What makes an IQ score drop?

[marissa]

I'm going through my youngest son's info to prepare for his re-eval meeting on Monday. I have a bunch of outside evals I'm looking at as well hoping to use to submit for info. His IQ is tested every year as part of a genetic study. Last year his scores were 116 in verbal, 141 in non verbal reasoning, and 112 in spacial reasoning. This past year they were 106, 101, and 109. 

[auntie]

Hard to say.

Firstly, most clinicians/educators don't get excited about score variations within a standard deviation- meaning that for the sake of figuring out his abilities around verbal and spatial reasoning 116 and 106- and- 112 and 109 are basically considered the same score.

The 141 to 101 is a different; it's over 2 std dev.

Was the test given the same? Sometimes kids who did really well on WPSSI don't perform as well on WISC. He's about the age when the tests overlap, so he could have taken the same test or repeated. These tests can only be given 12 months apart of they're considered invalid- if the yearly appointment was within 365 days, they would have to use a different test to be valid.

Sometimes a test score can be lowered by not being fully engaged in participating. TBH, the near duplication of the other two sets of scores suggests he was probably as cooperative as he was the first time.

Kids who are "enriched" in some way- attending great preschools, read to a great deal, dragged along on activities geared toward older kids/adults- can score higher initially and trend down a bit as they get older. My godchild lost over 10 points between preschool and 4th grade. She attended private schools that required testing as part of the application process. The WPSSI to WISC could have playing into this.

Sometimes kids are precocious around a skill and will move towards average as they get older and the bar is raised for the expectations of the age.

Does the clinic who is following him have any ideas? Is a loss of cognitive skills associated with his dx?

[marissa]

It was a DAS, done after the 365 mark. They always ask that. The report said they would have to discuss other possibilities if it declined in September (if they keep their funding). Yes, loss of skills seem to be common. What is puzzling to me is the school scores show a 126 in non verbal reasoning. Not gifted but higher than the DAS. They did a different assessment. I'll have to get it it tell you which one.

[auntie]

How old are the school scores? And what instrument did they use to test?

[marissa]

Scores are from September, schools were WISC and we had our meeting yesterday to go over the evaluations.

[auntie]

How'd it go?

[marissa]

They heard our concerns with pragmatics for speech. The IQ testing was consistent with the outside testing. I'm wondering if his sensory issues and still unmedicated ADHD are the culprit. *On a side note, how do you get a 7 year old to swallow a pill or should I ask for liquid meds for him?* Writing is an issue but it is a bunch of things there. His ed testing shows almost everything either in the average or high average area with one scattered low average for rapid naming because you are asking a kid with significant speech issues to rapidly name something... processing and working memory are areas of concern.

We submitted a private OT eval asking that they start providing him services. It shows a lot of issues. We are starting OOP OT but it said he had areas impacting his educational day (cutting, bilateral coordination and praxis, handwriting).

We asked for IEE's in AT and in social skills because they didn't do those evals. No social skills at all and they have no one to do an AT in district. We asked for an IEE for a FBA and they told us no because they have a BCBA in district. I do like her but they told me they don't want to do the formal FBA because we know his behaviors are avoidance in writing. I want to know the exact trigger. They want to do a BIP and if it doesn't work do a FBA. I have only so much tolerance for bullshit but am letting it because I do trust the BCBA.

We asked to reschedule for the IEP and they refused. Everyone left and it was just the CST team, no teachers and she handed us an IEP telling me to look it over. I did and an not happy at all. I send a not nice email about it today ripping apart every ounce if the IEP. It's sad when they c&P parts, typos and all from previous IEP's. He has goals like "demonstrate an increased awareness of other's facial cues, expressions, and body language during interactions." and "develop an initiative to communicate with others", no mention of his ADHD, OCD, ODD, tics, etc. They are offering ESY 1 time a week individual and 1 time a week group to work on artic only but no mention of pragmatics or social skills.

Friday is Matt's and it won't be pretty. We are rejecting the evaluations.

[auntie]

Sorry it went so badly.

Keep pitching the IEEs. No way they should use their staff to do an FBA or worse, putting the BIP ahead of it. Yikes.

Some stimulants can be sprinkled into applesauce from a capsule. There's at least one available in patch form. TBH, DS has been evaluated on and off meds; he takes an SSRI for anxiety and a stimulant. No real difference in the testing results.

[marissa]

I'm waiting for the response. I had to remind the CST that they had to provide written notice Thursday night.