School Problems - need help | ADHD Information

check out www.wrightslaw.com . The school has to keep him in the least restrictive environment and find ways to help him. If he isn't doing anything dangerous, I don't believe they can force you to send him to a school for behaviorally challenged kids. He has a right to be educated in the same school that he would attend if he didn't have a disability. If he were really severe, the other school with the other class might be best. As it is, unless there is more going on than you have said, the school needs to work with him to teach him appropriate social and study skills.

If every child who refused to do all their work or to do homework were sent to a behavior classroom, there would be a school full of classrooms for behavior problems and they would have to set up special classes for the others. Me thinks your school is lazy and unmotivated!

http://www.wrightslaw.com/advoc/articles/idea.lre.fape.htm

http://www.nasponline.org/publications/cq262discipline.html I took this excerpt from this link.

Students with disabilities who are in need of special education and related services have, by definition, problems in learning and skill development. Unlike their nondisabled counterparts, they may, in some cases, have difficulty demonstrating socially appropriate behaviors. Unlike their nondisabled peers they also have a continued right to a free and appropriate public education within the least restrictive environment even when their behavior violates a discipline rule or code.

barb38797.4235532407

I think that some more supports are needed before one switches to a behavior classroom...I really don't like them and think kids need to be included as much as possible..

I agree with Barb...they need to teach him appropriate behavior....

Are you happy with the meds? do you think that one of them might be the culprit?...I know lots of kids start out ok on strattera but then it seems to fizzle out or they get very moody...because he is taking quiet a few it is hard to determine what one if any could be causing negative effects

joemom38797.4761226852

I know someone with a child with Aspergers....he is extemely sensitive to any changes. You might want to really go through everything with a fine-tooth comb with the school, odds are that something has changed to set this behavior off. It may be something small and subtle, something that you or I wouldn't notice. Can you go into the classroom and observe? You know your child better than anyone else, you might be able to figure it out if you can observe. Does he have a new TA in the classroom? Has his seat been moved? Is he sitting next to a child that is causing him problems? You need to be a detective to get to the bottom of things.

What does he say when you ask him what is going on in the classroom?

Yes, the school is required to give him a FAPE in the LRE....but the behavior class may be the LRE if he can't learn in the classroom he is in. I'm not saying that's true, just pointing it out. My school is downright impossible to deal with, I know all about it!

Hi,

My ds is having a lot of trouble in school (it started around Thanksgiving and is not getting better). My ds has ADHD and Asperger's he is 9 yrs old and in 2nd grade. He started off the school year great and we don't know what changed. He either verbally or physically refuses to do some work, he has also been getting in trouble for touching others. We have tried different meds and we have started a chip reward system.

The school called a meeting last Friday with myself, social worker, and my son psycologist - the social worker informed me things are not improving and have gotten worst. We are trying a new system at school to try to get my son to make it through his day without too much trouble. The school basically says if this doesn't help they may transfer him to another school next year that has a behavior class set up.

These are the meds he is on: Strattera 25 mg in am , Adderall XR 10 mg, Tenex 1mg and Zoloft 25 mg. He gets a nighttime dose of Strattera 40 mg and Tenex 1 mg. My son is 95 lbs and tall for his age.

My ds doesn't like school - he would rather be home with me.

Any suggestions would be helpful. My dh and I are trying to help him. Sorry so long.

Diane

a bit of advice about Dr's and changing meds

You have the final say. If the dr doesn't want to change the meds, fire them. The dr is employed by you, you pay for his services. If you are not satisfied, tell the dr. don't worry about hurting his feelings, they have too many patients to have an emotional investment w/ each patient. I'm not saying that the dr doesn't care, I'm just saying be very open and blunt. Don't let the dr make the decisions, you ask LOTS of questions. Bring every pill bottle that you son takes on a reg basis and a tablet to write in. Ask about EACH med. ask what it does and what it should do, what the side effects are, how long the side effects should last, what warning signs you should look for, and any drug interactions that might occur and with what drug. Make sure you ask all of the questions and look him in the eye. When the dr sees that you are going to take YOUR time w/ him and asking a million questions, the dr will be more eager to get the meds lined out. ask the dr "himself" how will you be able to contact him (not if you can, but HOW you can) if there is a problem w/ the meds. Tell the dr that you have seen too much heart ache and want your son back. That will let the dr know that you are willing to do any thing. Don't let the dr give you an answering service to call after hours. Tell the dr that you don't want to talk to some one that doesn't know you son's history. You make sure he gets the point. I wish I could help out more.

