Re: My Aspie is Mildly retarded [our experience, beware]

[Guest guest]

This has been a great discussion. I think the IQ test is a very INvalid test

that really measures how well you take tests! However, in the real world, it

seems to be the benchmark for whether you get or don't get services,

unfortunately. Our son, now 26, first test at 6 was labeled as invalid by the

psychologist, he got a 77. I should have ripped it up, removed it from his

records, destroyed it...but I didn't know that then. Fast forward twenty years

and five more IQ tests of 68 or lower later...he was removed from the

possibility of services by the state, citing that " INVALID " test. Their

benchmark is 70. So despite appeals, he was purged from the waiting list from

that score. So what is he, MR? Well his vocabulary and verbal skills don't

indicate that. One psychologist even wrote in his report that my child " doesn't

look mentally retarded. " I am not making that up and the state also cited that

to purge him. So one must look MR? What is that exactly???? I could find no

criteria for physical appearance. I would think that when all the agencies that

I have appealed his purging from the list too, hear my story there would be

OUTRAGE, a rush to change this grievous wrong against my child. I would be

wrong! Even legal aid won't take this on! So, bottom line, the test score sure

can come back to bite you and determine a whole world of services. I just talked

today to one place. We are trying to get home maker services for DS, who wants

to try and apt. If he is MR, they can't help, if he is autistic, they send me to

another agency. Verrrry frustrating.

>

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> Sorry, I should have read ahead. I would never take a dx of retardation from

a school psychologist, especially if you don't believe he is retarded and he is

on the honor roll. This would suggest that the scores were not interpreted very

well.

>

> As for the scores, as I posted the other day, you cannot always average these

scores and get an accurate average. This happens a lot for kids with LD's

present - they score really high in places, really low in places, a few in

between scores and then when this is averaged, it can show many variations that

do not really accurately describe the child. Also, the older these kids get,

the lower their scores can go just due to lack of remediation.

>

> What you need to do is get a copy of the test scores - all of them, subtest

scores included. Often with kids who have LD's, you will see the sub test

scores vary a lot - from low to high. Someone sent the link for wrightslaw on

test scores - great article to read and learn about testing.

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> Roxanna

> “Our lives begin to end the day webecome silent about things that matter.â€

- Luther King, Jr.

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> Re: ( ) My Aspie is Mildly retarded

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> Hi Marcia,

>

> Was your son diagnosed mildly retarded or is this what you are thinking do to

his delays? My son with Aspergers has a lot of the same behaviors as your son,

my son also did not tie his shoes until 6th grade due to issues with muscle

tone. But I would say unless you have an official diagnosis from your child's

Doctor, I would not consider your child retarded. He has autism/Aspergers so he

has some developmental delays. Hopefully things will come, just not on track

like Neuro typical children. I am not sure what services you are set up with

now, what state are you in and do you have medical insurance or Medicaid? I am

sure if you are able to tell us a little more of what services, etc you are

getting now, some of the parents on this list can help you with finding

resources and all.

>

> Dawn T.

>

[Guest guest]

In other lists there have been a few tests that seem to be better suited to our children who are AS or ASD..... Children with Autism do not tend to do well on the IQ test because of verbal skills issues and other issues that are required to do well on the test.....

Carolyn

From: Mimi <sue@...> Sent: Fri, March 4, 2011 10:55:11 AMSubject: ( ) Re: My Aspie is Mildly retarded [our experience, beware]

This has been a great discussion. I think the IQ test is a very INvalid test that really measures how well you take tests! However, in the real world, it seems to be the benchmark for whether you get or don't get services, unfortunately. Our son, now 26, first test at 6 was labeled as invalid by the psychologist, he got a 77. I should have ripped it up, removed it from his records, destroyed it...but I didn't know that then. Fast forward twenty years and five more IQ tests of 68 or lower later...he was removed from the possibility of services by the state, citing that "INVALID" test. Their benchmark is 70. So despite appeals, he was purged from the waiting list from that score. So what is he, MR? Well his vocabulary and verbal skills don't indicate that. One psychologist even wrote in his report that my child "doesn't look mentally retarded." I am not making that up and the state also cited that to purge him. So one must look MR? What is that

exactly???? I could find no criteria for physical appearance. I would think that when all the agencies that I have appealed his purging from the list too, hear my story there would be OUTRAGE, a rush to change this grievous wrong against my child. I would be wrong! Even legal aid won't take this on! So, bottom line, the test score sure can come back to bite you and determine a whole world of services. I just talked today to one place. We are trying to get home maker services for DS, who wants to try and apt. If he is MR, they can't help, if he is autistic, they send me to another agency. Verrrry frustrating.>> > Sorry, I should have read ahead. I would never take a dx of retardation from a school psychologist,

especially if you don't believe he is retarded and he is on the honor roll. This would suggest that the scores were not interpreted very well. > > As for the scores, as I posted the other day, you cannot always average these scores and get an accurate average. This happens a lot for kids with LD's present - they score really high in places, really low in places, a few in between scores and then when this is averaged, it can show many variations that do not really accurately describe the child. Also, the older these kids get, the lower their scores can go just due to lack of remediation. > > What you need to do is get a copy of the test scores - all of them, subtest scores included. Often with kids who have LD's, you will see the sub test scores vary a lot - from low to high. Someone sent the link for wrightslaw on test scores - great article to read and learn about testing. > > > > >

