Whats the "right" time to take the WPPSI?

[Anonymous]

I apologize in advance that this question will come off as trying to game the system. Does anyone know how often the WPPSI norming shifts? If you don't have your child take the test by 3 years, 364 days; does it afford the most advantage to wait for 4 years, 2 months and 29 days? If you do this, does it look odd/too obvious to the schools? Please no flames if at all possible!

[Anonymous]

Well, that's what we did (2 mos., 21 days), for the reason you suggest.

Now as a practical matter, your child is probably not going to get that much smarter if you go with 2 mos 29 days instead of 1 month, 25 days, KWIM?

[Anonymous]

I think your child's ability (at least that which is measured by the WPPSI) will be somewhat stable over time. Honestly, that question never even occurred to us, and our DC scored in the 99.7th percentile. I can sympathize with trying to give your child every possible advantage, but I don't think a 3 month period is likely to significantly change your DC's score from a statistical standpoint.

[Anonymous]

I've heard that taking it at 3.11 is the best time.

[Anonymous]

That's a good point -- when you hit 48 mos., a whole new slew of subtests gets added that weren't req'd the month before.

[Anonymous]

OP here: Is there are similar shift at 5 years (60 months)? Does the child still take the WPPSI or is that when the shift to the WISC occurs?

[Anonymous]

For my own ability to understand my child's strengths and weaknesses, I would have liked to have the extra subtests.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the WISC starts at age 6.

[Anonymous]

I would definitely do either 3.11 or wait the two or three months. We took it at 4.0 to get the extra info and dc did pretty badly. Within two months though, we saw major cognitive and creative leaps (eg beginning representative drawings etc). My sense is that cognitive development is not always linear (although I'm no expert) so it's worth it to wait if you're at all concerned.

[Anonymous]

The same goes for the WISC IV. I think it does make a difference.

[Anonymous]

The difference between one age bracket and the next is pretty small in terms of points. Young kids absolutely have large, sudden leaps in cognitive development but, there's no predicting when they will happen. For one kid it might be at 4:1 and for another at 3:11 or 4:4. The only huge differences in the tests are between 3:11 and 4:0, when the number of subtests changes dramatically, and 5:11 and 6:0, when kids become eligible for the WISC.