My then-7-year-old daughter was diagnosed with ADHD in Sept. of last year by a dev’l ped. At the time, the dev’l ped performed the Woodcock-Johnson-III which reportedly showed average to above average on all subtests. (They did not perform an intelligence test.) In January, the school performed the WIAT which showed -7 in math reasoning, -12 in numerical operations and -10 in listening comprehension in comparison to her WISC-III scores. Everything else was a little above average — from 3 to 9 points. I am questioning the difference in the scores, though. She does better, actually “maxing out,” on geometrical/spatial questions on her Stanford tests. Does anyone know if the WJ asks more geometric/spatial questions than the WIAT? Or is this typical of a child with ADHD — got it one day and gone the next? Or is it because we got a more “accurate reading” with the intelligence test. Also, after school is underway for a few weeks this year, should I ask for the KeyMath-Revised to get a better handle on her math “problems?” She is presently not under an iep or iap.
thanks for any input,
anita
Re: inconsistent scores typical of ADHD?
My school system diagnostician will tell you that we have many fewer children qualifying for special ed. in our district since we changed over to the WJ-III. She thinks the WJ-III scores higher than the WIAT and I believe it.
Janis
Re: inconsistent scores typical of ADHD?
I only dealt with the WISC-II, TCS-II, GATES, and SAGES with my ADHD son but his scores fluctuated between 102 and 154!!! This is very common for ADHD and not just due to them not retaining information but due to the fact that their scores can be effected by the environment and test administrator. Any child can only be given the same test with a 12 month separation so I would request that the same test be given the next time around. Schools tend to change the testing method used and will strongly argue theat “IQ does not change”. I went to a private Child Psych to have the WISC-II after the scores on the other tests ranged from 102-133. Have the test test given by the same tester to get the “real picture”.
Inconsistancy
My son has a visual motor deficit. I am still unsure about the adhd although he used to look adhd and he certainly has struggled with attentional issues. He has always been highyly inconsistant. It was one of the things that our developlmental optometrist asked about when we had him evaluated initially.
The optometrist told me that the inconsitancies would dissipate after vision therapy.
We still have 3 months of vision therapy but I do think my son is much more consistant.
I think I will know more once school starts.
Schools always say that IQ doesn’t change but the research says the exact opposite. Your IQ can fluctuate by as much as 50 points over your life time.
Also, as was stated, different testers can have extremely different results.
It is probably less of a function of “in one day and out another” than it is of how your child felt that day and what they had going around them. It sounds like the first exam was given in more of a private setting and the second was given at a school. Schools can be very distracting and your child may have had other things on her mind like “am i going to make it to reccess on time or am I going to be able to miss the spelling test?”