I am going to start a new thread, so every one can see and add to it. I'll call it "what to say to the dr you employ". I hope this helps. I know you probably do most of this, but these are just some of the things I do.

I have currently set up an appt with my sons psychiatrist for Monday. We will discuss taking away some of the meds and possible add Risperdal. In the meantime I am looking into a new psychiatrist. I'm hoping we can work on the meds over Spring break which starts next Friday.

What is a parapsychologist? and how do I find one?

Confused,

Diane

Please don't take this wrong. I really want to help. I know you have thought about this, all parents do. I am totally pro med and pro what ever works. I would take my ds (He's 8) to get a second and a third opinion. He is on too many meds.

"These are the meds he is on: Strattera 25 mg in am , Adderall XR 10 mg, Tenex 1mg and Zoloft 25 mg. He gets a nighttime dose of Strattera 40 mg and Tenex 1 mg. My son is 95 lbs and tall for his age."

your son is taking a total dose of strattera of 65mg. That is a HUGE amount. Strattera has a tendency of wearing off. my son was on it for 2 years, and it was so gradual we didn't notice. What was the dr's reason for you ds to be on zoloft and strattera? The are both antidepressants. It seems like it is a "double duty" dosage. I would go to several dr's with your sons medical records in hand. I just think that he is on too many meds. There has to be some thing else you all can try. If it is not working, you should try some thing else. If he is having this much trouble in school, I would March right up to the dr that is prescribing all these and see if he/she is willing to try some thing else. If not succeed, try and try again. I do think you can find a good med mixture that works, but this is some thing you will have to ponder over. My ds is on 10mg Adderall XR and clondine at night.

Both Strattera and Zoloft are antidepressants and can cause disinhibition (as in touching others). You might want to ask your son's psychiatrist about this.

SmallMom38797.5482060185I would definitely look into the medication. My son doesn't have aspergers so I'm not sure if you need to think of things differently, but if my son was on all those meds and was having this much trouble in school I would definitely focus on the meds. Could it be that much worse off meds? Possibly one of them is causing an issue. [QUOTE=sdmaa]

I have talked to my sons psychologist and she talked to my sons psychiatrist today and they are talking of adding a small dose of Risperdal. I'm not sure if they are planning on taking in meds away yet.

Does anyone have a child on this med? or was on this med? What can I expect.

Thanks again for all the info - it is helping me try to make the right decisions for my son.

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have you thought about the second and third opinion? It's just my opinion, but I would look at taking him off all the meds and starting over, from scratch. Adding more to the many he is taking now could cause even more problems. You need to find out what is causing the problems. If you add more meds and it IS one of the original meds, it could make things worse. Yours son could be having a chemical reaction that is causing the problems.

But what ever you decide, let us know how he is doing. have you taken him to a parapsychologist? We did that, and with in 1 month we had our son (8years) back. He is a life savor

Diane, my 12-year-old son was on Risperdal (an atypical antipsychotic) for a month, and he didn't have a good experience, but I have heard others say it has helped with impulsivity and hyperactivity. My son had a dystonic reaction (uncontrollable mouth opening, lip licking and tongue thrusting) plus excessive restlessness and agitation.

I agree -- I think you need a second opinion with a psychiatrist who has cutting-edge knowledge of psychopharmacology. Your son is on a lot of meds for a little guy and you need to make sure they are not doing more harm than good.

SmallMom38798.8586226852[QUOTE=SmallMom]

I agree -- I think you need a second opinion with a psychiatrist who has cutting-edge knowledge of psychopharmacology. Your son is a on a lot of meds for a little guy and you need to make sure they are not doing more harm than good.

