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    jenniepepsi's Avatar
    jenniepepsi Posts: 4,042, Reputation: 533
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    #1

    May 30, 2010, 06:01 PM
    Should I?
    I have asked about this before. But now that testing has been done I'm even more curious.
    My DD is 6 and has autism. More specifically Aspergers, but its one of the autism spectrum disorders.

    When they were doing all of their testing, they did her IQ. I was told that normal IQ for a 6 year old is 90 to 100 (if I am remembering the numbers correctly)
    And my daughter scored a 120.

    Her emotional, and maturity level is closer to a 3 or 4 year old. So I am wondering if I should simply work on her other skills for now and not worrie about her IQ. Or should I push the school on gifted classes for her.
    DoulaLC's Avatar
    DoulaLC Posts: 10,488, Reputation: 1952
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    #2

    May 30, 2010, 06:25 PM

    I'd certainly work with her on any skills you feel would be beneficial to her and to enrich her in the areas you find she might excel in.

    When a child is recommended for a gifted class, IQ is usually not even known at first. IQ is only a part of being considered gifted. Students will often display advanced curiosity, higher order questioning, want to take a topic farther, etc..

    If you think she would be able to perform at the level of what is expected in the gifted class you can always ask that she go through the process to see if she would qualify. If you feel that due to her maturity level she would not be able to keep up, or would be at a disadvantage, it may be better to provide the extra enrichment yourself and see what her regular teacher can provide as well.
    J_9's Avatar
    J_9 Posts: 40,298, Reputation: 5646
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    #3

    May 30, 2010, 10:24 PM
    Do not, I repeat, do not push for the gifted classes. I've been there, done that, and got the T-shirt, now we are struggling just to keep up with the grade level.
    Wondergirl's Avatar
    Wondergirl Posts: 39,354, Reputation: 5431
    Jobs & Parenting Expert
     
    #4

    May 30, 2010, 11:02 PM
    Jennie, I'm married to a man with Asperger's, have an autistic son (the type of autism is called hyperlexia), and was a "normal" gifted child myself (IQ over 145) before anyone knew what a gifted child was. I could tell you stories all night about how the school system treated each of us so there were tears, screams, and social problems. Btw, as I'm guessing you know, most autistic people are very bright, but have various problems that undermine their ability to shine.

    Like someone else said, there are different kinds of IQ -- intellectual, social, emotional, etc. Please read to your daughter and let her read to you; tell each other made-up stories so her imagination can soar; as she's able to and is willing, let her try out different kind of arts (Play-Doh, watercolors, temperas) and crafts (knitting, crocheting, rug hooking, making felt banners, etc.); encourage eye contact and starting conversations (role-playing works well); have her write grocery lists for you and notes/letters to grandma and even create her own book with a story and pictures; when she gets a little older, let her take piano or guitar lessons if that interests her. In other words, encourage her to do many different things. Take her with you -- grocery shopping and to the bakery and to buy gas for the car -- and talk about what you are doing and how you are doing it. As appropriate, let her give the money to the cashier or count out the change or whatever works for the two of you at the time. Give her lots of experiences and opportunities to learn. In that way, you will be doing far more than a school and gifted program ever could right now.

    Her biggest challenge is social. Am I right? How will you deal with that and encourage her to leave her comfort zone to be with other people, especially strangers? Another "thing" about autistic people is lack of empathy -- it's hard for them to understand how someone else feels or thinks. That's another area to work on with her.

    When my son found out he's autistic, he asked me, "Is that a bad thing?" I said, "No, actually it's a good thing. Your brain is wired differently so you learn things differently and see the world differently. You're able to do so many things better than I can -- for instance, you remember everything you read and can help me with crossword puzzles and answer all the questions on Jeopardy. We can practice anything that you have problems with, like talking with people and looking at them during the conversation. The tricky part for each of us, autistic or not, is to figure out where someone else is coming from and what they want or need."

    Jennie, you've got a treasure there. Your daughter will provide you with a lot of interesting observations about the world and will challenge you as a mom. From what I know of you, you're up to the challenge!
    letitbe1111's Avatar
    letitbe1111 Posts: 60, Reputation: 5
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    #5

    Jun 15, 2010, 10:07 PM

    This depends. I'm a teacher, with an M.Ed and also just completed a gifted course. Some things to consider: Do you know much about the gifted program at your school? How often is it offered per week? If it's only an hour or so a week, you can push for a trial... Does your child demonstrate an interest in deeper learning? Have you met the gifted teacher? Does he/she have a focus on peering deeper into subject matter or is it just an accelerated class? What is your child like academically? Bertie Kingore writes great stuff about gifted children and her books can help you make your decisions... Is your child doing okay on a social level? Would she react well to a new setting? She may not welcome this change at this point, but it may be on the radar for her in the future. As a parent, you can assess this best. Trust your instincts. If she's really struggling in a regular ed class, you may want to go for a trial period. Good luck! You aren't alone. And take heart, some of the loveliest children I know are on the spectrum!

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