Concerned about verbal and nonverbal differences

It would be helpful if you could provide the subtest scores. This article might be of particular interest to you:

http://www.ldonline.org/article/Tests_and_Measurements_for_the_Parent%2C_Teacher%2C_Advocate_and_Attorney

I would also suggest that you post your testing questions and scores here: http://millermom.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=Education

There are some very knowledgeable parents there who can provide you with relavent feedback to your specific scoring questions.

First I would like to say thanks for your responses. I have downloaded the article that was suggested.

Here is a list of the subtests. Subtests for the WRIT where Visual IQ 122, Verbal IQ 80, General IQ 100:
Verbal Analogies 72, Vocabulary 91, Matrices 112, Diamonds 124

WISC IV Scores for my child were: Ful Scale 84, Verbal Comprehension 89; Smiliarities 6, Vocabulary 8, Comprehension 10; Working Memory 86, Digit Span 9, Letter-Number Sequences 6; Perceptual Reasoning 88, Block Design 13, Picture Concepts 4, Matrix Reasoning 7; Processing Speed 84, Coding 11, Symbol Search 4

UNIT Full Scale 108
Memory 102, Reasoning 112, Symbolic 100, Nonsymbolic 114

This thread may be of assistance:

http://tinyurl.com/yazarhk

It would be helpful if you posted the test and subtest scores from the academic tests in addition to the IQ tests. Often times there are patterns that can be helpful in understanding what is going on.

Also - you mention that there have been school troubles and ADHD. What are the difficulties? How are social skills? Listening/follow directions? Did the child meet developmental milestones on track? Is English the primary language? Are there other issues such as fine motor and handwriting difficulties?

Given the difference in test scores on verbal and non verbal tests, has anyone discussed a language processing issue? Has the child had a speech and language evaluation? What were the results.

Certainly the test scores are all over the place - the trend that I see is that overall language/verbal realm seems to be a weakness - but more info is needed to pin point what may be going on.

What did the evalutors say?

Agreed with thread starter who has made a concert differentiate between verbal and nonverbal

Regarding posting previously:  child in Kindergarten who is English speaker only was stated to have difficulty with all academic areas, difficulty with focusing, completeting assignments, disorganization with writing, crying alot during school, low self esteem,difficulty with following directions, and notes regarding behavior sent home daily.  Child stayed on at the same reading level for most of the year.  Not to mention that our child loves to please others.  We had him tested independently because of schools concerns as well as our concerns.  He being my first did not really see anything that really stuck out to me at first.  He was born with a Club Foot and in a cast and split for the 1st 2 years of life.  Yes, this did have some impact on some of motor skills such as standing, and walking.  During Kindergarten, Rating scales were done along with WRIT and WRAT.    At this time, he was diagnosised as ADHD.  Noted that language learning disability may be an issue and math a concern.  He received tutoring through the summer and during the school year for reading.  This year he stayed at the same reading level, but then to gradually increase.  With concerns about his processing, academics, language concerns asked for testing.  (Child is mimicing what he says, and uses alot of hum,hum,….reasking questions as if he does not understand the answers that have been given him, takes things literally, confuses nonverbal cues, some sentsivity to noises (whistles, horns).  In class, he trys to blend in and not call attention to himself.  We found out that he was doing alot of copying in class, and we had a talk with him. Speech evaluation were completed with WISC IV, UNIT, WJIII.    Speech results:  CASL Core Composite Score 71, Basic Concepts 93, Sentence Complete 90, Syntaz Construction 85, Paragraph Compre 95, Antonyms 50, Pragmatic Judgment 75,  EVT 88, TOPL-2 88.  Evaluator noted to at times that it appeared that he did not understand what was being asked, prolonged stares into space.  WJIII showed scores to be in basic reading 112, reading comp 98, math cal 88, math reasoning 86, written expression 100.  Math fluency 75, quatitative concepts 83, reading vocabulary 88,  writing fluency 85 were the lowest subtests. All others were 90 or greater.  Evaluators did not feel that there was a concern.  However, I am trying to figure out if I need to be concerned with the split in verbal and nonverbal IQ’s. Other motor skills, he does easily lose things, still can’t tie is shoes, some difficulty with buttons, snaps, he writes big (I think this is normal for his age), cuts okay, continues to be be followed for his foot and leg.  He runs and plays like most kids, but is clumpsy at times.  However, he was not tested for motor skills.  I continue to have concerns about speech-language (playing by self, at times withdrawn, concerns as stated above with mimicing what he has stated with his mouth, requestioning after he asks a question, taking things literally, and etc.) as well as the fact that he is having difficulty with calendar concepts, number concepts.  I am trying to figure out if there is real reason’s for my concerns.  I feel that with all the things in place for him that he might not be as successful as he is if these things were not in place.  Should I be concerned about the verbal and nonverbal split? Should I be concerned about motor skills?
[Modified by: moma on April 05, 2010 06:58 PM]

Hello all,
My 13 yo son was tested a few years ago and his verbal score was in the 91st percentile and non verbal was in the 55th percentile. He matches the criteria for social impairment that goes with NVLD but is very good at sports. The psychologist said there are no red flags as a result of the disparity in scores.
He is also very good at math and generally does very well at school. Where he struggles is with social skills. He often gets in trouble at school ( not in class but during recess ) and it’s gotten us very worried. I was told by the school principal that he doesn’t seem to show any remorse and that is a troubling sign. Further, he plays hockey and baseball and is seen as a model kid to be coached but then, when there are kids playing outside on a good day, he refuses to go out and join them. My heart aches for him and I really don’t know where to start in order to help him.
At home, he tends to consistently bother his little sister but we have very firm rules and structure so he seems fine.
My question is: is he on the spectrum, does he have NVLD or is he just a kid who might go down the wrong path…please help.