My 9 yr old son is in the third grade at a private school (his third). He was diagnosed 2 yrs ago, we've been working on determining the best meds. Right now he is on 10 mg focalin XR and 1.5 mg clonidine in the p.m. He has the innattentive/hyperactive type of ahdh. Also a pretty severe case of sensory integration disorder (sensory seeker). He was adopted at birth from a wonderful couple, both of them did not complete high school. I had always hoped that my kid had a decent brain, the possibility of drug/alcohol exposure was a cloud that I'll never be able to confirm or deny.
This is the first report card on this new drug combo. One A, several B's and two C's (in reading and comprehension). Here is what I believe is making the difference: maturity and development. The occupational therapy we do at home (he is now too embarrassed to have chewy tubes and the like in class) Three hours every weekend with a tutor (a former teacher who I believe has undiagnosed adhd, they get along great). Sessions with a behavior doctor (male who specializes in adhd, a change from a female who saw troubled children). Participation in flag football and soccer (he is not a star, but that's okay). Regular visits to the pediactric neurologist to oversee meds and check vitals. An IEP that is frequently tweaked. He is dropped off early each morning to run around the school gym to burn off some steam before sitting in a classroom for 7 hours. Working with the school to ensure that he has tbe most appropriate teacher (his current one has a background in special ed--I learned my lesson when one teacher he had was right out of college). To my family, it's not alot of work, it's simply what we do.
It's not all rosy. He can be a very impulsive and challenging child. You can tell when the meds have worn off. He has tics, but they are mild. But the improvement is undeniable. Fellow posters here helped me realize he may have dysgraphia, next up is some additional testing. It has been reassuring to see the progress he has made. The coming year will bring new emotional ground for him to cover (a real understanding of the whole adoption thing, he will be told about his birthsiblings) and I want to be locked and loaded for puberty.
i guess I am just shocked at the report card. He had been bringing home tests with high scores, I thought it was a fluke. Medication is not a band aid that can make everything perfect. But it sure is nice when it all works out. For the first time since he started preschool, I no longer panic when the phone rings when he is at school. My husband was very against medication, and it was a battle for many months. If there is any one out there reading this who may be on the fence about medicating their child, I hope my story helps.
trixila
all I can say is - YAY!! .
I know you guys have worked so diligently and so hard to get here. So nice to see them able to pull this off..........decent grades, ability to particiapte in group activities, no walking on eggshells waiting for school to call!
So great to hear. Sounds like you are all working hard and it is paying off.
Congratulations on finding the effective treatment plan for your son and getting to enjoy the progress.
It is a hard job to sort through all of an individual child's needs and find the best things to help with each of those needs. Maturation helps so much, but the work is in helping them mature while succeeding and building thier self confidence and skills. You should enjoy the results so far, and know that you have gained the skills to identify your son's needs and make adjustments as his needs change. I think we parents get to grow through this as well as our children.