[baddmammajamma]

This is a terrific, brief piece that has been circulating among my "twice exceptional" network friends:

http://www.addvance.com/help/parents/gifted_child.html

ADHD, particularly the "dreamy, inattentive type," is often missed in kids because it doesn't necessarily manifest itself in disruptiveness. Giftedness can mask special needs like ADHD (as well as Aspergers), but when undiagnosed and untreated, these needs can contribute to children not meeting their full potential.

[mumto3princesses]

That's really interresting.

I don't think DD#2 is gifted but she was diagnosed this year with Inattentive ADHD. She has never struggled in school and always done quite well in reading and spelling so we didn't realise there was anything going on. Sure there was other problems but we just thought it was just her.

It was only when she started constantly complaining of knowing things in her head but not being able to write it down that we realised there was a problem of some kind so we made an appointment with a developmental paed. The way she was complaining we were actually really concerned it was something serious. Then a family member was diagnosed with ADHD and we realised they now had 5 first cousins and 2 second cousins with ADHD and we thought hmmmm.

DD#2 has been on medication for a little while now and just last week DD#2's teacher told me she has improved A LOT. Not just the day to day stuff and starting and continuing to do work etc which we already knew but she has had huge improvements in her actual school work in all areas. I'm really curious to see what her school report looks like when we get it.

This post has been edited by mumto3princesses: 26/11/2012, 12:50 PM

[L&E]

My son has ADHD and has had cognitive testing that show some very high abilities, particularly with verbal reasoning in which he scored in the 98th percentile. As people with ADHD tend to have a lower result in working memory, his high abilities elsewhere mean this area of relative weakness still tests within the average to above average range. It's lucky for him as it means those short periods of productivity are actually very productive and he is able to achieve sound to high academic results with little "work". His behaviours still manifested in disruptive ways at school, and definitely disruptive and increasingly agreesive behaviours particularly prior to beginning medication.

[adnama]

DD is quite bright (gifted I don't know), and has been diagnosed with ADHD and ODD. Although she doesn't perform as well as she can at school because her head gets distracted.

[amabanana]

Thanks BMJ.
We didn't realise how bright our little button was until we did cognitive testing as part of her psych evaluation. We knew she was bright but the results surprised us all. She has been diagnosed with ADD inattentive type and SPD. Her ADD was masking her abilities because she really just doesn't give a sh*t unless something takes her interest. We're working on that!
L&E, DD maxed out her verbal reasoning. I think it's not uncommon with kids who have ADD (?).

I do have a niggling question in my head about Aspergers as we have close family members who have been dx'd. It's a tricky business.

[~ky~]

Oh my goodness! That list describes my eldest DD to a tee! She has gained a place for 2014 in the gifted high school program so I guess I had better have her assessed so she doesn't have to struggle as demands get higher.

I can see a lot of DS in that list also and he has been tentatively dagnosed with aspergers.

Looks like I'll be putting 2 kids through the process.

It hit home when it asked if one or more of the parents were gifted but hadn't done as well as expected at school. I have an IQ in the genius range and DH is no slouch in the brains department yet both of us left school early and went to work nstead of completing our studies. I also se e a lot of DH and myself in the list.

[baddmammajamma]

ky, my daughter was assessed by a developmental paed who has a special interest in ADHD and ASD (as well as twice exceptional profiles). As the article says, it's important to find a doctor who understands giftedness -- and uses thorough assessment tools -- so that he/she won't rush to judgment. My daughter's process included a lengthy interview with me, the Conners rating scale (for both parents and for her main teacher), an integ neuro assessment to test specific brain functions like attention, visual memory, verbal memory, etc.

Prior to the assessment, we had also had IQ and achievement testing.

I belong to a group of parents who have gifted kids with SNs and/or learning disabilities, and ADHD seems to be so under-detected (as with Aspergers). Many of these kids didn't have their ADHD picked up until upper primary/early high school because their giftedness allowed them to compensate for so much.

Good luck to you & your kids.

[barrington]

Thank you, BMJ for this.

DS is probably gifted (untested) and after going out to lunch today where DS couldn't stop fidgeting, I showed DH your link (after I had been pondering the article since you posted).

DH immediately realised that he is probably ADHD inattentive himself and ran through a number of 'strategies' he uses in daily life to compensate without realising why. And was stunned to read through and 'see' DS in almost all of the symptoms listed.

So DH will call our awesome GP tonight to arrange an appointment for a referral to a developmental paed asap. And I will chat to DS's teacher tomorrow after school, as its the second last day of school for us.

[Overtherainbow]

One of my chn is exceptional and also has an ADHD, predominantly inattentive diagnosis.

I find it is difficult as he hears one word and his mind jumps 20 steps ahead which can make it difficult for him to keep up with where the class is at. He has no organisational skills and time is irrelevant to him.

He is in extension classes and his teacher's recognise his intelligence and push him but he sometimes bombs on tests because his anxiety kicks in and he's off with the fairies, not reading the question properly.

Everyday is a journey.

[Helen Magnus]

I do have a child like this. She has tested as gifted in some areas in different IQ and screening tests. She tends to fall into the group where the ADD and giftedness cancel each other out and her school sees her as an above average quiet student with no problems but not gifted. I am sure they thought we were crazy to have her tested. The new paed we saw recognised the problems but is limited in what she can do without the school backing it up. It's very frustrating that we have to wait till she falls over to get help.
We have her on medication for ADD and sleep but it's not really working.

This post has been edited by Helen Magnus: 05/12/2012, 11:33 PM