Bright Kids Who Can't Keep Up

We profile two smart young men with slow processing, a learning difference that affects their ability to manage daily tasks in a timely fashion. Dr. Ellen Braaten has expert advice for both parents and children coping with this issue.

[kiernanoh]

I just got tested by a psychologist at the age of 21 and was found to have a 98th percentile IQ but 4th percentile in processing speed. It feels like such a relief to understand why I feel so dumb and don't "get" things sometimes like reading or listening

[mgw]

"I feel like they have a lot to teach us." Ha! Yeah... we do... but no one ever seems to slow down enough to listen.

[MarciaArleneDebra]

Read the biography about Laurent Schwartz. Schwartz said he could not start something unless it made sense to him, so he always had to analyze before he starts working on it.

[GabsareSarg]

In school everyone bullied me for being slow. I still feel bad about that.

[sebastianlynch]

Thank you, seriously. It's nice to know someone else has been exactly threw what im currently trapped in

[Tiger__]

I know how this kid feels. I got slow processing problem... even today, it still painful dealing with work...

[hdjksa]

I am 42 now and I was diagnosed with this. I wish I had a support group because it has led to a loss of my military career, a felony charge and me graduating from college with a low GPA *THIS YEAR!* This country really sucks when it comes to handling mental health and learning disabilities. I'm really upset the way my life is going.

[dhooy]

As a student in medical school struggling, I'd appreciate if anyone has advice for me. Most of the resources I'm finding are for children.

[glenicejohnson]

I can DEFINITELY relate. Thanks for sharing!!!

[jamesdevries]

Okay is there resources for college graduates young adults? I got the help in school but please Help us Young Adults!

[jacobterry]

I have slow speed processing, im 12, I sometimes feel like dropping out of school because I cant complete my homework in time, my brother does not have this so he completes his homework quickly and has a lot of break time, I sometimes just not do my homework because I hate doing stuff when im mad, plus, I have a walking problem with my knees, I am good at sports but not so good at schoolwork.

[ThatOneGirlThatPlays]

I wish I could've had help with this growing up. Now I have complex ptsd from having been fired four times for under performance and almost fired another couple of times before I quit. I was always 85% of quotas my entire life and having autism and inattentive adhd to boot. Im 36 and only just now learning ive had these.

[northernkingdom]

What's it called when it's a simple yes or no answer but your mind goes through all the possibilities to the answer? It kinda feels like slow processing in a way but I'm just putting all the variables in place and coming up with the best outcome.

[nramirez]

Thank you so much for this information it really helped. I have been struggling a lot with this and it means a lot to know that I am not alone.

[folafoluwaasabi]

I hope my parents see this
It's actually hard especially when all your siblings are very fast learners it even becomes worse when you are being compared to someone younger than you with seven years and you are being shouted at even when you are doing your can't type much but African parents should see this!

[wanderergrim]

I only properly realised I have this and now I'm almost 18

[yingzhou]

Looks like my father has it. I have it. And now my son has it. My father is a paleontologist famous enough in his small field. I have an advanced degree in science. I had perfect grades in middle school. Mixed grades since then. Some were close to perfect scores. I know if not for this, I could have done better. The advantage is although I am slow, I come up with correct answers, while others make mistakes.

[chipinchina]

Is this the same thing as Sluggish Cognitive Tempo?

[harshavardhanvaidya]

I am generally a fast processor of information. I respond normally in conversations but when it comes to problem solving involving numbers, such as Math, accounts and Statistics, I am very slow at processing information. My teachers say that it's because of a lack of practice and think that a disability is unlikely. I went to a psychiatrist who said that my intelligence is above average and have no learning disability either. Maybe, it is just a matter of practice. Maybe my mind takes time to process new things even if they are easy. Maybe that could be attributed to evolution. We are evolutionarily wired to be intimidated by anything new.

[alicewright]

My 7 year old is SO smart. Has SO much potential. He's recently been diagnosed with combined ADHD. He is a VERY well behaved, good kid but is awful at following instructions and gets flustered because I can be very go go go. It's a hard learning curve for us both because as a kid I HAD to be gogogo. I dint want him to feel the same way I did. My 2 year old has SPD, APD and is non-verbal. It makes me wonder whether my eldest has APD too. I have APD too so it would make a lot of sense. It must be so difficult feeling trapped in your own mind when you are fully capable. I learnt to mask and shut down. I dont want my children to have to do the same.