IQ Drop?

My son is almost 13 and is on Clozaril, Abilify, Lithium, and Lamictal. Pretty stable for the last 2 years. This past spring he was evaluated by a neuropsych. MD and was found to have an IQ of 57. He had also been tested when he was 6 yrs old by a different Psychologist and I was told his IQ was 138. He wasn't stable at the time and wasn't on any meds. How do I know his true IQ?. I am home schooling now and noticing many learning difficulties. I also found out at the most recent neuropsych that he is dyslexic which accounts for some of the learning lags. I am very concerned for his future and if I should be concentrating more on life skills or academia.

Can you help me understand the huge difference in the test results.

 

Renee

 

Dear Renee:

I’m not sure who actually tested your son recently, as neuropsychologists are PhDs, not MDs.  However, unless you are seeing marked decline in his abilities, I would not believe his IQ has dropped to 57.  It would be good to get a copy of that report, if you don’t have it, and ask more questions of the tester until it makes sense to you.  Dyslexia is a word I try to avoid using, as it has many meanings to many people.  If you were told your son has a reading or writing disorder, this would clearly account for why he is struggling with academic work.  I would urge you to get consultation on teaching a child with learning disabilities if you continue to home school.  Life skills AND academic skills are both critical in his future.  All best wishes.