Thursday, March 8, 2007

Is it even possible?

I just got the results from our guy's statewide tests for last year and he got 3s (Bs) in English, Science and Math. Meanwhile, his last psych-ed evaluation showed him to be performing at grade level (grade 5) in all academic areas, but at the same time to be slightly mentally retarded.

I've been doing some web research on metal retardation and autism, and there does not seem to be a single example of a child being autistic, having a significant language delay, performing at above average levels in academic tasks and having an IQ lower of 70. The psychologist who did the evaluation, and who had seen our guy's last report card which was all As and Bs, seemed to think that the number the evaluation gave could be right and said that perhaps he had just been going to a particularly good school. For those numbers to work out, it would have to be one damned fine school.

Perhaps I am missing something. I know that our guy is sometimes slow on the uptake and has some odd ideas about how the world works. But on the other hand, at 11 years old he can edit sophisticated videos with multiple tracks, for which he has a following on YouTube. He participates in web forums and is has even been made a moderator on one. He can cook full meals, do his own laundry, run errands and lots of other things that not all 11 year olds can do.

It just doesn't fit with mental retardation, in fact, it doesn't come close to fitting.

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