help!!! | ADHD Information

I quickly skimmed this thread, so I may have missed this info., but do you feel like his ADHD meds are working well?  It could be an OT issue, but it also could be impulsively rushing through his work.  My child makes careless errors, has sloppy handwriting, answers not as complete, etc. when his ADHD meds need adjusting or if we try to do homework after the stimulant has worn off.

I wouldn't punish him for trying and not getting the results you'd prefer to see.  If he's trying his best, that's all he can do.  Of course he might need some extra practice, but I wouldn't put too much pressure on him or make him feel like he's in trouble for not getting better results.  Time w/ friends is really important.  At the same time, I think it's OK to have to finish your homework before you can play.  This is key in my house b/c my ds has to finish homework before the stimulant wears off.

it just so happens that both of my kids have appts with the eye dr here at the end of the school year. We will see what he thinks.  If someone could please give me a sample of what to write to the school, I can get a letter out this week.  School ends here on June 4th and the last 3 days are 1/2 days.  I hope that is enough time.His meds are working as well as can be expected.  He does have, according to the dr, one of the most severe cases he has ever seen.  He is rushing his work and we know he is, that is why I am trying for an iep for him.  I do insist homework be done right after school before meds wear off.  Other kids go right out to play and then do homework after dinner.  That is not a good option for us.You can find writing samples on wrightslaw.Jessica N39943.8947800926

he doesnt have an iep, not that I have not rwquested one,  I tried last year and was told that since he could learn with the meds, he didnt qualify for one.  I tried this year and the teacher blew me off!!  I dont know what to do.

btw, I did have him write lines and when he gave them to me, he had missed words in the sentences completely, misspelled some of the words and I was completely chocked.  This happenned with the book right in front of him!!!

The teacher does not make the determination. Jessica N39943.8940393519well, school is over in under a month.  I geuss i should wait until the startof the new year?I wouldn't wait if I were you. Yes it's very late in the school year, but I would get the ball rolling ASAP. That way, hopefully, an IEP will be in place, or at least well on its way when the new school year starts and your son will be able to start the school year with helpful measures in place. Also, if an evaluation identifies particular learning issues before the end of the school year, you can learn about them and get a head start on addressing those issues over the summer.
My daughter got her 504 at the end of 3rd quarter when she was in 5th grade. I was so glad that we had it in place when she started middle school the next year. Yes it's late in the year but in a way that's all the more reason to get started ASAP in my opinion. I would do just exactly what Jessica suggested if I were you.
Best of luck!
The clock ticks, but excludes only the summer. Jessica N39943.8943865741

I agree start it now. They will be allowed the number of school days to complete the evaluation, not sure if there are enough left where you live?

BUT they need to know what to expect from you next year, start it now!!

We are here if you need us!!

Start now!  Also, have him checked for Convergence INsufficiency - it is a tracking issue with the eyes.  Regular eye checkups don't look for this problem.  You would need to see a specialist.  Google it.

Good luck!

Before any school can say he doesn't qualify, they need to conduct the evaluation.

This school isn't following the IEP/504 guidlines. They are lying to you. They are NOT doing their jobs and do not want to spend the $ helping to educate your son. So why are they teachers?????

Contact the special education department and tell them what is happening. I would also get the superintendant/principal(if you haven't already) involved!!

I agree do NOT keep him from the friends (remember the posts about not having friends, we don't want to lose that  )

I agree, he needs an OT, my son had one until 5th grade. He also uses a mechanical pencil to help with neatness,  

He may need a teacher to help with spelling for awhile. We had spelling tests and he prepared all week, but got 100's. He studied and it paid off. If he didn't he would fail and cry.

Needing an OT for writing is very common with our adhd'ers. Our teachers reminded us that he will be able to type work later on.

Practice at home as well, with a reward system maybe.

hang in there

I am so glad to read he has the kids coming to get him to play, good for you!! Mine is on his video games, but happy!!

my son came home from school and we started homework as usual.  My 5 year old had no work so he started to play outside.  here comes 3 of the neighbors to play and my older son asked to go play.  Now, I LOVE it when he has someoen to play with because this has been an issue for him.  so here is the problem

I open his folder to find sentences he was to write and they were so poorly done that his teacher put a note on the top that she didnt think he would make it in 3rd grade.  He misspelled a lot of words that I know he knows how to spell, it was messy, the words ran together, he didnt capitalize, etc.  These are things he should know to do.  Hubby states he should have to do lines from now until the end of the school year and that he should not be able to play in the afternoons anymore.  I dont know what the right thing is to do.

Please, suggestions needed!!!!

He needs to be checked by an OT. My son had problems writing but after a few sessions of physical therapy he was writing amazingly. I couldn't believe it! However, when he was tested the year before he didn't qualify for services I had to go outside the school to get help.

Your post sounds just like my son, too. It's not just low muscle tone that can cause the problem either. My son has problems with his eyes and of course, I can't remember what they called it now, but therapy helped big time. I felt bad that he was fussed at for so many years by myself and teachers because of his handwriting and he couldn't control it.

LonerGirl39933.569212963- I would NOT keep him from playing in the afternoon. Does your husband think that your son deliberately did poorly on the assignment?? Even if that were the case I doubt this type of long-term punishment would be effective.
- Does your son always tend to do poorly with handwriting or was this a one-time problem? I think LonerGirl has some good suggestions.
- Writing is a complex process. Especially for kids with ADHD, it is difficult to have the focused attention required to coordinate the thought-processes, rules of grammar and punctuation, spelling, and the physical process of writing, along with spacing the letters and words correctly. My daughter can fill in a worksheet on grammar and punctuation rules perfectly, but will often write run-on sentences and forget capitalization and punctuation when she's writing something herself (and she is an A and B student in 7th grade).
- The teacher should NOT have written a little note like that IMO. That is a very serious thing to say. If she really believes that he is not ready for third grade, she should have called a meeting to discuss options. Does he have an IEP? The school should have a plan in place to make sure that he is learning appropriately. I would contact the teacher immediately. Maybe the principal too.
- Help your son in whatever way is necessary so that he can improve with his written work. If he needs to practice writing a bit every afternoon, that's fine, but I would NOT make it a punishment and I would make sure that he has the incentive of being able to play when he has finished and done a good job. I would give him lots of praise and encouragement and be sure that he knows you're on his team. Writing isn't easy.
Best of luck!
  Dysgraphia is a neurological disorder characterized by writing disabilities. Specifically, the disorder causes a person's writing to be distorted or incorrect. In children, the disorder generally emerges when they are first introduced to writing. They make inappropriately sized and spaced letters, or write wrong or misspelled words, despite thorough instruction.
Jessica N39943.8938541667

< =text/>_popupControl(); that he should not be able to play in the afternoons anymore. 

Aarrrggghhh!  No, that is not the answer!  Social issues are such..well...an issue that keeping him homebound as a punishment is not the right thing to do. All of the problems that you listed with his writing are TYPICAL in second graders. Maybe he needs a tutor once a week just to spotlight that subject.  Spelling is such an age-related thing. I'd ride it out and give extra focus on that at home, but not by taking away his play time. He has adhd after all, right?  He needs the activity. 

< =text/>_popupControl(); And what does she mean, he won't make it in third grade?  Will he be vaporized? Jettisoned to another planet?  He will make it regardless of his spelling and handwriting because there are accommodations that can be made. Jeesh, those kind of dramatic pronouncements are so unproductive! Sounds like the teacher is feeling end-of-year stress.