Not looking forward to school starting | ADHD Information
hmmmmmmm, I would re eval. I'm not sure his behaviors. Aspergers is pretty clear cut as a diagnosis, but many kids with Aspergers and non verbal learning disorder do not end up diagnosed until later on 3rd-4th grade. How is his gross motor skills? Is he clumsy? Dyspraxia?He plays sports each season. he is not the best jock out there, but he can hold his own.
I wouldn't describe him clumsy. Any think in particular I shoul look for?
He is 95-100% - off charts for height and weight - he looks 12, which doesn't help a sever adhd'er with a speech delay.
What should I look for in gross motor - his penmanship?
No dispraxia, I am told - he is quite smart actually. He just has that speech delay which I think is more sensory than anything else
Diane V, quick question,
why a reevaluation from the neuropsych.? Is it because she is older and you want to make sure that the evaluation is accurate?
Just wondering because I had been thinking of doing that for that reason since my son was evaluated just a month or so before his 5th birthday and he is 10 now.
Thanks.
It was actually at school's request so I was thrilled. I wouldnt have really done it, but they want to know "where she is at". I think at this point (entering 7th grade) they are not too sure how to deal with her and what ehr needs are, and partly what she is capable of doing. My dd is quite difficult to figure out and no one is ever sure if she is being difficult or is unable to do. As she gets older we are leaning toward a lot of her struggles are attentional issue and not all LD issues. Plus if a prvate psych says this is her limit, she CAN'T do more, they wont have to work as hard, I have them giving her so much support. I think theya re trying to justify it. Plus I think they are unsure about keeping her fully mainstreamed and leaning toward using a resource room.
Anyway, I am very happy about it. She is looking at a specialty vocational high school and I am thrilled about that too. She would be applying next year, mid 8th grade so I am very glad we are ironing things out this year so we'll know if she can handle it there. In her case I dont see her as college bound, so a vocational high school will instill a solid work ethic and she NEEDS that!
Why do you want to re-eval? Academically or as far as his diagnosis?
Honestly, to make sure it is accurate AND that it didn't miss anything.
He has a speech delay, sensory integrat. and deals with the social "stuff", I always wonder about aspberger's even though everyone says NO he doesn't have aspb. Boston Children's saw him when he was 2 and told us and Early intervention that he was NOT autistic. I just wondered if it include aspberger's.
They know so much more about all this that I want to make sure!
dyspraxia is not learning, see description
Developmental dyspraxia is a disorder characterized by an impairment in the ability to plan and carry out sensory and motor tasks. Generally, individuals with the disorder appear "out of sync" with their environment. Symptoms vary and may include poor balance and coordination, clumsiness, vision problems, perception difficulties, emotional and behavioral problems, difficulty with reading, writing, and speaking, poor social skills, poor posture, and poor short-term memory. Although individuals with the disorder may be of average or above average intelligence, they may behave immaturely
No that does not describe my son at all. Any thing else I should look for?
Diane, Thank you so much!!
another LD that mimics Aspergers is nonverbal learning disorder which is what my daughters co-existing LD is.I too am dreading school this year. DSD turns 10 next month and is entering 4th grade, and I'm not confident that she's ready. She has already repeated 1st grade.
She doesn't know any multiplication tables, and the other day she counted on her fingers when I asked her what 3+4 was. These are things that are supposed to be memorized by now I thought.
She has an IEP, and she also has the same teacher that she had last year. We're glad that we at least don't have to jump the hurdle of having a new teacher who doesn't know her.
If anyone has any ideas on how to help her learn basic math facts, I'm all ears. Nothing seems to hold her attention enough to get to the memorization stage.
My sons started school Aug 6th, and I was so worried about Cody :-) he is also in the 2nd grade amd had such a bad start last year. We however are blessed with the best school that I could ever ask for, it took 6 months but we finally got him situated with the right teacher!! For him he needs structure he needs to know what is expected and it seemed to work awesome for him. this year when we got there it was the same they assigned him the best structured 2nd grade teacher and had teh same support staff there for him last year. So a week of school and all seems great except the one little melt down but he recovered very quickly and moved on!
