Testing

A-One and I have finally completed his practice and baseline tests using CogStateTM.  For him to have had sufficient sleep it usually means he's free in the afternoons, but I'm not always free then.  In my attempts to co-ordinate our schedules I'd occasionally hear faint mumblings of ... 'not important' ... but, in the end, he submitted relatively graciously.

To administer the tests I was required to read the instructions while they were also presented to him on the screen.  For the practice tests, he usually read ahead and pressed on without waiting for me to finish the instructions.  Except the working memory tests - he read and re-read them before proceeding.

For the baseline tests, because they are timed and should be done without significant breaks, I asked him if he needed a glass of water or to use the toilet before we started.  He decided he did.

An hour later (sigh) we got started.

Again I read the preparatory instructions, reminding him that the tests were the same as the practice tests, just different in the specifics so that they are still 'fresh'.

Mum: Are you ready to start?

A-One: Not yet.  I'll let you know.

A minute or so passed.

Mum: Are you ready yet?

A-One: No.  I'll let you know when I am.

A minute or so passed.

Mum: How about now?

A-One: No. Not yet.

Mum: Are you composing yourself, getting your mind ready for this?

A-One: Yes.

The first baseline test was to remember a shopping list.  As I started to read out the items, he burst out, 'Aren't these meant to be the same words as before?'  So we used up some seconds as I explained that the test is the same, but the words are different.  That's what the 'composing' time had been about - trying to remember the words from the practice test!

For most of the tests again, he pressed on without waiting for me to finish reading the instructions, except for the more challenging of the working memory tests.  We completed all the tests in about an hour and fifteen minutes. My observation, supported by the test results, showed that his working memory is quite good. When tests required that he 'work out' a rule or find a path in a maze, he performed better than when he had to remember many things short term.  But for anything that had made it into his memory, his delayed recall was then good.  This is consistent with our experience of him - it might take a while for something to get into his brain, but once it's there, it's there forever!  So it sounds to me like he would benefit from practising learning things off by heart - not so much to know many more things, but to practice the learning technique required to remember things.

Mum: Do you want to see your test results?

A-One: Nah.

Pondering the good working memory results, and recalling that his previous neuro-psyche tests indicated a weak working memory, I asked him if he was willing to do a little exercise that would take only a minute (a working memory test).

Mum: I'll give you five numbers and I want you to repeat them back to me - backwards.

A-One: OK.

Mum: 7    3     9     5     8

A-One gazed down with a look of concentration on his face.  After about 15 seconds he looked at me and giggled.  He looked down again for about another 10 seconds.  Looked up, giggling again.

Then, tumbling the numbers out in quick succession:

A-One: 85937!

Not so enthusiastic

As excited as I have been about using CogStateTM to independently baseline A-Ones's cognitive functioning, and getting ready to try him out with C8 - Kids Cognitive Cross Training, I don't exactly have an enthusiastic partner in my venture.

Last night A-One went to bed early.  His sleeping patterns have become more erratic lately because he's been playing WOW on and off both day and night. However, after last night I thought 'You beaudy!  He's had a really good night's sleep.  His brain will be fresh. What a golden opportunity to begin the CogStateTM practice tests!'  I had been 'warming' him up to them over the last couple of days. Waking him up mid-morning:

Mum: Hi A-One. Time to get up. After such a good night's sleep, let's get started with your round of practice tests today.  How about you get up, eat, have a shower (it's been several days), and we can get started.

A-One: OK, I'll get up, but we'll see about the practice tests.

Later on as he was having breakfast ...

Mum: When will we get started? This afternoon sometime?

A-One: No! I'm not doing it today!

Mum: A-One, this is a golden opportunity because you had such a good night's sleep! Your brain will be on fire!

A-One: I'm not doing it today! 

Mum: The scientists have proven that you need adequate sleep, nutrition, physical exercise, as well as mental exercise for your brain to be healthy, so it's important that you've had adequate sleep to do the tests.

A-One: How do they know that? I'll prove that I can be fine without even 5 hours sleep!

Mum: Do you see that this brain training work is about helping you be able to have a job, and not just a job, but a good job? What will you do instead today?

A-One: Other things.

Mum: Do you think your WOW friends would be happy for you to spend some time away from them, improving things for yourself?

A-One: Yes.   

Mum: Well, can we do it tomorrow?

A-One: Yes.

Mum: What time?

A-One: I don't know!

Mum: How about 10am?

A-One: OK.

Mum: It may take about 3 hours all up.

A-One: Three hours! How come?

Mum: The practice will take about an hour or more, so that you get used to what you have to do.  Then we do the real baseline test, which will take just as long.

A-One: No, we're doing only the first part.

Mum: So when will we do the second part?

A-One: The next day, Sunday.

Mum: I can't do it Sunday because Dad and I have something on Sunday morning.

A-One: Well, whenever is the next time!

Mum: You do realise, don't you, that improving things for yourself can start right now?

So instead today, I'm blogging ... and he's WOW'ing.

Getting ready for a change ...

In the last couple of days I've sent off a few emails to others on the advocacy list for Arrowsmith, as well to a couple of educational institutions.  I've also been keeping up with the latest news from SharpBrains, and came across a reference to a free cognitive test called Brain Baseline for iPads and iPhones.  I duly went looking for it but it's only in the US Apple store, not the Australian one.  So I wrote off to them too asking when it would be available in the Australian store.

In the meanwhile I've tested myself out on the CogStateTM practice tests and think I have the hang of them now.  I've uploaded my practice results and am now working out whether the test report is useful to me, or simply to track A-One's scores in a spreadsheet myself. I'm very keen to get started with him as he seems to be losing interest in Lumosity, and I think it's time for a change. So I want to baseline him using CogStateTM, then try something else, giving Lumosity a rest for a while.

I'm very impressed with C8-Kids Cognition Cross Training, another suite of brain training exercises I came across via SharpBrains.  This one's from Yale University and has been used to treat ADHD. I like very much that a few simple games progressively incorporate training for additional cognitive functions, and progressive comprehensive reports on a student's cognitive profile are also available i.e. it combines both training and assessment.  The program also combines mental and physical training, so it's really the whole package! The program is geared to 5-10 year olds, but the interface is not too 'babyish' and adults can benefit from it too. The downside, and this is noted on their website, is that for adults any comparative assessments draw on a much smaller population, so I'm not sure how useful they'll be.

The C8 program requires that the student do 3 - 5 sessions a week ranging from 25 - 40 mins each, generally over a 4 month period.

I recall when I spoke to Sheryl Batchelor that she wondered why the Arrowsmith program needs 3-4 years when other programs show improvements over 3 months or so. I also have some niggling concerns whether A-One would qualify for the Arrowsmith program which requires students to have average or above average intelligence.  A-One's IQ is just below the average range, although when he was younger he was in the average range. Given the C8 program is used for ADHD, and A-One had been on medication for ADD when he was younger, this program might even be more suitable for him than Arrowsmith?

So, I think C8's worth a try.  It seems to match A-One's cognitive impairments, and compares in price to Lumosity.