IQ results... Can anyone explain this to me?

CountingDown
Wed, 06 Apr 2011 18:34:34 +0000

One of my kids has a 42 point spread between WISC-IIIR verbal and performance scores – found this out when he was six. Our pediatrician (bless him) recognized the implications immediately. Ceilinged everything except math on the verbal side, and even that was close. Along with this came visual-spatial integration issues, sensory integration issues, horrendous fine-motor skills and ADD-inattentive. Spent a good part of the primary years in occupational therapy.

The disparity has caused frustration for him over the years, as he intellectually knows many tasks should be easy for him, but they are not, and they are hard in a different way from how many of us experience them. Sequential, timed tasks are very tough. He spent a lot of intellectual energy in elem school getting his body to cooperate enough to produce work. Once his teachers let him keyboard (which back then actually took some doing), things improved.

All that said, he has learned to compensate and has done quite well for himself. He knows how to work hard to accomplish his goals. He is often too hard on himself and we have to watch against self-sabotage. Most importantly, he is a kind, thoughtful person whose social intelligence will get him far in life.

We’ve never told our kids exact IQ numbers (though the reports are in the file cabinet if they were curious), but they know enough about standard deviations to have an educated clue. We told them they have the raw material to be whatever they want, but it will take discipline and and perseverance to accomplish those goals.