my child | ADHD Information

My child has been diagosed with ADHD and I am so confused on how to help him.  He is smart but his grades are horrible.  He has been on meds and goes to counseling once a month but my husband and I don't know what else to do?

 

Welcome!  How old is your son?  What kind of doctor diagnosed him?  What meds/dose is he on?  Are the meds helping?

 

Have you tried getting him a tutor?
We did that last year when my son was in 2nd grade and it seemed to help him.
She only came for 1 hour, once a week but she reviewed with him what they were working on in his class. 
This year he hasn't needed it but I make sure I get A LOT of feedback from his teacher.  She makes sure I am aware if he seems to be struggling with something.
She is also a great cheerleader for him and really encourages him.
We reinforce good schoolwork at home, too.  He earns awards.
You didn't say if your son is the inattentive type or the hyperactive type or both.  My son is not hyper so behavior is not an issue.  Just the focusing and organizational skills.
Write a letter to the head of special ed in your school and request a meeting to discuss the possibility of an IEP or 504 for him. Send it recept requestd and keep a copy for yourself. Keep a copy of any notes or letters that you send to or receive from the school.

You are the beginning of a long journey through the public school system and there is a lot you can do but you need to be informed. You will probably have to educate the educators. Some schools are great but some do require a push in the right direction. There are laws to guarantee your child a proper education.

Check out these web sites.    www.wrightslaw.com     and    www.schwablearning.org

They both have great, helpful articles. Also go to the article section of this site.

How old is he?  We are behind you now. You aren't alone.
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