What does your child’s low processing speed “look” like?

[Anonymous]

A lot. No snappy retorts from him. Takes three time as long with any homework. However, he learned to study hard and it has translated to him being a better student than many fast processing people(now young adult). I used to have to sit with him and do homework together, he wanted this, always asked for help, tutors were a constant for DS. He also has add, but anxiety was a bigger issue, and now he decided to take anxiety meds and they are helping more than add meds. Yes, younger sibling issue too, for us. My dd says that she knows I love brother more(He needed so much help it was hard to balance, I tried my best) Once he was in college I quit my job to be with teen DD at home and do things together... doesn't help that DS likes to stoke that fire even now when he is in college. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:8:36- thanks for your reply! OP here and everything you say sounds so similar. He complains about studying for a test but because he has perfectionist tendencies, after I say- “fine, don’t study, get a bad grade”- he freaks out, cries, begs me to help him study (quiz him). It’s so frustrating and crappy how so much of after school time is dedicated to him, younger siblings get shaft

PP you replied to. Thank goodness, my younger child is a self-starter, and shows no symptoms of ADHD or anything else. However I do carry a lot of guilt: I hardly ever get angry at her, since she does everything she's supposed to do in record time, yet I experience daily frustration with my son, and that cannot be a good dynamic. I don't want them to think I love one more than the other.

[Anonymous]

My son is 12. He takes awhile to get complex concepts. He takes longer on tests. He takes longer on homework. But once he gets it, once a concept truly sinks in, his analytical skills are out of this world. I was the same way as a kid. The initial work is hard. Takes longer than others. But eventually can keep up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:8:36- thanks for your reply! OP here and everything you say sounds so similar. He complains about studying for a test but because he has perfectionist tendencies, after I say- “fine, don’t study, get a bad grade”- he freaks out, cries, begs me to help him study (quiz him). It’s so frustrating and crappy how so much of after school time is dedicated to him, younger siblings get shaft

PP you replied to. Thank goodness, my younger child is a self-starter, and shows no symptoms of ADHD or anything else. However I do carry a lot of guilt: I hardly ever get angry at her, since she does everything she's supposed to do in record time, yet I experience daily frustration with my son, and that cannot be a good dynamic. I don't want them to think I love one more than the other.

OP here, yes- my younger two are also self starters and good listeners and we praise them for it, but then I feel guilty that my oldest hears the praise and I’m not sure what it’s doing to self-esteem. I try to “check-in” with him at night since he stays up late reading in bed and we talk about how ADHD is hard but all the positives too- creativity, hyperfocus, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My 9 year old is 13th percentile for speed processing (PSI), while his VCI and VSI are 99/98th percentile so he is bright but has major issues with executive functioning, written expression, and computation of math. He does have a diagnosis of ADHD-I and is medicated, we see improvements in processing speed with math when medicated but the executive functioning is still a big problem. I found a book that is called “Bright Kids that Can’t Keep Up” and it was as if it was written for him. The book listed examples of speed processing disorders being hereditary and tested parents of kids who were having issues to find out one suspected parent also had a very low processing speed. In our case, it does no seem to be hereditary but I’m confused that these adults who turned out to have lower speed processing then my son were able to become doctors/lawyers without major supports in school. The book gave some vague reasons. My son needs LOTS of executive functioning help in school already.

All to ask, how much does your child’s low processing speed impact them? While my son is a slow processor with many things, why can he have such fast speed processing with preferred activities- he is a “speed reader” (obsessive reader) and can always finish building robotics and legos before his peers in after school programs. You’d think speed processing would be consistent if it’s how the brain functions?

DS has 99+ verbal and weird processing speeds partly due to infections. We didn't find this out until mid high school supposedly because the high IQ allowed him to function well. He was diagnosed with ADD combo and takes meds. We really have seen no difference other than he can now slow down a bit when doing work. He used to rush through EVERYTHING. The infections made everything 100% worse though and grades were slipping from both missing school and untreated ADD. He did fine in AAP though.

[Anonymous]

infections???

[Anonymous]

How do infections effect speed processing? I don’t understand how a high IQ can mask executive functioning problems that come with low processing speed and ADHD Inattentive. You can be 99th IQ but if you don’t remember to bring home your homework or hand in a project- being super smart can’t help with that.

[Anonymous]

My son with this profile particularly struggled once in Honors and AP coursework in high school. It just moved too fast for him. The combination of meds, extended time accommodations, and adjusting to “on level” courses in the math/sciences (he’s more of a humanities kid) was the right adjustment and he’s succeeding academically. He’s very disconnected socially, though. He gets along well with others but he is just not as “fast” as typical teens. He spends most of his time home with us.

[Anonymous]

this is Developmental Coordination Disorder otherwise known as Specific Developmental Disorder of Motor Function

Sometimes just called Dyspraxia since it is a major sign of the above

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:this is Developmental Coordination Disorder otherwise known as Specific Developmental Disorder of Motor Function

Sometimes just called Dyspraxia since it is a major sign of the above

Wouldn’t VSI (visial spatial) be very low in DCD/dyspraxia? OP says it’s 99%.

My DS with dyspraxia is very low on VSI and PSI. However I actually think the PSI is incorrect- his lack of hand strength and coordination slowed down the ability to perform the tests for PSI that require fine motor skills, not thinking skills.

[Anonymous]

My daughter (15) has low processing speed and is just the slowest and most deliberate person on the planet and has been since she was a toddler. She takes forever to shower, dress, write, eat, etc. She did very well in school until we moved her to a super academic private school and the wheels totally came off because she couldn't keep up with the amount of homework the school assigned.

We just had her evaluated and she was officially given an ADHD diagnosis but the psychologist said that she doesn't exactly fit the profile. She's really just a slow processor (but like many, she came back with a high IQ).

Interestingly, she's SUPER social and has a high EQ so she's able to process social signals quickly enough or at least in a way that others like. She is probably the most "adored" kid I've ever met--she almost instantly makes good friends, is loved by teachers, etc.

I have two other kids and they are very typical (middle of the road)--academically, socially, etc. This child is (and always has been) her own person entirely.

[Anonymous]

My friend has slow processing. It manifests as 4year long delay in ireading and ntegrating a forum post and formulating a reply, and then posting and unrelated comment about a different condition.

[Anonymous]

🤣 4 years is some sloooooow processing speed record

[Anonymous]

My DC17 is like this. It's very frustrating for all of us: child, parents, and younger sibling. Homeschooling worked best. High school and figuring out a path after high school has been terrible. Most likely taking a gap year so that DC doesn't need to navigate senior year and college applications at the same time.

[Anonymous]

My ADHD kid with low processing speed looks like others have described, which is to say, inconsistent and difficult to understand and help:

—Very aloof socially. Teachers describe him as a daydreamer.

—Very athletic and an adrenaline junkie. He just road a peddle bike at 2.75 with no instruction, taught himself a backflip on a tramp at four, ran a 5k with me at 5 in under 30 minutes, and taught himself a backflip on skis at 10. We've had plenty of hospital visits along the way.

—Struggles with team sports and spatial awareness but also loves team sports. He is misunderstood by coaches, who've often called him lazy. They think he's not performing to his potential. Knowing what I know, I think he's performing to the max of his potential in the team sport. It is a struggle.

—Poor handwriting.

—Hates reading for pleasure. Slow at finishing tests in school.

—Very good at chess and speed, even speed chess (I don't understand why this doesn't translate in sports and how a kid with slow processing speed excels at chess).

—Good at math and most science.

—Grades are all over the place. Teachers love or express major frustration with him.