Ed psych report - not sure what it means for the future

[Waiting_For_Godot]

DS had the ed psych come and visit at his school yesterday. We had a long chat afterwards and are awaiting the report.

The basic results were:

One side of brain functioning in the top IQ range and the other is average giving him an IQ of around 135. Sounds good but the problem is the school have assumed he can do things (top maths group) because of the VR entrance tests when he clearly couldn't so he has been under a lot of pressure in certain classes.

Socially, he has the maturity of a 6 year old.

He could have dyspraxia or aspergers but it is so mild on the diagnostic tests that they cannot say either way.

So my concern is his social maturity and what I can do about it. Everything that was suggested we already do. Then there is the concern that another school may not take him because it doesn't matter how musical or bright a child is if they have poor social skills. We have been thinking about a music school but tbh his shouting out in class would not be tolerated in an orchestra.

If anyone has any advice, or physical/mental exercises I could do to help him, or if anyone has a similar child who is older and can help me find the right environment or tell me it get better then I would be most appreciative.

[Sally-Anne]

Tips, you have mail.

S-A

[mystery]

First of all, is the educational psychologist a well-recognised one, current membership of the British Psychological Society, using up to date tests and norms, one who would be given state school work etc etc?

How did he/she arrive at the "social skills of a 6 year old" judgement? And what's this left-brain right-brain IQ ........ is there a well founded test for this?

You could go barking up the wrong tree with a misleading report.

[Morning Glory]

I would wait for the report to find out exactly what tests were done by the EP. Not quite sure what they mean by one side of his brain is functioning above average and the other average. When my DS had his WISC it showed that he was intellectually well above average but in the classroom he was unable to show this and was always average.

My DS has a diagnosis of Aspergers and I would say it is on the milder side. We have fought hard over the last few years firstly to get him into Grammar School (had to appeal) and secondly to get him a statement of educational needs. In our County you can only get certain support/input e.g. from specialist teaching team if you have a statement

[mystery]

Easy to say, but I am wondering if you are worrying unduly as these reports must raise as many questions in your mind as answers they give. Can you equate shouting out in class to shouting out in an orchestra? And are there really schools that chuck out children or don't let them in because of "poor social skills"? Your DS2 sounds very clever and musical from all that you have said in the past; if I were your son's teacher I'd be thinking it was my fault as a teacher if I couldn't accommodate him in an orchestra, or manage his behaviour in class.

I would say that if the psychologist is good, and their recommendations on social skills were sensible and pertinent to the aspect of social skills which lowers his score to below his chronological age, and you are truly doing them already that there's probably nothing more that you can do. As he matures, these things will just rectify themselves as part of the growing up process as long as the "environment" is right.

More opportunities just for unstructured play - maybe with a calm younger child? A pet he has to take responsibility for? Working with horses or dogs? I don't know what the social skills deficit is the ed psych has noticed so it is hard to suggest things blindly. Does your son enjoy discussing books - putting himself into different characters shoes and thinking what they might be thinking and feeling? A good acting class or junior theatre group - but one that is based on improvisation etc rather than just memorising set pieces? Finding likeminded children for a small chamber music group at home?

Does he need to see you fulfilled, enjoying friends etc etc and just be left to find his own way a bit, not be corrected by you but suffer some consequences of whatever his less desirable behaviours are ........ I'm just guessing so much WFG I might be saying completely the wrong thing. I wish you luck as it sounds as though you are really having to work hard on this one whatever it is.

[scarlett]

WFG....I wanted to reply earlier because I really felt for you and firstly want you to know that I have briefly scanned your previous posts and you come across as caring and determined to do the best for your son and that of course can only mean that things will get better. However I wasn't sure if I would say the wrong things or get your hopes up when I don't know you or your son...but a couple of things Mystery has suggested has tied in with the child I was going to tell you about. A neighbour has a son who is now 16 and the most delightful boy you could meet. I always have a lovely conversation with him about anything and everything and by all accounts he is doing well at school. Go back a few years when he was at primary and he displayed a lot of traits you describe your son as having.His mother credits this change as the ( average comp ) school having a great SEN department and being a smaller school and the stagecoach drama classes he takes.She says it was tricky to begin with as he was quite loud and verbal but they taught him to channel it in the right direction and he has just auditioned for a part in Holby city.Perhaps as has been suggested it will improve with time ? Try not to feel despondent. He is your lovely boy and things can only improve with you doing everything you do.

[pixiequeen]

Just echoing what Scarlett said about Stagecoach drama classes. WFG am I right in thinking you are living in Gloucestershire somewhere? My DD goes to Stagecoach in Glos (It's actually Stagecoach Cheltenham - they run a class there too) and loves it. The lady who runs it is very kind and approachable as well as very professional. Does your boy sing? Stagecoach is 1 hour each of acting, singing, drama. They are big into musical theatre - you never know it might give your DS a new direction to channel his energy into as well as building his confidence.

Pixiequeen

[katel]

I may be wildly out of date - but I am a bit puzzled by the left/right brain IQ thing, and by the evaluation of social skills. Does the edutational psychologist you used have a particular school of thought he's coming from? Are you happy with his qualifications/experience? Can you get a second opinion?

[Sally-Anne]

I have offered WfG the opportunity to email the report to me when she receives it, and she has accepted.

I read them very frequently for appeal cases, so hopefully I will be able to help her interpret it. If not, I will ask WfG for permission to share it with other qualified individuals.

I will certainly scrutinise the qualifications of the EP very carefully, but I suspect it is an LA EP, so all will be in order.

The left brain/right brain issue is perhaps a generalisation in some ways, but it frequently turns up in Bucks appeals because the test is around 60/40 right-brain, in my personal estimation.

S-A

[Waiting_For_Godot]

More trauma today - I won't go into it but I am worried.

Regarding the ed psych: I have no reason to doubt her credentials. My concern is that there will be a diagnosis but no strategies to deal with it.

If I can fit in an acting class then I will definitely look into this. He does sing and we have been trying to find children's opera to get him into but haven't been very successful.

I got a pm today from a member who directed me to a website. I know we could all find something wrong with us if we trawled the internet but my jaw dropped as I read through the pages as it described my son.

Here it is for anyone who is interested: http://www.nldontheweb.org/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;