Sound Like Anything ? | ADHD Information

  I'm raising a Bipolar child w/Adhd. His sister was diagnosed with ADD, years ago, but ADD meds didn't help her at all. My hubby took her off the ADD meds. The meds didn't help her ability to complete her work, focus better, etc...the teachers still complained about her lack of motivation in completing her classroom work, she'd hide her work to avoid doing it, lie about losing it to the teacher, etc...

 

  We are going to be having her tested by the same child psychiatrst that diagnosed my stepson.

 

  My questions are:

 

  If she is below grade level in all subjects, but can do her classroom work/homework if someone stands right over her the whole time, why isn't she capable of doing the work independantly ?

 

  The school refuses to test her for LD, because the teacher said "If I stand right over her, she can do the work. She's just lazy and wants constant attention." So the school refused to test her for anything.

 

  That's okay we'll do it outside the school system.

 

  She hates to read. It's a struggle for her  to memorize her times table. I work with her daily, and she keeps forgetting them, again and again. She's extremely disorganized. It was recommended she be held back last year, but my hubby pushed her through to the next grade.

 

  But does this sound like anything to you guys ? Does it jump out at you as anything imparticular

 

 

 

Mere38966.4154166667

  No, my husband has not accepted his older children have any issues. It took years of me saying there were issues before he'd even involve a child psychiatrist. It actually took me threatening to leave the marriage with our child, before he finally got things started (evaluations, etc). And his son is Bipolar w/ADHD.

 

  But according to my (armchair psychiatrist) husband, "There's nothing wrong with my kid !"

 

  It's been an uphill battle to get my stepkids the help they need, because my DH is more comfortable living in denial, than he is accepting reality. Not a fun situation to deal with.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Many of us here have lived that situation.  When the first teacher brought up ADD, dh was in such denial that he hired a child psychologist who worked for the school system but also had private practice hours.  This guy did not believe ADD/ADHD existed and had us doing the stupidest things. 

I was a my neurologists's one day and ds was with me(I have epilepsy).  I started talking to her about his challenges and she set up an appointment with the neuropsychologist in her practice.  My dh likes and respects my neurologist, so he went along with the testing.  When we had a dx (11 typed pages, single spaced), he just couldn't ignore the problem anymore. 

Does the school have your dh's phone number to call when there's a problem at school or they have a question about something?  That's one way to get through to him that there's a problem, and I think it helped that my dh's number was the first on the list when the school needed to call.  He found it harder and harder to ignore the problems.  Right now you're the only advocate these kids  have.  Keep on pushing your concerns to your dh, the teacher, the school.  Pretty soon, someone will get so tired of listening to you that they'll do something just to get you off their back.  Be the squeaky wheel.
Don't ask the school to test her.  Take her to a neuropsychologist and have him/her do a battery of tests and get a dx.  Take the dx to the school and demand an IEP.  Because the teacher/school has already made up it's mind about your dd, they're not going to lift a finger to help your dd unless they're forced to.  If they've recommended holding her back, then there is obviously something preventing her from learning.

Maybe I'm mistaken, and if I am, forgive me, but hubby doesn't sound like he has accepted that your daughter has learning challenges.  I'd investigate meds again, because they're not all the same and something other than what you were using might work.  I've just started my son on the Daytrana patch, which he wears on his butt and it's an even delivery system with no dips in concentration.  Good luck!
schools can't refuse to test her.... PUT IT IN WRITING...request they test her in writing and hand deliver it to the board of ed..i agree with susieb to have her tested at a neurospych. for your child to be placed in LD classes i'm pretty sure the school has to do their own testing..in most states the school has 30 days to respond to your request once they receive it in writing... i fought for years for the school to test sarah and they won't... once i put it in writing i was amazed at how fast they tested her... poor sarah suffered for 3 yrs and to this day she is behind in school...PUT IT IN WRITING...