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how long did it take for the dr's to line your son out w/ the right combo of meds? my son only has adhd and a speech issue that is lined out now. So, I'm wondering if my son's dr is really fantastic ~~ or if it's harder w/ differ dx's. (I know, it's weird question, but if my son's dr is a saint I'd like to know. lmao) what can i say I'm an idiot.

Ogram, my 12-year-old son was dxed 3 years ago with ADHD and anxiety. When we tried to medicate his anxiety with an SSRI (Zoloft) last October, he had a manic reaction that led to his new dx of bipolar disorder. We are still working on getting his meds straight, but I don't think that's a commentary on his doctor, who we think is very capable and knowledgeable. I have been told it can take as much as a year or longer to find the right combo of meds for bipolar disorder. We're making progress, but we're still not there yet.

BTW, successful psychopharmacology is more an art than a science.

thanks for the info. i wish i had a cure for bipolar. i see so many parents on here battling this with their kids. I wish there was some thing magical. I'll be praying for you all. I could not even imagine what it is like for the meds to be right for a year or longer. Man, you guys are strong ladies.

ogram38798.8642708333

Does anyone have a child on this med? or was on this med? What can I expect.

Thanks again for all the info - it is helping me try to make the right decisions for my son.

Thanks a lot ,

Diane

[QUOTE=sdmaa]

Thanks for all the responses. My ds went to pre-k and he has a March birthday - so he just turned 9. My ds does have an IEP he currently get OT, PT, and speech out of class and he is able to take sensory breaks when needed.

I am planning on talking to his doc again about his meds. The zoloft has helped with his anxieties, but we need to find a med for his ADHD symptoms.

We have tried Welbuttrin, and Ritalin and higher doses of Adderall XR but he had too many side effects.

Thanks Again,

Diane

Diane; zoloft made me feel like i was on some sort of speed and i'm speaking as an adult here

[/QUOTE] [QUOTE=TryinToCope

Diane; zoloft made me feel like i was on some sort of speed and i'm speaking as an adult here

[/QUOTE]

I have to agree. I tried it about a year or so ago. It did the same thing with me. I do have a friend that is on it, and it has made a night and day differ. Go figure~

Strattera is not a seratonin reuptake inhibitor, it is a norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor *only* so it does not fit in that class. It is similar chemically to anti-depressants, but I have never seen it classed that way.

My dd was on both Strattera and an anti-depressant at the same time. It worked just fine for her, in fact her mood was better, more positive and there were NO swings. It may act that way in *some* people, but you certainly can't say that it acts that way in most or all people.

As with any medication, you must watch for adverse reactions and side effects. All of these meds have proven to be safe and effective, but there are always a few people who have problems with ANY medication.

I am planning on talking to his doc again about his meds. The zoloft has helped with his anxieties, but we need to find a med for his ADHD symptoms.

We have tried Welbuttrin, and Ritalin and higher doses of Adderall XR but he had too many side effects.

Thanks Again,

Diane

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Ogram, are you sure you want to hold him back? Doesn't your son have an IEP? You can put him in resource for reading, instead. My son failed first grade, so he's a year behind the other kids, and it gets harder and harder, as they get older. Luckily, my son was born in the summer, so he was young for first grade. That makes it easier, but he is the tallest kid in his school, and he's beginning to grow a mustache in 6th grade!

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He is in the resource reading class. The teacher that teaches it is HORRIBLE!!! beside the point lol. Well, his reading level at at the beginning of the school year was a 1.2. We have had several meetings and yes he has a fab IEP. His spec. ed teacher has never recommended a IEP child to stay in the same grade, till now. I have known all the teachers and the dx lady for many years. His spec ed teacher said the only reason she wanted to keep him back, is because she knows he WILL catch up. We spoke with his dr's about it, they all said the same thing, "if we hold him back, he will catch up" He had a serious speech impairment that has finally been corrected (for the most part), so that is why his reading is so below level. In the last 8 weeks, he as increased to 1.7 level in reading. I know holding him back is for his best interest. I want him out of the IEP by the time he is in 7th grade (with all needs accomplished, if not, he will stay in the program). He is fine with it. We bought the Lexia program a few weeks ago, but He needs the extra time. He will be fine. I know some may not under stand that, but the only disability my ds has is adhd w/ speech impairment (from hearing loss - he's had 6 sets of tubes). He needs that extra time. He will do fine.

