IQ Test | Autism PDD

I just found out today that Ryan combined IQ score is 69. What can this mean? Is there more to it than autism. I am really concerned. That is combined with verbal and non verbal..of course he scored higher of the non verbal.

 

How much higher?

which test?

I don't have the tests right in front on me...I will post them laster tonight. It was considerably higher...I think it was GARS

Scatter is typical of ASD kids' scores.

 

Only a nonverbal IQ test, such as the Leiter, will give you an acurate gauge of your child's intelligence.  This even goes for highly verbal children, such as my son.  On the standard Wechsler IQ test, he scored a 103, suggesting average intelligence, but when he took the Leiter, he scored a 136!  I would urge you to try and have him tested using the Leiter, if you are trying to get the most acurate IQ score.

I would ask to see the scatter scores. Typically, children with autism perform much better on the non-verbal portions of the test. Unfortunately, a lower score on the verbal portion will be combined with the non-verbal score to get an overall score. I would request a completely non-verbal test be performed.

 

Both my daughters scored 20 points higher on non-verbal vs. verbal.  This is to be expected, given the language delay.  Unless their using the score as justification for putting in some less challenging environment, I wouldn't worry too much about it.  It's hard to get a true measure of intelligence on a person who has language issues and perhaps lacks some compliance and motivation, too.

I feel (won't know till the IEP) that are leaning towards putting him in a autism classroom next year.

On a different test .. average was 100 for reading and he scored 118.

If there is a great deal of scatter (difference) between the subtests, this could totally invalidate the test. Ask for ALL the subtest scores and also ask to be told the difference between his verbal score and performance score. If there's a wide gap there (typical for autism), that could also invalidate the test.  A 69 is in the mildly mentally retarded range, but I doubt that this test is a valid one.  I'd ask for a TONI or a Leiter, which are both nonverbal IQ tests. You can get one of those by asking for an Independent Educational Evaluation at public expense (search the subject here).Sorry, but I am going to piggyback onto this.
My ds just got the Wechsler I.A. done in school (pretty basic I understand)
and he tested 25 percentile for reading and writing (which is low low end
of average) and 99 percentile for math reasoning and numerical
operations (which is really good). The pschyologist said that considering
he has such attentional problems in school she will request reading and
writing help for him because she believes his abilities are higher than
that. She thinks that his math abilities are pretty amazing especially since
he seems pretty self-taught in that.
Is that an example of the scatter you are talking about ? Would a Leiter be
a good test to request for him? Would they end up giving me an overall
IQ of maybe 95 and break it down into subparts with some areas being
65 and others 120 ?
I love all the combined knowledge on this board. Thanks.A spread like that is EVIDENCE that she's on the spectrum. It's also evidence that the test score was invalid.  The publisher of the particular test probably has in its instructions how wide the spread can be before the test is considered invalid.  Ask.  You can always ask for an Independent Education Evaluation at public expense and use it for a Leiter or TONI, two nonverbal IQ tests. However, a 5yo with ASD is most likely not going to fully cooperate with ANY test.  Unless they are using that score to put her in an inappropriate placement or say that she doesn't have the brainpower to benefit from some intervention you want her to have, I'd forget about the score.  If the NEXT IQ test they give her turns out the same, ask for an IEE.

Here's a related topic on this forum:  Myth:  Autism and mental retardation.  We talked about testing issues, etc.

http://www.autism-pdd.net/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12754&am p;KW=myth

My dd had an IQ test at age 5 (Can't remember which one, but had verbal and nonverbal and compared to the Wisc). Anyway..she had a 50 pt spread between verbal and nonverbal section
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