ADHD symptoms may never disappear, but can be reduce drastically, if We work with this disorder earlier. People with ADHD can do excellent in sociaty if we redirect them in the right track. These can not be done unless a group of specialists in this matter seat down & discuss posible ways to help these people. And the sociaty itself recognize that this is a disability, but this does not mean, this people are " retarded" They just have a different way to learn, so it is our responsability to promote special education for them. This can make the process of learning a little be easier for ADHD people and less frustrating for families & teachers. Please read the following story:
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. If you read some statistics about kids with ADHD you will learn why is so important to help these kids now to avoid future problems that may be more costly for the government than the SPECIAL SCHOOL.
If you think this could help, send a letter to
SPECIAL SCHOOL For ADHD KIDS
President George W. Bush
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, US 20500
Phone: (202) 456-1414
Fax: (202) 456-2461
The Birchwood School is for students ages five through twenty-one, whose disabilities require a special educational setting and related services to meet their unique management, academic, physical and social needs.
I still think it is better for these kids to be integrated instead of seperated from there peers. You learn to adapt to situations a lot faster and better as a child then you do as an adult. While I can see the possible benefit for younger children, with a special school they could be brought up to the level of their peers so when they do get into a normal class setting they have the skills to cope and excel. The statement above for this Birchwood School makes me worry though. If these kids are still seperated at age 21 how in the world will they leave that school and be able to cope with the real world. These kids would suffer greatly on their very first job where there is no more special treatment or extra attention. They will be required to act and perform like every other employee. They will have to fit in and play by the rules of the real world. Something they should have gotten practice doing as a child. Ideally the latest these kids should be kept seperate from there peers is 5th grade and under no circumstances should they be seperated in High School. Keeping kids in these special schools that long will destroy any chance they have at mixing successfully in with society. Nobody cares if you're a great reader if by the age of 21 you can't hold down a job or support yourself. I agree we need to recognise problems and treat them early but segregation is not the answer.
Hi Shinsetsu,
If you "functioned quite well for years" and no one ever noticed anything, then you may have a pretty mild case of ADD.
However, if you got to the point of a judge telling you was the military or jail, maybe you were not functioning quite that well?
And I am not slamming you, I actually had the very same experience many years ago (ended up at Ft. Dix in a company with a bunch of jailbirds from Chicago, Arkansas, and Guam).
I think we may want to remember that many of us have different types and different degrees of ADD. What works well for one may not be the best thing for another. It seems that several people do quite well with behavior modification such as diet, exercise, coaching, etc. While others seem to do very well on medication. I am making progress with a combination. Everyone is different.
Dear sumiah: (Obviously this issue is being politicized)
I don't know what you mean by that. Can you please be more specific?
If you say that for my mention to "political leaders" , I don't know where you live, but in USA the schools are funded by the government, and the government is run by political leaders. So, they are the one who decide the "money" they will spend on Education. If they find "pressure" in their communities to invest more in the education, eventually they will, because their positions depend the votes (of the citizen of that community) Got it?
In reference to the rest of your message, I'm sorry but I couldn't understand it. And, yes, I'm a mother of two kids. One have ADHD.
If you don't believe on Special Schools, that is your opinion, and I respect that. I believe on them, I will keep trying to bring them to my community. The Birchwood School has been opened for 20 years. Why this school has been opened for so many years, if it does not work?
Note: I found some others Special schools in my area for ADHD, but they are private schools, at this time I can not afford them. (so, obviously, they work. And other people believe on them)
I wish you luck with the alternative you decide for your family (Whichever it might be)
(thank you for your comment, anyways)
Dear WAKI:
This part is for you, too. An answer to: "We depend on our government too much"
If you say that for my mention to "political leaders" , I don't know where you live, but in USA the schools are funded by the government, and the government is run by political leaders. So, they are the one who decide the "money" they will spend on Education. If they find "pressure" in their communities to invest more in the education, eventually they will, because their positions depend the votes (of the citizens of that community) Got it?
