The Forums › Forums › Ask The Community › Inattentive and slow processing speed when the task isn't challenging enough?
-
AuthorPosts
-
May 8, 2012 at 6:01 pm #90734
I had a fascinating chat today with the doctor who has been doing a series of cognitive tests on me. I had expected a significant working memory deficit and an attention deficit.
However, he says that my working memory is significantly improved by the ‘tricks’ I use to remember things and that when something is more of a challenge, and if I have to engage a strategy to remember it, I can do so well.
He also said that my processing speed is lower than would be expected compared to my other abilities, but again this is fine (good) when I’m challenged and it was on the less difficult sub tests that I scored the worst.
Again, with attention, when the tasks were more challenging I did well, but when they were basic ones, with no distractions or need to manipulate information, I was less able. He said he noticed that, although I scored full marks in one of these (boring) tests, I was ‘self stimulating’ a lot, tapping on the desk, drumming my heels etc to try to keep focus.
So, if my attention and memory are good when I’m given a high level of challenge and poor when I am given something that doesn’t really rock my boat, what does that mean?!
I am able to contact the doctor to discuss the file and I expect I probably will, but for now I’m beyond curious! My abilities are, in general, high. He said that one of the sub-tests (I’m guessing a verbal one) was the highest mark he’d seen, though one test doesn’t imply that my overall result will be anywhere near as high.
Is this a pattern that is fairly typical of someone with ADHD and a high IQ? Or am I a bit weird?! LOL
REPORT ABUSEMay 8, 2012 at 6:09 pm #114308I meant to add that the initial referral was for dyspraxia and there’s evidence of some dyspraxic tendencies but they’re at a sub-clinical level (ie they’re not enough to diagnose me as dyspraxic.)
REPORT ABUSEMay 8, 2012 at 6:14 pm #114309Thank you very much, Tiddler. I had never heard this comment before and it makes a lot of sense (translation: I do it too.)
“I was ‘self stimulating’ a lot, tapping on the desk, drumming my heels etc to try to keep focus.”
REPORT ABUSEMay 8, 2012 at 6:29 pm #114310Makes sense doesn’t it! I like the expression too.
REPORT ABUSEMay 8, 2012 at 9:21 pm #114311Well I would say it fits ADHD symptoms nicely: Boring stuff just doesn’t hold our attention. That’s what all that fidgeting we do is for, no
Nice to see some familiar faces here, been gone for a while….
REPORT ABUSEMay 8, 2012 at 10:13 pm #114312Good to see you back nellie – hope all is well.
REPORT ABUSEMay 8, 2012 at 10:18 pm #114313Hey Tiddler – it makes sense doesn’t it. Good you’re continuing to make progress in this.
REPORT ABUSE
May 9, 2012 at 6:40 am #114314Ah. That’s good. There was a part of me that was scared that because it was an atypical profile that someone would decide it’s not ADHD and not give me the drugs!
REPORT ABUSEMay 14, 2012 at 3:17 pm #114315We had the whole family over for mother’s day. Looking around the room, there was a lot of foot tapping self-stimulation going on. And these are “normal” people!
REPORT ABUSEAugust 6, 2012 at 6:02 am #114317
AnonymousInactiveAugust 6, 2012 at 6:02 amPost count: 14413I have ADHD and a slow prossessing speed too! I’m fourteen, and you’re the first person I have ever come across that has a slow processing speed, like me. It was so reliving just to see your question. Up until now, I always felt alone in my struggles with school, because since I also have a slow pressing speed I am facing struggles in school that other people who just have ADHD aren’t. By middle school espitally, one of my main struggles was finishing tests on time. I am also extreamly hard- working and exceedingly intelligent, so I’ve been able to work through a lot. But I’m just so glad to know I’m not alone! Thank you so much for sharing!
REPORT ABUSEAugust 6, 2012 at 4:22 pm #114318Hiya, kmb4ever. You’re far from alone. One of the things I love about this site is how often I read things that happen to me and knowing that other people understand really helps.
It’s good that you’re intelligent and hard working too – the down side is, from experience, that not everyone understands when the work doesn’t get done – I got accused of being ‘lazy’ and ‘stubborn’ when really I was trying my hardest – until I gave up that is.
So, don’t give up. You should be able to get extra time in tests, by the way. Ask about it!
REPORT ABUSE -
AuthorPosts