> > Roxanna> “Our lives begin to end the day webecome silent about things that matter.†- Luther King, Jr. > > > > > > Re: ( ) My Aspie is Mildly retarded> > > > > > > Hi Marcia,> > Was your son diagnosed mildly retarded or is this what you are thinking do to his delays? My son with Aspergers has a lot of the same behaviors as your son, my son also did not tie his shoes until 6th grade due to issues with muscle tone. But I would say unless you have an official diagnosis from your child's Doctor, I would not consider your child retarded. He has autism/Aspergers so he has some developmental delays.

Hopefully things will come, just not on track like Neuro typical children. I am not sure what services you are set up with now, what state are you in and do you have medical insurance or Medicaid? I am sure if you are able to tell us a little more of what services, etc you are getting now, some of the parents on this list can help you with finding resources and all. > > Dawn T.>

[Guest guest]

Yes Mimi I am learning alot from this discussion...I have been sitting here for months holding this all in.

Re: ( ) My Aspie is Mildly retarded

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> Hi Marcia,

>

> Was your son diagnosed mildly retarded or is this what you are thinking do to his delays? My son with Aspergers has a lot of the same behaviors as your son, my son also did not tie his shoes until 6th grade due to issues with muscle tone. But I would say unless you have an official diagnosis from your child's Doctor, I would not consider your child retarded. He has autism/Aspergers so he has some developmental delays. Hopefully things will come, just not on track like Neuro typical children. I am not sure what services you are set up with now, what state are you in and do you have medical insurance or Medicaid? I am sure if you are able to tell us a little more of what services, etc you are getting now, some of the parents on this list can help you with finding resources and all.

>

> Dawn T.

>

[Guest guest]

We Did the IQ test to see how Lucas would score, but we knew, as did the

Psychologist for the school that the test results would be invalid. Lucas scored

79. The psychologist told us that his IQ is much higher then tested. They can't

modifiy the test. I know Lucas is much more intellegent then what they tested

him at. Don't let them tell you your child is not smart.

> >

> >

> > Sorry, I should have read ahead. I would never take a dx of retardation

from a school psychologist, especially if you don't believe he is retarded and

he is on the honor roll. This would suggest that the scores were not

interpreted very well.

> >

> > As for the scores, as I posted the other day, you cannot always average

these scores and get an accurate average. This happens a lot for kids with LD's

present - they score really high in places, really low in places, a few in

between scores and then when this is averaged, it can show many variations that

do not really accurately describe the child. Also, the older these kids get,

the lower their scores can go just due to lack of remediation.

> >

> > What you need to do is get a copy of the test scores - all of them, subtest

scores included. Often with kids who have LD's, you will see the sub test

scores vary a lot - from low to high. Someone sent the link for wrightslaw on

test scores - great article to read and learn about testing.

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

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> > Roxanna

> > “Our lives begin to end the day webecome silent about things that

matter.†- Luther King, Jr.

> >

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> >

> > Re: ( ) My Aspie is Mildly retarded

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> > Hi Marcia,

> >

> > Was your son diagnosed mildly retarded or is this what you are thinking do

to his delays? My son with Aspergers has a lot of the same behaviors as your

son, my son also did not tie his shoes until 6th grade due to issues with muscle

tone. But I would say unless you have an official diagnosis from your child's

Doctor, I would not consider your child retarded. He has autism/Aspergers so he

has some developmental delays. Hopefully things will come, just not on track

like Neuro typical children. I am not sure what services you are set up with

now, what state are you in and do you have medical insurance or Medicaid? I am

sure if you are able to tell us a little more of what services, etc you are

getting now, some of the parents on this list can help you with finding

resources and all.

> >

> > Dawn T.

> >

>

[Guest guest]

The focus on IQ is one part but emotional control is another.

Compulsive interests is an anxiety disorder in my view, that

is more impairing than OCD because it is so pervasive.

It impacts a person's ability to go to school, to socialize to take

care of themselves.

A person can have good reasoning skills but poor processing speed

and manage if they didn't have emotional control problems.

But this is another significant problem.

Psychiatrists are another group that may help advocate,

many people with mental illness have good IQs and can still

get some services.

My brother in law finish college, his diagnosis is Bipolar

I think he has Asperger Syndrome and mood issues, but AS

was not a diagnosis until recently. He has a part time

job and he gets medicare and ssi disability.

Sometimes you have to go down a path that gets the services

you need when one path is blocked.

I hope that noone is offended I know AS is not a mental disorder,

but it is often more impacting on a person's life.

There are many AS adults that do just fine, work, marry etc.

The ones with more emotional regulation issues, more compulsiveness

have more difficulties.

My hope is we help each other find the services needed to help

our kids have a safe and health life.

Pam