Educated citizens with a career will probably make more money. So, they will pay back the money invested on them. (because they will pay more taxes) So, this tell me that any money invest in education is worth it.
LOL Chazinmo....
thats exactly right. everyone has their own special brand o' messed up.
by the way i'm an army brat and 'jailbirds' comment was hilarious..(men in uniforms! criminals that cleaned up...love it)
i don't mention that in response to your comment on 'political leaders' and yes i do live in the united states and am well aware of how politicians shape our schools-as i do live in houston texas in the wake of the devestatingly stupid bush administration when he was governer here..
i didn't totally disagree with your approach mlopez
and i think my post was pretty clear..
but in essence i was saying "there are different paths that lead to the same destination" and i think that if there are ppl that are truly in denial about their kids thats an issue but i was trying to tell you that just b/c someone else has a different approach - it doesn't mean they aren't interested in the cause.
First time message. I would like to know where you found out about the US Senate report on ADHD. I just went all through the mental illness report at the US Senate.Gov. and nothing mentioned about ADHD. Thanks
The fact that your mom did not mention or make obvious that you had ADHD does not mean "the people out there" did not notice it. Sometimes, people just don't want to hurt our feeling, so they keep for themselves, things that they see. Not only ADHD, but even an infidelity or any other problem. I don't know if you got what I was trying to say by " redirect" & " disability", maybe I used the wrong words. My son, my husband and my mom are ADHD, so my intentions are not to "insult" people with this condition, but rather to find a solution to this problem and to make the sociaty more aware and respectful of it. I meant by "redirect in the right track" to find the best way to teach them more easily (more visual, maybe) more technical and less theorical. Instead of the traditional way. In reference to "disability" it looks like I'm not the only one who think it is a disability that unable people to learn in the same way and speed as others. This is a copy of part of a resolution passed in the US Senate about ADHD recently:
AD/HD is a neurobiological disorder that affects an estimated 3 to 7 percent of school-age children and an estimated 4 percent of adults across racial, ethnic and socioeconomic groups. While the exact cause of the disorder is unknown, studies indicate that AD/HD runs in families and suggest that genetic inheritance is an important risk factor. AD/HD is characterized by impulsivity, inattention, and in some cases, hyperactivity.
Try to read the whole thing.... It is on the internet
To have a disability does not make anyone "stupid". My ex-boss is ADHD, he did not graduated from high school, and He was making over 0,000.00 a year. As a salesperson and co-manager in that company. My mom maybe does not know where Dubai is, but she has the ability to do a lot of thing, others can't. By recognizing the problem as a disability, companies will be force to give this people a second chance and find ways to make the trainings or seminars easier for them. Companies can be educated about how well this people can do in many careers, too.
By hiding (or keeping it "private") the problem won't be resolved. As you can see, since you are in Japan and you read comments from a lot of countries in this message board, this is a problem that is everywhere. It is not fair to leave between 3-7% of the kids unattended in this matter. If we find a solution to this problem now, they will be able to integrate themselves in the sociaty faster and better. And they won't be "pointed" in their adolecence or adulthood.
Obviously, your mom's decision to " keep the family business private" did not resolve the problem since you are coping with adult ADHD and trying to see other people opinions & solutions. I don't know if you have been discriminated for this, if not?, I don't think it is because your co-workers have not realized you have a problem. Maybe, They are more conscious of the other capacities an ADHD can have, and they don't think (as you do) that this represent to come to the world without a " clean slate" If you noticed it, what make you think others won't?
WAKI: I agree with some of your comments:
If I look back, I simply wish that I had been diagnosed as a child instead of now. I would have then learned "tools" to live with it. If I had known, I could have learned things entirely differently because I have learned to cope with it. I simply figured out how to motivate them differently. it's simply a disorder that requires a different set of learning skills.
