Special needs does not = a low IQ!

One of my pet peeves is the ignorance that comes from so many people in relation to a special needs child or a child with learning disabilities.

Loghan pushed a child at school yesterday when I asked him why he said the boy called him stupid and he retaliated, this is not the first time this has happened and it may not have been in relation to his adhd probably not kids can be mean sometimes or say things without thinking and Loghan has had too many bad experiences so it made me quite upset and got me thinking about the posts and experiences I have had and seen in the past whereby children on the spectrum or with any sort of learning disability are deemed or thought be lazy, odd or to have a low IQ.

Please if you are a mum who is faced with a diagnosis along the lines of autism, aspergers, adhd, add, and so many others do not for a second allow anyone to tell you that children of this respect have lower IQ’s because it is absolute hogwash and in most cases these wonderful kiddos actually have above average or high IQ’s which cause them to become bored and irritated very easily or emotionally frustrated, if the child cannot verbally communicate as well the stigma and association of a low IQ is there when it is absolutely not true and in so many cases where I have met people who thought this I have wanted to physically shake them and say have you actually spent time with an spectrum child or a child with learning disabilities because if you did you would never say this, it is hurtful and ignorant and makes me both incredibly sad and angry.

Albert Einstein had both learning and social difficulties and has been placed on the spectrum.

Loghan was tested as a part of the process of diagnosis, what we learned was that his scores in regards to mathematics and learning were well above his level he was doing things at the level of a 9 year old and he was only 5, his IQ score was high as well, however his social or emotional IQ or EQ was of an average level or just below, this is not out of the ordinary for kids on the spectrum or with learning difficulties, often their IQ and EQ struggle to correlate as they are quite far apart in development and this is often made worse by peer alienation or bullying.

 

In the past before the world had a better understanding of these kids, these wonderful kids were pushed aside, sent off to reformatories, made to stay at home or kept away from public eyes because they were thought to be a hindrance to society and their families, they were not encouraged to embrace their gifts and difference and it makes me so incredibly sad.

 

Please if your child or someone you know has special needs always encourage them and make sure they know how amazing they are because they really are, they are blessed with gifts, insight and feelings that most every day people may never ever know the meaning or joy of and we are all incredibly blessed to have our children, I have never in my life met a special needs mom who hasn’t felt blessed by her child and it my hope that with further research and active voices the stigma and bad association that hovers around these diagnosis will eventually be fully lifted and no child will be made to feel inferior or different to their peers and those around them.