Talk to me about slow processing disorder!

[OrlandointheWilderness]

As title really. My 13 year old DD is in year 9 at grammar school. She's the very youngest of her year (31st August!) and today her tech teacher pulled her aside to tell her she suspected she had slow processing. She is apparently going to arrange a processing test. She hasn't spoken to me about this first which I'm a bit cross at.
I don't know what to think tbh - it's not something I know anything about! DD is switched on at home - she shoots (well!) and follows instructions fine out shooting. She doesn't seem to struggle with instructions etc at home? What should I be looking for?

Obviously if it turns out she has got this then we will give her every bit of support she needs.

My DD was 'diagnosed' with slow processing in her first year of college. She had always been a poor speller and reading was never a joy for her when she was young (or now she's older coming to think of it!) But, it did allow her some extra time doing her A level exams which she said was helpful. Other than that nothing else happened. Also to say, she went to Uni and got a First so clearly not too much of a problem!

"Slow processing" ffs your teacher is a cheeky mare
There's nothing wrong with your daughter, she just might not be good at design technology

My DD has slow processing.
You have to give her time to process the question, think of the answer, and say it. It is really hard as if you jump in to repeat or reword it interrupts her flow and she has to start all over again. She gets extra time in exams for it.

Apparently she's spoken to her other teachers. DD states she isn't keen on group work (can't say I blame her..!) and takes longer than the others to copy things off the board. Her teacher asked her lots of questions about her routine when she got home/ who was at home when she got back/ what me and DP do.
The thing is, I just don't see it here! Bless her she is fab, really helpful around the house, sorts the kitchen after dinner 3 nights a week. Out shooting she can run half the beating line of hardened old veterans telling them what to do and making decisions. She is more than capable of getting in, sorting dogs etc, getting changed and doing homework unprompted.

There's nothing wrong with your daughter OP!
Mind you though, grammar schools tend to be rather snooty elitist places from my experience. If youre worried shes falling behind or not being supported it wouldnt do her any harm to look into the local comp. It doesnt mean shes less intelligent, but perhaps that learning environment would be better for you

You are clearly not a teacher.

This is fairly common. As a pp said, quite a lot of people just need a bit of extra time when a question is thrown at them to process it - ie think it over, interpret what is being asked or is needed and then answer. It's good if a teacher has picked up on this, and believes that it would be worth testing your DDs processing skills.

If she is to receive extra time for GCSE exams (which she will need if she does have slow processing) then this needs sorting out now. It's not an insult ffs - it's a genuine attempt to ensure that your DD gets to sit her GCSE exams on an equal footing.

Thanks @CowboyJoanna. She's actually doing really well academically - she's on their grading system for predicted 8/9s at GCSE in most of her subjects.
I have absolutely no issue at all if they find this is the case - we all row our own boat! I'm just blindsided that I haven't spotted if there is something amiss. It seems a different picture to what we see.

She also flew through the 11+ which o would have thought would be an issue?!

If she's taking longer to copy things off the board, is her vision ok?

I think it's wrong to tell a child she has any kind of disorder without discussing it first with the parents. Very badly handled. Also , I don't know one way or the other, but is a class teacher actually qualified to diagnose like that?

Yep eyesight is fine @TigerRag.
@marmaladeandpeanutbutter she's told DD she suspects it and will be arranging a test. And tbh I'm fuming that she hasn't discussed it with me first. I think it's not fair to collar a child at the end of a lesson with this.

My DD has slow processing difficulties. Tests showed she was in the 1st centile which equated to the processing speed of a toddler when she was 16.... She was a very high achieving student and her teachers were very surprised. Like you, they had never noticed. But actually, she was just so bright that it masked the "slow". We noticed during COVID when she was working at home that she took ages to read a question and then actually start the work. Once she had figured out what she needed to do, she was fine. But it took her a long time to get to that point. So for every day activities, no-one really noticed because she would just get on with it - she knew what she needed to do. But if she was interrupted or asked to do something different, she would really struggle.

Processing speed is not about academic ability. Our school screens all students as part of their induction as it is often not picked up until much later, but understanding can make life less challenging.

It’s not a diagnosis or a disorder.
it’s common for schools to screen pupils for processing speed, in order to ascertain whether they need exam access arrangements etc to level the playing field.

It’s not an indicator of academic ability either.

My dad has been diagnosed with a slow processing speed. He appear to 'dither' before doing something, a bit like a delayed reaction. I like to think it's not noticeable, however to those 'who know' it is, some teachers picked up on it and were nice about, some were assholes (but that's them not him, specifically I'm thinking about the teacher that shouted 'what are you waiting for, the pigeon to bring you a special request), also his scout leader and swimming coach- I hadn't said anything to either of them. He's pretty much getting on in life-had a job in a fast food place and recently started uni

Thanks everyone.

Following because a speech therapist told me the same for my child x

My Daughter is very capable too but I watched them do the test and it was quite revealing .

Please don't ignore this.

Dd1 is very clever. Got 16 GCSEs from Bs to A*, then got top grades at A levels.
She works hard always does what is needed. But just always struggled with finishing exams.
We were talking tonight and wishing that we'd looked at slow processing for her. The fact she was clever hid this and meant we only realised as she did her A levels that this night have been the reason why she was slow.
It would have made a difference in that it would have helped take the pressure of exams as her problem was not getting enough writing down in the time rather than not having the knowledge.

Thinking of it, she also loves reading and is an avid reader. Her morning routine is on fire - gets herself up at 6.15, straight in shower then down for tea and breakfast. Never needs nagging etc.
can be a bit reluctant with homework although we've cracked it this term and she's doing it without being asked. But I was like that at her age and I was just a bit lazy!! 😂
She doesn't struggle in crowds, she's confident and follows conversation fine. I'll be keen to know what her teacher has seen.

Oh @MargaretThursday we certainly wouldn't ignore this!! If they think she has it we will happily take every bit of advice and support going forward - she'll have our 100% in everything.
I'm just beating myself up because I struggle to see it in her, and I did homeschooling through Covid 😂. I'm also a student nurse and feel pretty bad.

She's in year 9 so it's appropriate for a teacher to speak to her first.
She has to give permission for the test and permission for the results to be given to the JCQ for access arrangements. Nothing to be 'fuming' about.

@notnorman - she was with her friends and completely blindsided. She's only just 13 - please try and have a little empathy.

If she's with her friends then it's not appropriate but year 9 is when she should be tested and normal way of working needs to be established as early as possible in order for her to have extra time in GCSEs if necessary.

As s simple rule of thumb my niece needs us to wait 30 seconds between parts of a question or instruction unless very clear/common etc. If we don't, and give too much info too quickly her brain says aarghh wtf and shuts off redirecting her to think about something else. As she's aware of her processing difficulties she has strategies and works very hard to come back to what we were talking about.

And thinking about it @notnorman - I'm a mum. My DD has come home, clearly bothered by this, and I feel completely helpless and at sea. I feel guilty I didn't spot this and anxious about her future. I'm probably cross at the teacher as a form of displacement - however I also don't know ANYTHING about the JCQ (I've just googled following your comment), or the process, or how this will affect her barring a bit of frantic googling and reading some journals tonight.
I'm human. I will do the absolute best by my DD, however I also want her to be properly supported and I feel that didn't happen at school,