This is what I meant by "Special Schools": Where you can LEARN TOOLS TO LIVE WITH IT. LEARN TO COPE WITH IT. TO RECEIVE A DIFFERENT MOTIVATION AND TO HAVE A DIFFERENT SET OF LEARNING SKILLS.
In my opinion, It is a lot more costly and dificult for the government and the schools to do this in a regular classroom. Do you think a teacher have enough time to teach a different set of learning skills in the same classroom? How is she going to motivate you different , right in front of the rest? How is she going to teach you "tools" in from of the others (without making your ADHD obvious)?
In reference to the CHILD Self-Esteem, I don't know what to tell you... Is it less traumatic to be in a regular school getting D's and F's and repeating the same grade 2 o 3 times? Now, if you think with a few adjustments in the class, you can do excellent. Good luck. After all, I never said this will work for everyone or that everyone should be forced to go to a "SPECIAL SCHOOL" Before you sign out, visit http://www.ccsd.edu/birchwood/ (This is what I meant by Special schools)
Thank you for your opinion anyways....
quote from mlopez:
"When I read about parents or people that have a “panic attack” just by thinking others could find out about their ADHD child, I wonder: What would they do, if they have a Down’s syndrome child, a blind child or a child that is missing a leg or arm? Would they hide them? What if there is cure for that? I bet they won’t try to bring these kids back to health because “the world” might find out that they have a problem. What about if somebody sees you at the doctor’s office? They are more worry about the short-term “trauma” of accepting “a condition” that about a “solution” that will resolve the problem forever (or at least reduce it to a minimum). What is more important your child or the opinion formed by ignorant people, who don’t take time and care to judge? "
Ok first of all, although this issue is serious and worthy of thought and debate, i'm cracking UP at this. sorry...just my reaction to reading through the thread. Obviously this issue is being politicized..we have a lets get funding and public support and give these kids a winning chance in a specialized school..and another camp that seems much more rugged individualistic..i know this is a simplification but hey do want me to write the book?
I (obviously) grew up being adhd and not knowing (i'm combo girl: inattentive/hyperactive the best of both worlds..just like being biracial..which i am) <gotta be dubious about those type of benefits-positivity doesn't render reality a loss..
i'm asking myself after reading this thread..would it have been better to know? and i did spend a lot of time denying i have adhd when i initially had a major breakthrough and realized that this 'is me'..but i spent time grieving grieving over all of the lost opportunities..if i had just known..if i had the right type of encouragement..if i knew what my specific issues were then i could identified and coped better and not have dropped out of college
blah blah
i am a parent..are you mlopez? haven't read all your threads or anything so i wouldn't know..i have a four year old son that i feel has a strong chance of being adhd. i have an eagle eye on all the symptoms and i find myself shaking my head with amazement b/c he's so much like me its scary..scary b/c its the miracle of mother and child and scary b/c the kernel of guilt sits deep within me and is festering..i surely hope he doesn't have to be hurt and struggle like i did. and frankly, this isn't so different than the vast majority of parents in this world. we want a better life for our beloved children..
so i see that possibly, parents that you seem to think have a denial type of complex and burying their heads in the sand collectively to avoid , i really dunno..whatever it is ..advancement for the adhd'ers? or whatnot..i see that it could be a case of these parents trying to give their children as normal as a life as possible. there is so blantantly a stigma connected w/ our disorder that i don't think that using other disorders that you used in your arguments i don't think many ppl have the kind of thoughts and views about those instances like they do w/ adhd..
no one says " that down's syndrome kid is just faking it for the attention, if he'd listen more than he wouldn't be so down's syndrome just try a little harder and quit whining...
or hey! look at that blind kid..he's so stupid b/c he's blind and even though i don't understand his world i'll just sit here and only consider him in the light of my own meager paradigm and condemn him according to my standards and declare that he just should be normal b/c thats what i can tolerate when it comes to disorders that are so complex and hard to diagnose that have a wide range of symptoms and expression in the population..
