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.