Private evaluation for giftedness?
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Anonymous
| Can anyone recommend somewhere in NoVa to go to have a child evaluated for giftedness? I'm not posting this in the school forums because the evaluation is not for school purposes (I'm happy with the program my child is in), but rather because a diagnosis might help me provide better support for the social/emotional issues that go along with that (and hopefully provide her some self-understanding). Thanks! |
Anonymous
| Bump, same issue here. |
Anonymous
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A neuropsych evaluation will give you IQ scores as well as diagnose any other issues like ADHD, ASD, learning disabilies, anxiety, etc.
If your child has issues at school a complete neuropsych eval will tell you what supports they need more than a WISC score. |
Anonymous
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If your child has social emotional issues I would ask the school to do a psychoeducational eval. That will test for intellect and the social stuff.
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Anonymous
+1. If your child is younger than 6, a psychoeducational eval by the school should be fine. Plus it will not cost you anything. |
Anonymous
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Where do you go to get a neuropsych exam done?
The school has been useless. When I talked to the gifted resources counselor, she was not allowed to refer me to a private evaluator, and the only thing they could do for me is put her through the county process of being evaluated to receive gifted services in the school system, which isn't exactly what I'm after. |
Anonymous
| Stixrud has the reputation for being the best around the DMV but lots of other places including Children's, KKI, etc. You can google this forum too. |
Anonymous
You may feel that the school is being "useless," but school is a highly bureaucratized process. You need to know the magic words to use. Are you only concerned that your DC is not being challenged enough and you want him/her placed in a higher class or given access to more challenging materials? Then the "county process of being evaluated to receive gifted services in the school system" is all there is to offer you. Are you concerned that your DC is gifted but has some other issue (like ADD, learning disability, speech/language issue, health issue, emotional or anxiety issues, etc.) that is preventing your DC from accessing the curriculum, demonstrating their skills fully or benefitting from the curriculum or is demonstrating a level of achievement that is significantly below what you suspect is your DC's ability? Then you want to ask for an IEP (if you think "specialized instruction" is necessary to remedy the situation) or a 504 plan (if you think that no specialized instruction is necessary but that your child needs some "accommodations"). If you think either a 504 or IEP is necessary, my advice is to write a letter and ask for an IEP. In your letter you will have to say that you suspect three things (1) disability, 2) adverse educational impact and 3) need for specialized instruction. Children do not have to be receiving "failing grades" or be "behind grade level" to receive an IEP. You just have to show that the disability is having an adverse educational impact and that special instruction is needed. Why do I suggest an IEP? Because the IEP process offers greater legal protections as to timeline and obligation to evaluate, and who participates. In most school systems if the school refuses to grant an IEP, then a 504 can be considered in the alternative at the same meeting. However, if a 504 meeting is first held and the school (or parent) thinks an IEP is necessary, then the school might have to schedule a new meeting (which they can take another 30 days to do) because IEPs require the participation of certain school personnel on the IEP team. |
Anonymous
| The issues have nothing to do with her school performance. I just want to find a professional who can evaluate her and confirm or rule out this possibility. Thanks. |
Anonymous
| Not clear why you want to do this. It sounds like her needs are being met. |
Anonymous
If her issues are not interfering who her schooling, then she is not a good candidate for an IEP or 504. What exactly are you trying to rule out or confirm? ADHD? anxiety? Giftedness? |
Anonymous
Then I would post on the AAP forum and get the name of a private psychologist who will do a WISC IQ test. It will probably run $400-600. |
Anonymous
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OP- giftedness can cause, contribute, or simply coexist with other issues.
An IQ test can yield some good information- even it turns out that your DC is not gifted. I think a new WISC is (or will soon be) available. I would also recommend an achievement test (maybe the Woodcock Johnson Achievement) along with an IQ test. It will give some insight on how well your DC is performing relative to IQ. |
Anonymous
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I don't see how a number, especially something as imperfect as an IQ number, is going to tell you anything about raising your child. If it were a question of schooling it would be one thing, but you say the school is meeting her needs. In terms of meeting a child's emotional needs, the number has nothing to do with it. Kids have a variety of emotional needs and you take them as they come.
I'm sorry, it sounds like you are looking for bragging rights. Your posting on a board for those of us with children who do have needs that are difficult to meet. Some of us have kids that are gifted (I do) but thats not why we're here. We're here because they also have anxiety/ADHD/an ASD/a physical disability/a behavior problem/a medical problem. The list goes on. |
Anonymous
+1 I don't understand why you are on this board. Does your child have a disability? Being "gifted" is not a disability and will not qualify you for a 504 or IEP. This is a board for parents of kids with Special Needs and asking about a child who is simply "gifted" and without a disability is very insensitive. |