YEAH
you don't see that a lot when it comes to blind ppl or amputees..they have their own problems lets not drag the argument in that direction. if parents with children that have adhd don't necessarily campaign for special schools there are probably some good reasons that have nothing to do about having panic attacks about the fact that their babies are going to have a harrowing time fitting into the world. i think its harsh to say otherwise.
i have read articles that say earlier detection and cognitive intervention brings about a more positive outcome than those of us who dropped out of college and felt like ultra losers, and those that are in their thirties or fifties and felt that they couldn't hack life and responsibility like the rest of the world..
isn't this the case with ALL diseases and disorders? that early detection is key to battling it?
surely there is a way of addressing these issues with a combination approach. perhaps those parents that desire an alternative educational model for their children can invest getting that done..and those that have the outlook that their kids need to be supported and supplemented but live life as normally as possible ..b/c afterall thats the end of the tunnel when childhood ends- you join the rest of the world and there aint any special school for you..and no one to hold your hands..but we should get help..but i think that if someone opts not for the alternative school we ought not to rule them out
sumi
[QUOTE=mlopez]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! [/QUOTE]
Oh yeah, my son would think he was a rocket scientist if we put him in a special school. If you believe that I have a bridge to sell you.
Most ADHDers are very perceptive, not someone whose eyes you could pull the wool over. It would destroy my son to think he couldn't make it in the regular school. Exactly how will it help their self-esteem if they were unable to attend their local school with the neighborhood kids because they are "special"? What would you tell him, no little Johnny the kids in the neighborhood aren't special like you they don't have ADHD. You get to go to a special school where everyone is just like you. Yes honey I know it is an hour bus ride each way & none of your new friends live near you, but really this is the best way.
I'm sorry for the sarcasm, but in all of your repedative posts through out this board you have yet to expain how isolation is better then integration. I haven't seen where you explain why this would make a child feel better about themselves & not like a huge failure that they cannot go to school with all the "normal" children.
And lastly I do not know which button I hit that makes the writing look like this, sorry all!
csmommy38257.7794675926BTW I'm an American who studies Japanese in Japan (I'm actually in the states for the next 6 weeks) You cannot hide school records. You have no say in the matter, it's not a question of you telling them.
Everyone wants to make their pet-cause "special." But all they do in the end is stigmatize it. For the vast majority of people ADD is worse in the early years and the child has limited resources to deal with it. By college years 90% of us have learned to work around it. Meds help but we can function without them if we have too. I just think we should minimize the stigma. Not "stick a one size fits all' label on people.
O.K. I'm done.
shinsetu_hito38257.5030787037csmommy - the italics button the button next to the B and next to the U (in the post reply window) - lol Rae7038258.2033449074[QUOTE=mlopez]The fact that your mom did not mention or make obvious that you had ADHD does not mean "the people out there" did not notice it. [/QUOTE]
When I was a teen I got in trouble with the law. The judge gave me an option, join the service or go to jail. I joined the service and it was the best thing to ever happen to me. If it showed on my school records that I had ADD or took Ritalin I would have been barred from joining the service - it's still that way today. If you have ADD, if you took Ritalin or Adderall as a child you cannot join the military. OK, not that big a deal but what happens in secret admissions meetings at schools like Harvard, Yale and the like. What happens in companies like Microsoft and Honda? 2 candidates, one has ADD and one doesn't.
I DON'T KNOW HOW JAPAN HANDLE THEIR PROBLEMS, BUT HERE, RATHER THAN HIDING THE PROBLEM, THEY TRY TO ELIMINATE THE LAW. RECENTLY, THEY WERE FIGHTING TO PERMIT HOMOSEXUAL PEOPLE TO ENROLL IN THE ARMY, INSTEAD OF HIDING THAT THEY WERE HOMOSEXUAL.
