adhd son having major issues at school | ADHD Information

IF all the kids are acting this way to a degree I would question how much control the teacher has over the classroom.  Also, the other kids may know he can't stop and start stuff to get him in more trouble.  But it also sounds like your son is just over stimulated in that enviroment.  Does he have an iep or something? If not, I would request an evaluation to get him some help, and if he has one already call a meeting to maybe get him some help to not be so over stimulated at school. 

I agree it sounds like you need a med change.  Definitely go to a specialist (if you're not already).  And the doc should allow you to call them on a regular basis (daily if necessary in the beginning) and make adjustments asap.  I get so angry when I hear how long people have to wait for the next appointment to make a med adjustment.  It is almost impossible to get the meds right if you can't make frequent adjustments!  In the beginning, I was texting my son's doc every night with an update. 

About the tics,  I believe it depends on how severe the tics are but they can ease with time and some eventually go away. My son had some minor tics (compulsive nose picking-that one was just delightful! ) and they have gone away over time.  Also, Tenex or Intuniv (same drug) can be added to a stimulant to help control tics if necessary.  My son takes Tenex, not specifically for tics but to help with other side effects from stimulants.  Tenex has been a Godsend for us!  He needs stimulants sooooooooooo badly and without Tenex he wouldn't be able to take them.  Best of luck and ask any questions you'd like!

 

I would have a real tough time with other parents making such rude comments!  It sounds a lot like my son in that he is just playing along w/what the other kids are doing but pushes it beyond funny and doesn't know when to quit.  IMO the other kids are just as much as fault if they are doing the same things, why should your son be punished because he doesn't quit when THEY are ready to quit?  I think they all deserve a "talking to" by the teacher to outline what is respectful behavior around other peers and that tripping, pushing, teasing & shoving are never acceptable.  This has happened in my son's class with certain situations like your describing and it has seemed to help.  When something is said by other parents, I think I would have the mind to say (nicely) that "it sounds like the kids were all displaying the same behavior, unfortunately with my son having ADHD he doesn't have the impulse control to stop the behavior at the same time the other kids do and tends to push too far, it's something we are working on".  This statement puts some of the responsibility on the other parents' child, since they are also involved in the same behavior but it also acknowledges that you are aware of your son's lack of impulse control and you are working on it, so that you aren't just condoning the behavior.  Do these other parents know your child has ADHD?  If not, they may just view him as a trouble maker, a statement like that might give them some insight & they may begin to be more understanding.  I know it doesn't work for some but we have been very open w/our son's condition with other parents & it truly has helped his relationships w/his friends.  For the most part, the parents we have dealt with have been very understanding & encourage their child to be more patient & helpful rather than antagonizing & mean.   

My heart goes out to you.  It's so hard to watch your child struggle severely.  I have been in your shoes, and it's hard to know that other people are afraid of your child and want nothing to do with him. 

I hope that you can find a medication to help him.  That's how things turned out for my child.  With the correct medication, he stopped getting in trouble in school, developed friendships, had fewer problems at home, etc. 

What type of stimulant did your child try?  There are two stimulant categories, methylphenidate and amphetamines.  I don't know much about tics, but does developing tics on one class of stimulants eliminate the possibility of using the other class of stimulants?  If so, there also are non-stimulant ADHD medications.  Intuniv might make a big difference for him.  I've heard Strattera doesn't help much for impulse control, so that one probably wouldn't be good for your son. 

I hope that things get better soon.  Hang in there.  Feel free to vent here.  It's a great place for support.

Hi, I havn't posted here for a little while but I have a 9 yr old son diag adhd and we have tried 2 different med's both with minimal success..........Accademically, my son does extremly well but socially is extremely bad.  I am constantly hearing from the techer and other parents about issue's that have occured between the kids (ie: name calling, teasing, constant badgering, tripping up, pushing, shoving etc..).  The boys concerned are all doing the same thing but my son dosn't know when to stop. In class he can be extremely disruprive.........constant talking, overtalking others, interrupting, fidgety, out  of seat and at times has backchatted the teacher.

We are still seeing a therapist and our specialist will authorise a new medication soon.  

I am finding it so hard to have to deal with other parents letting me know in no uncertain terms for my son to stay away from their child etc........

Has anyone else ever had to deal with this .................it seems my sons behaviour at school has actually worsened over the past few months.

BTW.......one of the meds was a stimulant and my son started getting severe tics so we stopped the meds some time ago however, the tics have remained (changed and lessened).

Any advice pls? 

Yep, you definitely need to get a new medication. When my son found
the correct medication, it made the biggest change for him socially.

My son got absolutely maddening over the summer. Turns out he was
overmedicated. My only advice is to not give up and go until you find the
right combination. It could be that he needs to go to an ADHD specialist.
And watch out that it's not something else compounding his issues - he
could be hungry or tired.

The second biggest positive impact made on my son was when he started
therapy. He learned how to make better choices. He's said outright, "I
know what I'm not supposed to do, but I don't know what I'm supposed to
do." Kids with ADHD are too busy dealing with their buzzing brains to
pick up on social techniques - they have to be taught it.

As far as the other parents - when I got over the instinct to knock their
teeth out, I would say, "He's being treated for ADHD and is starting to
make progress." Then I'd walk away.

Good luck!