ADHD & School

DD has been officially diagnosed with ADHD by her pediatrician and a pediatric psychiatrist. She is on medication and, although it helps quite a bit, it doesn't completely take away the "negatives" of ADHD. Can I or should I expect the school to take that into consideration and/or provide leniency when it comes to her and her symptoms of ADHD (overactive, inability to focus, impulsiveness, unable to keep still...)?

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Asked by AllAboutKeeley at 8:15 AM on May. 15, 2012 in School-Age Kids (5-8)

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Answers (11)

AKA, I get asked this frequently. It depends. Medication reduces ADHD symptoms but does not squash all of them. Accomodations can be made and it IS the responsibility of the adults. ADHD impacts the frontal lobe of the brain which is the executive fuctioning area. The executive functioning is what makes choices, the control panel. When it is impaired adults have to be the ones to assist in operating and making decisions. As she grows she will be able to have more ways to adapt to this disorder. In the mean time a 504 will most likely be a fair option. Unless she already has an I.E.P. In that case, you can request a meeting in writting to ammend her I.E.P. to include goals and objectives related to her diagnosis that impair her learning. Being specific on what negatives also is helpful. A great book is Putting On The Breaks. Several versions are available. I have

Answer by frogdawg at 11:00 PM on May. 16, 2012
Credits: 21313 Level 24 School-Age Kids (5-8) Minor

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Ask them if she qualifies for an IEP or in NC we have whats called a 504 plan which is for kids with issues. They maintain more contact, and do specific things to help the kids learn without holding anything against them.

Answer by gemgem at 8:17 AM on May. 15, 2012
Credits: 148574 Level 42 School-Age Kids (5-8) Minor

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Every child is different, and non can sit still for hours on end, so I am sure the school has dealt with this daily. Can she take a notebook to each teacher throughout the day and get a signed note, signature, or sticker saying she did well or needed work in that class that day? Would be a nice thing to take along home to show you and to keep up a communication line between everyone-

Answer by txdaniella at 8:19 AM on May. 15, 2012
Credits: 14891 Level 22 School-Age Kids (5-8) 101

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It depends on what she's doing. When my sons were in school (we homeschool now, both have ADHD), they knew that if they were noticing lack of focus/attention, squirming, etc., they needed to bring it to my attention, so that I could talk to my sons and find out if the meds weren't working anymore, or if something was going on. But there also comes a point where ADHD isn't the problem, the problem is the child taking advantage of their excuse (I'm not saying your daughter is doing this) and if you give them free reign by giving them leniency, they'll keep getting worse and worse and use "I have ADHD" as a blanket "get out of jail" free card. You need to find a middle ground where they cut her some slack but not so much that she begins to interfere with the rest of the class.

Answer by wendythewriter at 8:49 AM on May. 15, 2012
Credits: 41743 Level 29 School-Age Kids (5-8) Minor

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My daughter has ADD, not hyper but cannot concentrate. I feel like the school baby's her too much. She hardly gets any homework, if she does it's only 1 to 3 problems, sometimes nothing. I don't see how that is supposed to help her learn. The special teachers that are supposed to help go in the classroom with her to help her out which the other kids make fun of. She always comes home with candy bars that the teachers give her as good rewards, HELLO, ADD and candy shouldn't go together! After years of this it's like she makes no effort of her own because the school passes her just for having a "disability". There's always someone there to bail her out. It's annoying.

Answer by themodestgal at 8:59 AM on May. 15, 2012
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BTW. These teachers read the articles for her and instead of having 4 answers to choose from, she only gets 2. I agree that the kids start using the "ADD" excuse.

Answer by themodestgal at 9:03 AM on May. 15, 2012
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IMHO- (I have raised 2 ADD kids)
telling the school your child has ADD/ ADHD is a bad idea.
Since the school year is almost over, I would recommend working on focus, impulse control etc. over the summer.

Many children outgrow the need for medication and/ or learn to control their condition as they age. Having the school limit her options and education isn't going to serve her well in the future.

If, after a summer of behavior modification, the IEP and notebook suggestion, the child is still struggling, Then inform the school of the situation.

Answer by feralxat at 9:18 AM on May. 15, 2012
Credits: 133619 Level 41 School-Age Kids (5-8) Minor

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Feral, you can't get an IEP without informing the school of the condition. IEPs are created for children with disabilities or conditions that interfere with the child getting an education. She can't just walk in and get one.

Answer by wendythewriter at 9:41 AM on May. 15, 2012
Credits: 41743 Level 29 School-Age Kids (5-8) Minor

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there are exceptions to the disability clause of the IDEA law:
(b) Special rule for eligibility determination. A child must not be determined to be a child with a disability under this part—

(1) If the determinant factor for that determination is—

(i) Lack of appropriate instruction in reading, including the essential components of reading instruction (as defined in section 1208(3) of the ESEA);

(ii) Lack of appropriate instruction in math; or

(iii) Limited English proficiency; and

(2) If the child does not otherwise meet the eligibility criteria under §300.8(a).

-(iv) Cultural factors;

(v) Environmental or economic disadvantage; or
http://nichcy.org/laws/idea/partb/subpartd#300.306

Answer by feralxat at 10:48 AM on May. 15, 2012
Credits: 133619 Level 41 School-Age Kids (5-8) Minor

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lots of books and I wrote a booklet I give to teachers and parents. It is in a word document. PM me if you want a copy or great books. So many books sold, most crap. I have found only a few I really like. PM me anytime :)

Answer by frogdawg at 11:02 PM on May. 16, 2012
Credits: 21313 Level 24 School-Age Kids (5-8) Minor

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