IN REFERENCE TO COMPANIES, IF YOU RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM (adhd) IN YOUR EARLY CHILDHOOD (like I'm suggesting), THERE IS NOT REASON WHY YOU HAVE TO MENTION IT IN THE FUTURE. If The Dept of Education handle this in early stage(with intensive programs and some technics to teach people how to concentrate), I'm sure before when you go to Secundary School you can be in a regular school with regular curriculum.
There is a program, that by the way, I was trying to see if my son's school can get it. It is called " PLAY ATTENTION" that teach you technics on how to concentrate, it is supposed to be used by the US FORCE & NASA.
____________________________________________________________ ______
Th person who asked me about the US Senate:
Try: chadd.org they have information about news, etc for ADHD
U.S. Senate Recognizes September 7, 2004 as National ADD Awareness Day
CHADD, ADDA, NMHA and members of the mental health community are working together to raise national public awareness of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD).
September 7, 2004 has been designated National ADD Awareness Day.
Senators Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) and Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) sponsored the resolution to focus attention on AD/HD as a major public health concern in the U.S. Efforts by the mental health community to educate the public are tied-in with September "back to school" messages and promote access to information for children and adults with AD/HD, parents, health care professionals, employers and educators.
View the Senate Resolution (PDF version) Stay tuned for more details.
I'm not sure that students with adhd share enough characteristics in the classroom for a school for adhd students to make sense. Some children with adhd have reading problems. Some don;t. Some have math problems. Some don't. Some function very well in honors and advanced placement courses, in regular settings. Some like to participate, and are always engaging in class discussions. Others are shy and spacy. What would this hypothetical school be like? I have adhd, and I like theory better than the hands on practical stuff. If I went to a school for students with adhd, would I be placed in classes with people who were struggling to read, just because we all have adhd? Would I be placed in classes with people who had trouble sitting down, when my problems in the classroom are mostly inattention, procrastination, and organization? What would be different and better about this school? Would it cater to certain subtypes of adhd and not others? Would it be more effective than having some kind of counselor in a regular school who assists individual students with their needs?
Be patience and read it all. The answer is in the bottom. Or read the bold part and the blue part:
It is amazing to see how many parents don’t want to admit their children have ADHD. I don’t think you should stay with one opinion. You should, also, try to find other reasons for your child’s behavior or bad grades before medicating him/her. The reasons could be endless, but if you finally see, it is nothing but ADHD. Instead of hiding it, like some parents have suggested in this board; open your mind for possible solutions. You might not find “the cure” but you could find an easier way to deal with it.
When I read about parents or people that have a “panic attack” just by thinking others could find out about their ADHD child, I wonder: What would they do, if they have a Down’s syndrome child, a blind child or a child that is missing a leg or arm? Would they hide them? What if there is cure for that? I bet they won’t try to bring these kids back to health because “the world” might find out that they have a problem. What about if somebody sees you at the doctor’s office? They are more worry about the short-term “trauma” of accepting “a condition” that about a “solution” that will resolve the problem forever (or at least reduce it to a minimum). What is more important your child or the opinion formed by ignorant people, who don’t take time and care to judge?
A trauma can go away, a problem won’t go away unless we confront it and resolve it.
Those people who think I’m traumatizing my son about his ADHD problem (disability, disorder or whatever you want to call it). NO, I’m not, because I don’t talk to him about this all the time, when I do, I tell him: Everybody has a talent, do your best with the talent you have, strive toward a goal and never give up. Maybe, Math and Reading are hard subjects for you, but you must learn them because those two subjects are very important, you will use them all your life. If others learn them faster than you, it is ok, there are a lot of things you can do better than others (I give him some examples) You can’t be good on everything, but try to be the best in whatever you can do. I accept my child as he is, but I try to find an easier way for him, the family, the school and the society to deal with his (ADHD). I can try to deal with his symptoms, but I want to find a “system” that teaches him how to control himself (his impulsiveness) and how to concentrate better. I love him and I accept him, but people “out there” won’t tolerate anything from him because of his “problem” especially if “we insist” that this is not a disability. I’m not totally happy about his ESE classes and Ritalin, but I don’t take him to torture him, it is the best I can do to help him at this time (besides giving him love and support). That is why I’m looking for a better alternative. I wish I could find a less traumatic one, but I will be happier if somebody finds a “solution”, “cure” or “remedy” (or however you want to call it) even if I have to deal with a little trauma for a while.
