Frankly, I am at a loss! | ADHD Information

You need to have the meds re-evaluatedJust wanted to add that I think, if I'm correct, that federal law requires schools to provide something for "gifted" children, but it seems like schools have all kinds of ways of sidestepping this requirement. It's a shame. Hi All:

We are just about 1 month into the school year and have already gotten several letters from my DS 4th grade teacher.  We really like her so she is not the problem.  The problem is that DS seems like he is not trying to exercise any from of control in school.  We just got his grade report and all A's except one B.  He was tested and accepted into the gifted program for math but the school district cut that program this year.  Academically he is fine.  He has a 504 plan.

At this point.... Frankly, I am at a loss as what to do.  His self esteem is down.  He is trying the limited patience DH and I have left.  He is a sweet kid but so impulsive and has to fidget with stuff and become inattentive.  He is on 30 mg Aderall in AM, 15mg Aderall at lunch, and then 10 mg Focalin at end of school.  What are your thoughts?  Any would be appreciated here!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks bunches!!!!!

It sounds like his medicine might need to be re-evaluated.  Has his medicine ever worked well for him or has it just never been effective? Does he see a psychiatrist or just the pediatrician? Sorry for all the questions!

I empathize with you!  Especially about the low self-esteem.  My son is much younger but that is what made us turn to medication.  He was only 3 and talking about how none of the other kids liked him because he was always in trouble and things like "Billy said I can't come to his house because I'm always in time out!"  It was heart breaking!  He was so down on himself.  Once we got the medications straightened out all of that stopped (thankfully!) Hang in there!  And maybe make an appoint to look at those meds.  Good luck!

****Update****

The school district has opened up testing for the gifted program for all around giftedness for the kids who scored close to the needed score.  DS had been accepted into the gifted program for Math.  This test will be for all content areas.  DS tests tomorrow.  They only take 15 kids in the entire school district into the program.  I think that we do need to re-evaluate his meds too.  I will update when we see the results. 

A fourth grader is old enough to understand that he's not acting appropriately, even if he can't control it. What does he say is going on during the day? Is he bored? Angry? Or does he really have no idea why he's acting this way?

My son's ADHD gets worse when he's bored in school. We had a long talk at the beginning of the school year about trying hard and communicating with his teacher. Thankfully, his school has a pretty robust program for gifted kids and he's in it for math and reading.

Plus, his teacher this year has tons of experience and training with gifted children. She's got plenty of interesting, challenging things for him to do. At conferences, it became clear to me that she understands him pretty well - he often questions things he disagrees with in a pretty disrespectful way...and she made it more than clear to him who's in charge in her classroom. He's doing very well both socially and academically now. :)

I agree it may be time for a change in meds or dosage, but he might also benefit from some focused behavioral therapy. My son's school counselor reminded me that social skills are still skills and usually need to be taught - like math or reading. We tend to forget that in our world of test scores and grades.

I agree with the others, get the meds checked AND he is probably bored.

I look forward to your update post!!

My DS is going thru the same thing at his school.  Last year his teacher was so good about communicating weekly how things were going and we could follow up at home.  This year a totally different story.  We received an email today stating that DS has been disruptive and impulsive from the start of school.  She is very upset about this and I am worried that she has labeled him the "bad kid".  If she would of only communicated earlier. I also agree that your son may be bored and I am wondering if that is going on with my son.  I am going to have his meds checked and possibly adjusted as well.  Hang in there and know that you are not alone!!! *** UPDATE ***

We had a most excellent Parent/Teacher conference last night.  DS teach does seem to get him.  She was genuinely saddened that he just missed the total gifted test mark.  So close too.  She seems to recognize his abilities and his ADHD stuff too.  Still not sure on the meds.  I think that we'll prod along here for just a bit longer.

She feels he is bored and apparently really hates worksheets.  Teacher confided that she too hates them so she doesn't give many in her content area.  And OMG, his desk was atrocious!  It was like pigpen sat there!  Little bits of paper cut up.  Paper rolled up, paper all over the place.  Erasers cut up too.  He is a dream for the Staples store!

I think that we will do a new 504 plan so his teacher has some input into it too!  The one he has right now was done really for the teacher last year.  She was awful and did not work with the 504.  Only the parts such as reporting poor behaviors.  Never reported any positives.  Never.

Thanks everyone.  I don't know what I would do with out this message board. imcbmcc,
Sometimes all our children need is an increase. That is all.

My son was increased some weeks, daily finding the right dosage of concerta when he was in second grade. You really do need the teacher to communicate. That is how we knew when he was at the right dose or not.

Once he leveled off, he stayed at that dosage for two years, before the next increase. It really is important for our kids to be on the right med AND right dosage.

Also, we added tenex when we started and that controls his impulsiveness and help him relax, concentrate, eat and sleep!! WE only give him 1 mg a day, that is all.

Please up date us!!