, she's passionate and feels everything more intensly.

The only part I disagree with is the ADHD diagnosis. I ran this by her teachers, the psychologist I've worked with and, and her primary care doctor... they all felt that was wrong. Belle has no problems concentrating and focusing. Her problem is that she has yet to develop the ability that we all gain with time to focus on something mundane that we must do but have no interest in doing. :) The test that she failed that gave them this diagnosis was borring! Heck I would have had trouble doing that for 20 minutes. Belle didn't see the point in it and had her own things to think about. Belle is like me in this regard. Durring school I had a big problem with this because if I didn't see the point in a homework assignment I wouldn't do it. This didn't mean I was ADHD. Now this isn't to say it isn't a problem. Belle does need to learn this skill. But it is a skill... it isn't a sign of ADHD.

The psychologist who did the testing suggested medication to help Belle. This I also STRONGLY disagreed with. And in fact was frankly very annoyed by. I feel a rant coming on. But I feel like lately tossing out ADHD as a diagnosis and pumping our kids full of pills is the new thing to do. Like we don't want to really take any time to figure our kids out and work with them to help them. No we just want to drug them into compliance with the socially acceptable norm! Thankfully Belle's doctor agrees with me and actually said even if I wanted to go that way she would not perscribe anything to Belle without a ton more tests.

Now don't get me wrong if Belle was truly sick I'd give her medication. I'm not trying to sound like Tom Cruise here. I see the benifits of pharmacuticals for both physical and mental illnesses. BUT, just like I with physicall illnesses, sometimes antibiotics are not the first thing you should do. Sometimes you just need some TLC and rest, vitamin c, chicken soup, and a warm blanket.

When I told the doctor I was against medicating Belle she said that play therapy would also probably help Belle but would take longer to see results. I said that's fine with us, we'll do what we can to help her. Here again I have to rant. If there is a way to help Belle naturally then why isn't that offered as the first option?! Because it's harder? Well sorry but my daughter is worth the effort! See I like Belle. I like her just how she is. Yes I want to help her with the areas she's having trouble. She needs that help and she'll get it. But I want to help her be a better her... not drug the problems out of her and potentionaly drug out the parts of Belle that make her so cool.

I've been reading this book called "Raising Your Spirited Child" and am SO glad I am. It was recommended to me by a counselor at Belle's school. Reading it it is so obvious that Belle is a very spirted kid. The author's definition of "Spirited" is a normal child that is simply 'more'... more intense, more passionate, more dramatic... normal kid stuff just ... More! :) Reading the descriptions it was spooky in some cases because it was like she was talking about Belle. She also talks about how some spirited kids are mistaken for being ADHD. Reading this book and having this testing done is helping me understand Belle better. She's got a double wammy here... she's spirted and gifted. Most gifted kids will have some sort of social issue to begin with, now add to that her being so spirited and you've got a very special kid here. Special in a great way! But also challenging. If Belle gets the help she needs then her big brain and intense personality will take her far and she'll be well.. anything she can dream of! If she doesn't get the help she needs then all it could hamper her for life.

So I called the psychologist (the original one not the testing one) to set up a plan to get Belle in to do some play therapy. I've also talked to the teacher and we'll be working on ways to help Belle in the classroom as well. With some hard work and time she should be better prepaired come fall and the new school year.