My son gets weekly reports. They will write that he is talking in class, participating in attention seaking behavior but then rate him with a numerical rating that says behaviour is acceptable.
I recently talked to the psychologist who evaluated my dd last year in 5th grade. She was borderline inattentive ADHD. I told her about the increased problems we're having in middle school and she was totally supportive of starting behavioral therapy and meds, but it would take sev. months to get an appt there with the pyschiatrist for so meds so why not go to the PCP for that. Plus she said if the PCP had any concerns since the eval. last year didn't give a "formal" diagnosis she could call her. Well, I took dd to the PCP and she wanted to do her own little assessment, having the teacher and I fill out on of those questionaires. I've seen the teacher's eval. and I can't believe it. My dd has a D in reading and a D- in Lang. Arts and the teacher gave her a "not observed" for not working up to ability or failing. What is she talking about?? She barely rated her for incomplete/not turned in work even though I got a letter home for the problem. You get my point. What is up with teachers. It's like they have to be nice even if it's bad for your child. Now I'm afraid the PCP will say, your dd is fine. Then what? Should I tell the PCP what's going on in the class so she knows that and doesn't just have the crappy eval. from the teacher? I could pull my hair out. I also had my daughter do a self assessment I found on the ADDvance website for girls and the PCP didn't even look at it. I think at 12 someone should listen to how my dd feels. Sorry to vent.
IMO questionaires can be biased, teachers can be in a bad mood that day, have issues of their own, or just not like the child. I would contact a Neuropsych and get a full eval before doing meds, and then bring the recommendations to the pcp.
I have had the same teacher fill out the questionaires , several over a 3 week period, and her answers were different everytime!
My daughter is on meds and for about a week and a half they emailed me about 6 times that she was forgetting things, not attentive, distracted, needed to be constantly brought back on task, also had a neuropsych assessment during that time, said she was terribly inattentive, could only focus for 30 seconds! So we see the doc for a med check he ups her Strattera, she goes back to school and they say she's kind of sleepy, why'd we touch her meds she has been doing fine! I wanted to scream, of course I forwarded back ALL thier notes and the assessment and asked if they thought I WANTED to up my daughters meds? It's so frustrating. We have since dropped the dose again. I will go by me and her, she feels good and is happy, we have to go with that.
You should go with your gut and get the neuropsych eval. YES I do think a 12 year olds opinion on how they are feeling should be taken into account
Diane V39513.6177546296