Question for Pattim - processing speed and attention

Karen,
As I understand it, slow processing speed is like a six lane highway that narrows to two lanes - somethings don’t get through. There’s lots of information being sent by parts of the brain to other parts, but the transportation system can’t handle it all, so some things just get dropped. The child has to keep going back to get the missing pieces, for example re-reading that sentence, stopping to figure out what was that idea he/she was trying to write down, etc. It means that the child often can’t remember what he’s doing. Yes, he can go back and pick up the lost piece, but that takes more time and more effort. Nothing flows easily. He’s always stopping and re-starting. Each time he has to go back, there’s a chance that he’ll get off track and be distracted by something. Next thing you know he’s staring out the window and the teacher says he can’t concentrate. His ability to concentrate (freedome form distractibility) is probably above average, since it is being enhanced by the effort to stay on track. But enhanced or not, it still may not be enough.
It’s not that his powers of concentration are poor, it’s that he needs exceptional powers of concentration to compensate for the slow processing.

Mandy has done a good job of explaining this to you. But what you are saying is the same thing that has happened to one of my tutee’s. He did fine during a psych test due to the novelty of the situation and he was very attentive but a slow processor. However, in the classroom, it takes too much energy to focus and maintain his attention due to the slow processing as Mandy has so eloquently stated. This isn’t the first time I have heard about this either. I on the other hand am a very fast processor, but I am INATTENTIVE to little minute details. It takes a lot of concentration to make sure I catch all the little nuances because I am so good at picking up the big picture but it is the little details that hang me up. Slow Processing speed is only another indicator that a child may have ADD. It was the one thing that the ADD specialist picked up on my daughter. When she was 5 she had a processing speed of 122, by 10 it had dropped down to the low 70’s…that was an indicator that it wasn’t just her hearing and CAPD it was her attention. Processing speed is just one more piece to the puzzle…

FYI, my son’s processing speed was 77.
But here’s the question I am trying to get my arms around:
Despite some test data to the contrary, could he have ADD in the medical sense ie, that might respond to medication? He has many subtle issues that we are working on, and I am not eager to medicate him at all - but I also don’t want to make things unnecessarily difficult for him by not considering medication if it would help. And I know for many kids with ADD/ADHD medication can be part of a total treatment plan. I guess that’s my underlying reason for asking the question about processing speed and inattention. Again, thoughts and insights are very much appreciated.

My understanding of how they look at the IQ testing to determine ADHD,(which never as itself should be used), the best indicator is a combination of a low processing speed and freedom from distractibility score. If only 1 of the scores is low there is still a chance the individual has ADHD that is why several areas are looked at and not just the IQ factor tests. For example both my boys have low freedom from distractabality scores 1 of 83 the other of 75 but they both have high processing speed scores of 105, and 106 respectively. The doc who saw them said that ADHD, inattentive type could be part of their profile but with their other issues it is hard to sort out. Both boys have speech/language difficulties, problems with memory (short term), and auditory processing difficulties. The oldest was tried on various medications that had no effect on him at all. The youngest was never tried on meds for fear they would make him withdrawl more into his own world (he falls on the autism spectrum). I feel they really have not come up with the ideal way to diagnosis but they are continueing their efforts and their methods are improving.

nt

I would look for other evidence besides difficulty maintaining attention in the classroom for evidence of medical ADHD. Is he distractible? I don’t mean per psychological testing, which can be fouled by the whole novelty factor (but often isn’t), but in life in general. Does he stop things halfway through a lot? If something alters a routine does he sort of “fall off” the routine belt and forget to get back on, and not remember to do any more of whatever he was in the middle of?
It’s very likely that the processing speed issue is the main issue — it would be interesting to see the effect of a mild stimulant on it, but I think I’d start with a cup of tea, first.

I would say he’s the opposite of distractible - when he’s busy thinking about what he’s interested in we can’t get him move his focus to the business at hand, and I suspect that’s what happens at school ….

I’m curious though to hear more about what the effects of a stimulant on processing speed might be. Or anything else that would effect processing speed. Because I too am coming to the conclusion that its at the root of alot of his issues. And its not clear to me how to address it… Thanks.

I would say he’s the opposite of distractible - when he’s busy thinking about what he’s interested in we can’t get him move his focus to the business at hand, and I suspect that’s what happens at school ….

I’m curious though to hear more about what the effects of a stimulant on processing speed might be. Or anything else that would effect processing speed. Because I too am coming to the conclusion that its at the root of alot of his issues. And its not clear to me how to address it… Thanks.

The longer you spin the wheel of pro’s and con’s the longer he muddles through. Try it and see if it works and then make the judgment. I have seen meds help kids with high functioning autism as well, it helps them slow down and focus. I really it is worth a trial

He reminds me of many of the kids I have seen over the years. The kids who can hyperfocus but are in their own little world. Yes, they look like they are attending but they have gone elsewhere in their mind and by the time they are in their teens the habits are so ingrained that they are almost impossible to break..

Well, we just got the neuropsych report a few weeks ago, and since our psychologist came down strongly on the side of anxiety (vs. ADD) we are in the process of evaluating his anxiety. Once we have a handle on that piece (which may also involve meds) then we can move onto the next. I am just trying to understand his issues as best I can , because ultimately the course of action is up to me (and my husband [smile]) And this whole concept of processing speed is new to me.Thanks for sharing your expertise, all of the information I have found on this board has been invaluable!