Strattera is NOT an anti-depressant. It can be prescribed at the same time an anti-depressant is being taken, there is no issue there. As far as it being "a lot" of medication, it may SEEM that way, but my dd was on far more meds than that at one time. Some kids NEED several different meds, that is not necessarily a bad thing!

While it is always wise to consider medication as being a factor, I would not leap to the conclusion that the doctor doesn't know what he is doing. I think that is a bit rash.

Strattera is an antidepressant in the SNRI family. Zoloft is an antidepressant in the SSRI family. Both are antidepressants in different families. One of the major side effects of Strattera is mood swings. As I stated before, all antidepressants can cause disinhibition. BTDT.

IMac38945.6722453704[QUOTE=ogram][QUOTE=lillian]

Wow! That's a lot of meds. I agree with Ogram about finding a new doctor. Please look around. There are good and bad psychiatrists. My son has been to both. Unfortunately, a medical license does not ensure expertise. Oh, how I wish it did!

Also...Why is your son nine years old and only in second grade? Does he have an IEP or a 504 Plan?

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My son is 8 and in the 2nd. His birthday is in Nov. So he's the oldest already. We have decided to hold him back next year. He is a good student, but his reading is VERY slow. That's probably the case with her son, too. I didn't want to hold him back, but i would rather do it now than if he was in the 8th.

[/QUOTE]

Also...Why is your son nine years old and only in second grade? Does he have an IEP or a 504 Plan?

lillian38797.6066087963[QUOTE=lillian]

Also...Why is your son nine years old and only in second grade? Does he have an IEP or a 504 Plan?

[/QUOTE]

just my thoughts.

Here is a link to a dosing chart for Strattera:

http://www.johnswank.com/strattera_dosing_chart.htm

While 65 mg Strattera is a bit on the high side for a 95-pound child, it is not out of the ballpark. What I would worry far more about is the combination of meds and whether they are making things worse.

Many kids with Aspergers needs lots of interventions to help them succeed in the classroom. Does your son even have an IEP?

Let us know what happens. Keep posting, we are glad you are here.

Just to clarify - Strattera was originally developed as an anti-depressant, but is now used primarily to treat ADHD. It's one of those crossover drugs that was developed for one thing but is discovered to do a second thing that catered to a niche market. The drug companies just billed it as the thing that would make the most $$s, like viagra was originally a blood pressure medication.

SDMAA - it does seem like a lot of medication. I'm all for doing what works, and it sounds like it was working, which is great. But if your childs meds are no longer effective, or they're developing negative side effects, it sounds like time to reevaluate your treatment options with your doctor.

Also, you mentioned your DS has Aspergers as well as ADHD and is touching other children in the room. Is the touching random, or while he is interacting? If it is random, he may need some additional tactile stimulation, like neat things on his desk he can touch. I also agree with momto1 that you should go over any possible changes with the school that may have kicked this behavior off, especially if your DS has particular issues with transitions.

Asd kids should be getting interventions necessary at school. Some can get aids. You can request SE for all basics. We were given this option at school here. I am going all Natural on our son except his depakote er. This is help much more than adhd med did. This way has been helped our sons thyroid issue also. The staff need to get us with spd need smaller easier directions. We also need easier ways to learn that same subject. Explain cause of the Aspergers your child will take longer to learn it and that's ok. I even have said this to our son some are slower and some are faster. All that matters is you get it. I help our son by doing it the easier way and don't care how staff see it. I care about correctness vs speed. RN

sdmaa:

i was thinking about you today. How is it going? Is every thing ok with your son?