Would you want to know your kids IQ?

[RubiaPTA]

Just interested as I was given the opportunity today to be connected to someone who would do an IQ test on a preschooler. Though I was tempted I don't like the idea of sticking a number on a kid

What on earth for?
I develop my children, it matters not their starting point. Before learning something, they can't do it. After learning, they can. Proficiency varies, obviously, but progress made is perfectly observable.
Focus on the areas the struggles in.

You're not even a little bit curious?

No. Not at all, so much more to life.

Of a preschooler? Nah.
I'd be interested in my kids at the age they are now though, just because it's interesting. I think I first did an iq test aged around 11/12, can't remember why but I'm sure it was school related.

Trust me, I know how intelligent my children are. I was iq tested at a young age; it did nothing to improve my life, not one jot.

God no. My parents used my supposed high iQ as a stick to beat me with whenever I failed at something. I was an early reader, that's all. My kids will achieve what they achieve and I will be happy if they TRY HARD

My kids have both had IQ test. Purely as a byproduct of being assessed by an educational psychologist for disabilities or specific educational needs. The interesting bit was relative areas of strength and weakness (i.e. working memory) the actual IQ score was the least interesting part.

Strax why would being young make you not want to?

I would, just for curiosities sake. I can't imagine not wanting to know something interesting about DS if someone was willing to tell me for free.

If I had to pay then nah

I assess underlying ability (IQ) as part of diagnosis for SpLD. I find that it can sometimes be a boost for someone to know that the difficulties they are experiencing are not due to lack of ability. Lots of people I assess assume that they must be stupid as there struggling academically when actually they have very specific difficulties. However, even though I have to use the tests, I think they should be treated with a great deal of caution.

That's is no point in testing a preschooler. There aren't enough preschoolers tested to give a real idea of iq and it changes anyway so why? If you would like to do it for fun /you are concerned that there are learning difficulties that could be identified by an extremely low score ok but don't do it expecting a meaningful result or exorcist your childs relative intelligence at this age to be their relative intelligence in adulthood.

So DS1 did one at school a few weeks ago. Only happened to tell me about it yesterday. I found it fascinating but would never have thought to test him.

Although DS1 is 13 a long way from being a pre-schooler.

I really thought more people would have wanted to. I was so close to saying yes

My daughter did one of those non- verbal reasoning tests in Y5. She only got one wrong. Think the rest of the class got half marks or something. She’s got an aspergers diagnosis in Y7. Life is so hard for her.
IQ is just a number and meaningless in the grand scheme of life skills our children need to develop xx interesting question though OP. I’d be interested to see what My other children scored x

My child had it done for exactly the same reasons as @Kashgar and @Enoughnowplease mention. It is helpful as it shows that my child fundamentally has a lot of potential - it is just ensuring that they have the scaffold to achieve and assumptions should not be made that they are "unacademic"

Ruby You already know your child is exceptional. How would it benefit you or him to know his score? Would it not maybe bring added pressure to make sure he 'succeeds'?

I said I didn't accept ...

True, I thought you sounded like you were wavering ...

IQ testing in preschoolers is highly imprecise.
I think it’s only from 10+ when it starts to make sense.

I don’t understand when people say they wouldn’t want to know and that they ‘know’ how smart their kids are.
What’s the downside to actually knowing it? Doesn’t mean that you’ll do anything differently with them.

And in certain situations - it can be useful to know. For example - if your kids are to sit exams - 11+, 13+ - etc - it can help you deciding which schools and how hard to push them - or Not....

And - also - can help spot potential issues at School. Say you know that your kid scored highly on the non-verbal part of the IQ - and yet at school isn’t doing well at math - then there is clearly an issue with the teacher or teaching.
Same for the verbal and English.
Etc.

I tend to think that information isn’t good/bad on its own, it’s how we use it that’s important.

I think people assume that their child will test above average. You need to be prepared for how you react if your child tests average (highly likely) or below average.

As part of a deeper neuropshychological analysis (we have had one done on one child) it can be helpful - but no more helpful than any of the other information.

I would be tempted if i had concerns about their development, but otherwise not. might you be subconsciously swayed by the knowledge? Eg encourage/ discourage them in future down different paths depending on results, have any siblings tested too. I also think testing on preschoolers is potentially less valid

No. I don’t think that IQcan be measured in any meaningful way for young kids. Plus I’m quite suspicious of anyone who tells me their IQ / their kids’ IQs - I find it quite odd.

I know psychologists who do this very professionally and they always advise to test at age 6 at the EARLIEST if you want a more meaningful result. I think if you are relatively well informed and objective, you will more or less know what range your kids fall into, you will know if they are spectacular or just bright or generally not so logical / academic. Also, if there are issues, knowing the IQ is not helpful bc often there are other important factors / issue. It is more useful to diagnose potential dyslexia / ASD traits etc, the IQ alone will not tell you much.

Maybe, but I'd be a bit suspicious it was some kind of scam, because how can you reliably estimate a toddler's IQ?