Would you have your 5 yr old IQ tested?

[shushpenfold]

That's it really - would you ever, have you ever and what came of it? Why did you do it?

No. (And I was an educational psychologist in my previous child-free life.)

Are you thinking about getting your child tested? If so, can I ask why?

No, can't see the point.

My sister was actually assessed once when about 8 or 9. It was for her teacher's Masters or something and my parents gace permission for that reason. It came out very high. But that was it. No one was going to act upon it. My sister did very well atschool and university, but she was no massive high flying genious - just a perfectly nice, happy, bright child.

No. I'm actually trying to understand (in an entirely nosey manner) as to why a member of the family has just done this. I wouldn't ask her (for various reasons) but wondered if anybody else had and for what reason.

I wouldn't. Really don't see the point.

My friend did it with her DS but only out of utter frustration and as a tool to help him with his statement etc. Otherwise can't see the point.

I can't either - no SN, no issues (past ds being 'extremely advanced' I quote) Even if she think's he's the bees knees, for what purpose would you have this done?!

My ds did parts of an IQ test with an Ed Psych when he was 4yrs old. The reason was because he has AS and it helped to show his strengths and weaknesses wrt his development. The Ed Psych was interested in giving him a full test at a later date but there was no way ds would have been able to sit still and concentrate for that amount of time.

Otherwise, no I definitely wouldn't bother.

In a cynical mood, I'd say its so they can drop it into the conversation from time to time. "Oh the school can't cope with little Aristotle, he's so gifted, his IQ is 140 you know" etc

AMumInScotland, that's exactly what I was going to say!!!

DS had full developmental assessment as he has a severe speech delay. Some aspects of the test felt to me as being a bit IQ based (figuring out sequences was oen of the tests) but it was mostly understanding of language, spacial awareness, fine and gross motor skills, and a few other bits and pieces. It was actually quite useful to see how he was progressing with his general development because he can't express himself. I can't think of a real good reason why a young child should be tested for IQ, there's no benefit to it for the child.

How on earth do they do an IQ test for a 5 year old

The scores are only meaningful in terms of a population anyway - average 100 - so unless there are loads of 5 year olds being tested it can't be done, surely?

"Aristotle is so gifted, I'm afraid he just doesn't get other children. It was unfortunate that he set fire to Jocasta, but I had been asking for him to have extra physics....."

No I wouldn't.

arf at seeker
I wouldn't, no. It seems pretty meaningless to me. I mean, a bright child is a bright child, and putting a figure on how bright doesn't seem that helpful really.

Might possibly in order to assist longer term educational planning if I were in a selective area. Obv not a 100% guide to how child would do in selective exams at 10+, but indicative as to what might be realistically achievable, and if you're having to move house at that age you might want as much info as possible. But that's clutching at straws really.

There was a book called Test Your Child's IQ which was v fashionable in the 1970's. My aunt tested my DC, who came out the top of the scale. DC has spent the rest of her life avoiding ever being IQ tested because she knows that the only way is down (she's clever but by no means a genius, it's just a running joke).

DS1 at 7 when we (but not school) suspected dyslexia, by private Ed Psych. Didn't have DS2 tested as there was no reason to spend the money.

When I was 4 or so my paediatrician recommended that my parents have me tested. I had had so many ear infections that they needed to be sure I hadn't missed things due to hearing loss. (Surely they could have just tested me for hearing damage?) I'm not sure why an IQ test is necessary as opposed to just a hearing test but that seemed like a reasonable thing to do. It wasn't because my parents wanted to prove anything. I would have my child tested for this sort of reason but not just to see how smart she is.

My aunt did this to my niece who is 4! Of course it came out 'off the charts' and every member of my family has quoted it to me.

I give them this face

I'm now an Oxford lecturer whose childhood IQ ranged between 81 and 92 over two years. I was given repeated IQ tests because I seemed 'odd' at school I flunked every single one of them, initially because, as I told my parents, I couldn't see the point and later because I enjoyed being in what were then remedial classes.

At 7 the Head saw through my love of Fuzzbuzz and made me go into proper schooling, where I rose to a more satisfactory level and was never tested again. The Ed Psych believed it would set me back years, but was overruled.

So not only is it pointless but, I would suggest, really clever kids might resist anyway.

Wow! I have a friend who's son was put in a special unit for a year between nursery and school as his development seemed to have slowed down almost to a stop (speech, language, understanding, physical growth). He's now at a redbrick uni doing natural sciences and got 3 x A for his A levels.

His Mum got him the help he needed.

I guess I would get them tested if they seemed off the scale kind of bright, reading the Unix manual for fun, asking for calculus problems, that kind of thing.

I was tested at 7yo, but I am American, it is quite common in the USA and in some ways highly encouraged. Testing was recommended to my parents by educators, not least so that I could get into a Gifted programs (what a joke that was, but that's another story).

DS was tested at 5 or 6, without my permission , by a school psychologist. We asked her to have a talk with him, as he was very disruptive in school, and tell us whether she thought he had any underlaying issues.

Anyway, iirc he scored in a high-average range. I do wonder how accurate that was, as I can't imagine him being able to focus on answering a hundred (or a similar high nuber) of questions that the test was made up of.

Didn't tell as anything except that the psy said that he's 'no genius' (She thought perhaps that was the reason for him getting bored and hence disruptive).

Now he's almost 9, he does his homework in 5 minutes flat and yesterday memorised a longish poem in about 3 minutes. He's at the top of his class with no effort on his part that I can see.

So I don't think that one, they are really accurate, and two, I don't see what use there is- if your child does well in school, doesn't have any outstanding problems...what's the point?

Or perhaps it was just average.