IN REFERENCE TO WORD DISABILITY it can be confusing for some people:
Disability: Something that disables. Disables: to make unable Unable: not able
I have a question:
Just because you are not able to do something that means you is not able to do anything?
A blind child is not able see, but that doesn’t mean he can’t walk, talk, learn (with a different system, but he learns) work, get marry, have kids, etc, etc.
If your child has a learning problem because he is not able to learn at a normal “speed” or with the traditional system, what is so wrong about trying a different system (special school, as I suggested) That, you have to accept he/she has a disability? So what? What is so wrong with not been able to do something. Maybe, he is going to feel “different” than the others... Probably the same thing happens to a blind kid, and he has to learn to live this his disability. After all, every person has “abilities” and “disabilities” in my case; I was good in school, excellent behavior, A’s and B’s. However, I have never been able to get speed in typing or learned the keyboard (as you probably have noticed) and my fear for the altitudes makes me unable to enjoy the rides in the amusement parks. If I “keep thinking” I would probably find as many disabilities as abilities.
My son, on the other hand, is not able to read fast, but he has the ability to learn by himself all technical parts of a computer and enjoys all the rides in the parks because he does not have fear for altitudes.
So, I’m not embarrassed by his disability because I know he has disabilities and abilities.
Even professionals and successful people have or had a disability. That is the case of my ex-boss, ADHD child, didn’t not even graduated from High School and he is making over 0,000.00 dollars a year. He is an excellent salesman and co-manager in a company. My cousin, ADHD student, and recently graduated from University of Miami. If you make some researches you can find hundreds of famous people that had have learning problems in their childhood.
In that case, I will tell my ADHD kid: I know going to a different school or different learning system maybe a little be traumatic, but be glad that, this “learning system” will correct or reduce your problem, blind kids or kids with Down’s Syndrome go to a different school, different learning system and, at the end, their disability never disappeared or gets reduced. You have problems learning some “subjects” in a traditional way or set up, but you have the ability to learn other “things” (music, computer, etc) faster than other people do.
PARENTS: Let all make sure that our kids are not left behind. For those afraid of discrimination in the future in universities or jobs, let fight for their rights. Let’s put pressure in our political leaders to have laws that protect them from discrimination. “Hiding” the problem is not the solution. We can demonstrate they might learn a little bit slow in certain subjects (maybe faster with a different system or set up), but they can do excellent in others. I believe they can have brilliant future. . There are millions of cases to prove that, these children deserve a chance because with a little patience and some help, they could be successful people. (And have a less frustrating childhood) The Dept of Education should invest on them as they “invest” in “gifted” kids. UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI SAYS: Earlier identification of children with ADHD can lead to greater understanding of child needs and the adoption of environmental, behavioral, and medical interventions to manage symptoms and facilitate learning.
____________________________________________________________ _________________
To facilitate their learning we must emphasize on their “abilities” and work a little is harder in their disabilities. Maybe an intensive low-speed program in the subjects where they are showing problems (for a while) will put them back in track. Less students in their classrooms. Teachers with more patience and understanding of this disorder. An ADHD friendly classroom set up.