I think the most important thing is to keep in contact with the school, have the IEP in place and work with the school and ask them to work with you. I refuse to let my child fall through the cracks and be labeled as the behavioral problem.... :-) keep up your chin it might not be as bad as you expect :-)
Diane V-
My 10 year old was RX with dyspraxia when he was almost 2, he had a lack of social skills and couldnt talk very well..he twisted words around when he could talk (instead of more milk it was bore bilk or baba for mama) he went to speech therepy for 2 years and it seems to have gone away. He currently has a straigh A average and is in the gifted program at school, he acts so much older than his age and is a great help with his brother.
I must admit one thing. I am starting to think that my son may not have ADHD but I am waiting until he is fully settled with us ( adopted beginning of the year from foster care - where it seems every child has ADHD and is medicated.We want to see how this school year goes before having him reevaluated - I don't think a diagnosis of ADHD can truly be diagnosised while child is in foster care. But he came to us on meds but I reduced some and added supplements and with behavior modification his behavior has made a 180 - now he still gets hyper from time to time but he appears in much more control of himself now. Also, what 7 year old boy doesn't get hyper sometimes?
I do have a little worry in me since he did have a rough start at this school and he seemed to have some control issues at camp - but as I said before this camp with really unstructured and if there were no major issues I am beginning to believe that all that we are teaching him is sinking in and he is becoming truly settled and happy with us. But this year will be interesting...
My daughter starts kindergarten this year and I am more worried about her b/c she only had a 1/2 year of pre-school and the rest of her life was no structure while in foster home or bio family's home so we really had to work on her social skills.
BTW: Even parents who don't have children with ADHD have issues with their kids, they worry about their behavior and they have bad days with their kids. So keep that in mind when you are dropping off your kids next week.
newmom39307.6013773148
What is an example of this to look for in a 10 year old boy?
[QUOTE=BETHANN]Diane V, quick question,
why a reevaluation from the neuropsych.? Is it because she is older and you want to make sure that the evaluation is accurate?
Just wondering because I had been thinking of doing that for that reason since my son was evaluated just a month or so before his 5th birthday and he is 10 now.
Thanks.
[/QUOTE]
Our Psych does a complete re-evaluation every 3 years...........I thought that was standard?
not a private full neuropsych. We are doing the whole thing, 4 hours at a private place. She had the school one done last year.
dcarsen that's great. dyspraxia is common in kids with NLD, which is why I asked about it.
I am actually looking forward to school starting. DS moved in with us January and started at a new school. It was rough going at first but we had a patient teacher and also I found this site and all the helpful information especially the alternative solutions.Summer went pretty well b/c he was in a parks/ rec camp that wasn't super organized or structured. He had some issues but most were normal 7 year old boy issues.
Now I am ready to see now that he has been with us since January. He starts second grade.
awesome, i think it is great to not have that knot in your stomach I had a small on this year (8/6 is when we started) but it went away when we walked in the door. My son doesnt do well at daycare or rec camps they do not seem to have enought structure or seem to understand the ADHD.Oh absolutely!! all kids get hyper, behavior poorly and all parents worry about their children and how they are goign to behave. I have sons one with ADHD and one without :-) I worry about them both equally.
I give kudos to you adopting children that are in need of a loving home it takes a very special person full of love to do that
I actually have really high hopes for my son this year, yet again. I think he has matured. In my eyes he has made huge strides recently.
But then, every time I met with a teacher for the first time I actually expect them to tell me that he is really improving and making great progress. Then of course, I am terribly disappointed when i get negative feedback. Not sure why I repeat this pattern, but I do indeed. Anything after the first meeting is another subject.
Bethann-
By all means I have never been told gossip or heard teachers gossiping about students. Last year when I would Sub I was told by the teacher that a certain child in their room to just move him/her from the seat if they got out of control....ect. I have never been told gossip or nonprofessional information about a child. I am not saying they do not gossip but I have never heard it. I am lucky that the staff in my childs school is very professional and have one of the best IEP group. The information that i have heard is only given to me in confidence becasue i was teaching a classroom that had a child that had a behavioral issue (maybe not ADHD) and I would never share that information with my children or another person.....because I wouldnt want that doen to my child.
