Less Medication, more Attention | ADHD Information

 There is always a solution for every problem. If you think the following solution could work, please find supporters and send letters to:

President George W. Bush
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, US 20500
Phone: (202) 456-1414
Fax: (202) 456-2461

I have a child diagnosed with ADHD, his taking Ritalin and he is in ESE (Exceptional Student Education). His mayor problem is reading & comprehension. He has improved, but he is not in the level where he is supposed to be for his age & grade. I'm worry that this situation can lower (even more) his self-esteem, for not been able to get the same achievements as other. This is frustrating for students, for parents & even for teachers. Parents are blamed; Children are blamed or labeled. Schools are blamed. This is a neurobiological problem. This is nobody's fault. But, we all can do something, let put pressure in our political leaders so these kids can get more help. I think by preparing a special program/classes for this kind of disability (with psychologists, neurologists, teachers and parents input)Having these kids in a full time (separate) school with a fully trained personal in this matter & where they don't see themselves as “retarded” because the rest are doing great and they are getting D's or F's, will help so much! If the government has money for special schools & programs for "gifted" students, why not to invest in those who are in a "bigger" academic need. In my opinion everyone will benefit from this, even students who are not ADHD. Medication should not be the only solution, after all, they have side effects, too.

There is between 3%-10% of students with ADHD in US. Isn’t that enough to at least try with a pilot school to see if it work? We need to put these kids back in their normal life, faster and with less medication.

Thank you Amanda  for your comment. I'm trying to find at this point whatever can help my son. I'm doing a lot of researches, some "findings" look better than others. Hopefully, I will be able to get to the right program or school  for him, soon. I'm going to see if they have something similar here. Thank you, again. We have the "hooked on phonics" program, I'm trying that one, too.

Hey
i just feel like commenting on the thing you posted
im 15 years old and i am in something simular to what your son is in, in terms of education... my only problem is reading and comprehension.... Although my comprehension of texts has greatly improve; i am a very slow reader... Here in good old(sarcasm) montreal we have a program. its called speed reading. My parents read about it in the news paper. It became a huge success. It greatly improves reading speed and comprehension (they have taught// trained some of the, now, fastest readers. I will be going for this course soon enough... anyway if you looking for a program... im sure its also offered in the US so maybe you'd be interested in checking it out for you son.

- Amanda

His mayor problem is reading & comprehension. He has improved, but he is not in the level where he is supposed to be for his age & grade

MLopez.........was your child diagnosed with strictly ADHD or does he also have a learning diasabilty? Children with ADHD usually have a problem reading a story or completing an assignment because they are too distracted to complete the task and that is why their grades drop. That is very different from having a reading comprehension problem. It is more common for a child to have a reading comprehension problem when they also have a learning disability besides having ADHD. You state that your child has a problem with reading and comprehension and thats why I ask

 

 

Luv my kids: Can relate. I think special kids should be able to get all they need. There is no special things in real world. I have mixes emotions on this idea. I believe there are so many disability kids now why shouldn't they have to look at it that way. Some of the older materials that were used at once sound better to me.I have been in a Ld school, montessorie and public. I felt Montessorie and Ld were better. The teachers need to be educated more I think on this subject.A class to me should be designed on a multistyle teaching. Public funded. I would like to see grades done away with.The schools I went to worked like this. Levels based on assessment test given at beginning of year. Phonics will be hard for kids with reading problems. Has been for our son. Necessary for sounding out words though. Here our kids are told just skip that word.

Leval 1, Level 2 just like the AR books go.

The main thing I have have seen is that schools gaive parents a hard time when asking for help. Should not be. rshn

I think something should be done better in the school system to help those who are ADHD and ADD though. Kids should not have to feel that they are stupid are inadequate compared to other kids. I do think that teachers should be better trainded to deal better with children with the disorder so they do not look down on them or treat them lower. They are a human being and it is no one's fault that they learn in a different way than others. No two people are alike anyway. I think us parents need to stick our heads together and fight for our children in the classroom and especially for those who don't want to put our children on medication and decide to deal with it in other ways.

Look at visual processing problems which is another reason your child might be struggeling.Our kids sounds just a like.Our son has poor eye teaming and poor tracking.This preventing learning to read and slow reading also. Our son also poor decodeing also.