Classes with more illustrations and videos (most of these kids learn more visually). Now, I’m not a psychologist, I’m only giving my opinion. If you are not sure a “special school” could work, I advise you to consult with friends, family members or maybe your child’s doctors. I know these schools have worked for some people. The only problem, at this time is, if you happen to find a school with these “qualities”, to be able to register your kid, you have to be rich or you have to spend a few years in prison (for getting into the biggest fight of your life with the school board). That is the reason I think those schools should more accessible to everyone who “believe” on them, as a better alternative, like, one of the message board members who wrote the following: novelexpectatio:
I live in Rockland County in NY. We have a school for children with special issues. Fortunately my son qualifies. He is in Second grade in a group of 8 children with 5 adults and he learns and learns and learns in a non judgemental environment. The school has standard setting programs and is considered a model for the country. The school's Mission statement is to bring them in and mainstream them out within 2/3 years to their zone school.
This is how this school works:
The school provides a highly structured and individualized school program of remediation and therapeutic rehabilitation. The Birchwood School is for students ages five through twenty-one, whose disabilities require a special educational setting and related services to meet their unique management, academic, physical and social needs.
Birchwood creates a supportive, reassuring environment for school-aged children having significant emotional, behavioral and learning problems. It provides an environment, which responds to a child's needs with compassion, understanding and guidance. The school provides a psychotherapeutic approach for the child both in school and at home
At Birchwood, students have the opportunity to succeed by allowing them to proceed at their own rate. Students know they can turn to caring people for help in dealing with the many challenges they will meet in their everyday lives within their home, school and community.
The Birchwood program has a fully accredited staff of specialists in both clinical and special education disciplines that work too effectively integrate educational and clinical services. Birchwood's goal is to prepare students to return to an appropriate program provided by their home school district. Tuition for students attending Birchwood is paid for by their home school districts.
Do you think this will work for your child? I think it will for my son . I don’t know what you are going to do, but I will be trying to bring this to my community... even if have to meet with the president. I will be busy for a few days, so you might not see my comments for a while. GOOD LUCK. I’ll never thank you enough for this, novelexpectatio. God bless you for helping me make clear an idea that I have and I did not know how to present it. If you want to know more about this school go to: http://www.ccsd.edu/birchwood/
mlopez that last post of yours, is a doozy!
RE: "A special school".
We depend on our government too much. A special school would kill a childs self esteem. I can see it now Hicksville pirates football team beat ADHD football team 90 to 0. The subtitle would say, "don't tell the ADHD kids the score until they finally focus on what happend"! Or I could invision all of us on a sawed off in half bus and people pointing and laughing, "there goes the ADHD bus, awww look who I saw Johney and Jane are on the bus" .
I just figured out I was ADHD at the age of 43. I have two college degrees and am considered successful career wise. I still have not told anyone I have this dissorder. I don't think I ever will. It's part of who I am. All of my ADD traits have assets and liabilities but is my very own personality. So what that I live by systems, it may be quirky but it's who I am. I don't consider it a secret because I accept it and deal with it and consider it part of my personality. Lableing me ADHD as a child would have destroyed me.
If I look back, I simply wish that I had been diagnosed as a child instead of now. I would have then learned "tools" to live with it. I had a tutor as a child, in which ADHD children need a tutor. Thats it. that's all I would have needed instead of working three times harder then everyone else to "make the grade". If I had known, I could have learned things entirely differently because I have learned to cope with it. I wasted an enourmous amount of my life with this just because I was not informed. NO GOVERNMENT LABEL, no government school, no being eliminated from being in the Army, no extra anything.
Work wise, I have picked up on the fact that people who work for me appear disfunctional. I now see it was ADHD. I simply figured out how to motivate them differently. Heck, I bet the ADHD people work harder for me then they do themselves. Why do we need to asign a label to these people, "It's who they are".
I think a child could do much better by teaching him ADHD is not an excuse, it's simply a disorder that requires a different set of learning skills. Too many people use this disorder as an excuse.
In summary regarding special schools I think this quote says it all:
"You can give a man a fish and feed him for a day, or you can teach him to fish and feed him for life". (This can be taught outside the school, privately).
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