As a parent I had one of the teachers tell me that my child had an issue, cause he would stand in a straight line with the rest of the class and I found it rude the way she said it to me...I told her my son has ADHD and if you knew anything would know that. I went over her head and spoke to the VP tha tI am friends with and told her what was said as well as the special ed teacher they both put her in her place.
I think it is important for teachers to share with other teachers that might be in their room or incontact with the children in their room that they might need to know to know how to handle things, I do not think it is appropriate for a mother to share with another mother of a child that she incountered at her childs school.
No Tellin-
Does your child have a planner or a notebook that he can bring to school that you can have the teacher tell you how his day went so you are not caught in the disappointment when meeting with the teacher? My son has a planner that the teacher signs and I sign and she will write whether it was a good day or soso day...and tehn she will tell me what happened if it was a no so good day. I love this casue I can try to work with what created or what Cody did to not have agood day and I can see how many great days he has had.
dcarsen,
what is an example of something a teacher would say about a student to "warn" someone coming into help out in the class?
Not to sound naive, and I know they do talk, but I would hope it would be to just be informing not to be labeling and making the adult have a decision made up of just how that child is. I find in my town all these "volunteer" mothers love to gossip and I would hate for the teachers to share any confidential information, that would be illegal! But I do think it may happen!
My son was labeled by an unqualified recess/lunch room monitor. She was a disgace as a parent, even quit after the 5th grade formed a petition to get rid of her! But she was there long enough to blame everything on my son, even when he wasn't even involved. It took 2 years to get it through the principal's head, who did eventually acknowledge it, that she was doing this!
BETHANN39308.8659375Hi Everyone!
I too am worried about school starting. Here in NJ they don't start till after the holiday. My son has ADHD and is a challenge like everyone can be. We decided to hold him back this year so he will be repeating 2nd grade. He just wasn't holding his own to go on. I am anxious for him because of the other kids asking him why he is still in 2nd grade. My heart breaks for him because it seems like his whole life has been such a struggle and it is hard enough being a kid let alone a kid with issues. Thanks for listening. Shelly
We start the 29th and I too am dreading it. DS is now 10 and starts football this Wednesday and I am dreading that also.
It just doesn't seem to matter, it is harder for these kids. With all the A's and over achievement academically in school, social life is the hardest. And it truly breaks my heart!
I just can't stop being over protective of my son! And I am a worrier. I hope that some day I don't have to worry.
I too just want him to have a few good friends! Hopefully with age and maturity that will happen. Time will tell.
The best thing that I did for myself was to go back to work!! It was a very healthy decision.
BETHANN39306.8650231482DD starts the 27th, and we are both ready. She is excited to get back with her friends, and meet new teachers. I don't stress about grades, as long as she does her best, ao she knows A's are not required, but effort is.
I am NOT looking forward to the ongoing arguments with the SD, about DD"s IEP. It seems like it never ends.
DD is looking forward to school she says, excpet the homework part. I have to agree on that one 
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I am with you on the IEP stuff. We are having a new full neuropsych eval this week and the psychologist will attend the IEP meeting before school starts to help us develop a more solid plan this year. Wish us luck! I have no clue how this will go.
Also with you on the grades, as long as she is doing the work..............thats all she can do. This however can be 90% of the challenge 
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My daughter says she has tons of friends, but no ones called all summer. She spent a little time time with ehr best friend, but thank god for camp...............If some one solves the social dilemma fill me in!
School starts August 23, and I am not looking forward to it. Noah will be in 2nd grade, just turned 7, dx'd ADHD at 5 and has been on meds (Adderall XR 10 mg and Tenex .5). Last year it seemed there was always something, and this summer has gone well, but he is still quite handsy with his sister, can't keep from bugging her, and I am just afraid that this will spill over into school. I don't want him to not have friends, but I am just not sure what to do. My heart just breaks for him. I am not sure what the point of this post is, I was just sitting here thinking about it, and thought I'd post to see if anyone else felt the same.
Alyson
Hi Shelmo08210!
I hope he makes some nice new friends in his class this year. That is hard to do, repeat the grade. I wish him much success.
Post us how he is making out!!
My girl starts school September 5th and she already told me she does not want to go. I dread the homework struggles coming.Try talking to your son when you know you have his attention like snuggle time before bed about his behaviors and let him know how others view it. It will take a while but eventually it will click in better for him it is what I try to do.