ADHD / ADD Support Group

Peaches,
we've tried lots of meds for our son. He's on focalin xr now - for a few years. it worked right away for him. -within a day, but as I said we tried lots. and it's just finding the right one. Some did nothing, some gave him horrible side effects.
I know you have to be on top of the school, but try not to get yourself worked up about it. It does come together in time.

hugs to you.

Hi fellow mom :)
I too have a son who until this year went to public school. I have had him on an IEP since preschool, and it was 3rd grade when I found myself advocating for him non-stop. His school wasn't trying to be difficult I don't think, but they just didn't know what to do to help him. He is also visually impaired, so we had a specialist helping me explain what accommodations were needed for him with that. I had one teacher tell me that she thought he was using his vision impairment as an excuse! Can you believe that!! I was also very VERY upset with the way they were handling it. It took several times of me going to administration for them to even agree to have a meeting with me. His grades had went from B's to F's in a month! Let me tell you my experience because it was the only thing that made me feel better. I got any and all paper work for any diagnosis he had and had a packet made for the 20 people that were there. I had notes from a weeks worth of class I had sat in on to show what accommodations were not being met. (probably like 1/3 were being neglected) I had the vision specialist bring in goggle simulators that would show all of them exactly how he sees. (remember the teacher with the rude comment? she cried!) It was sooo empowering to be the expert and to be the one saying,"Actually that won't work... we need to try this! " I didn't have the answers to everything, but going in with a clear idea of what he needed really helped my case. You can talk to doctors and other parents with kids on IEP's to get an idea. I still get chills talking about it because it made them know that I was serious and we all gained a bit of respect for me that day! You are his advocate, and if you aren't going to be an expert on him than who will?! You go girl! I can tell you love him like I love mine and YOU CAN DO THIS!! Let me know if I can help at all! :)

Thank you both for your comments and encouragement. It has been a rough week..you see I am up in the middle of the night.. I just wake up and just feel a stomach ulcer coming..ridiculous huh? I just am in the "emergency" mode with all this situation. I can't go backwards but he needs something now. We have just initiated having a tutor that has special ed experience and I am encouraged by that. He does have some skills that really need to be honed and that could certainly impact his situation. You know last nite at 1030 he was up and just wanted to do some math and just goes and gets a workbook and goes at it. I just love that he can do that. I am going get my act together. You know some days are just better than others and I have been in the nasty here and now and I know that one day I will look back and be glad of the progress he will have made. You know, sometimes it is just harder than others. I appreciate this site because it is folks like you that help me through when I can't keep letting it all ball up inside.

Hi, Peaches
I'm a former teacher who worked extensively with ADHD kids. I did my Master's thesis on strategies teachers and parents can use to help these kids succeed in school. The most important thing is to find a teacher who understands the challenges your son faces and is willing to work with you. There are things you can do, in partnership with your child's teacher, to help him. For behavioral issues, you could ask the teacher to do a daily behavioral check (something as simple as a smiley or frowny face) to let you know how things went in class. You can then set up a reward system at home to reinforce the good behavior. Ask that he be seated in an area of the classroom where distractions are minimized (at the front of the room, or away from windows). I used to give my ADHD students little jobs to do when I noticed they were getting antsy(like closing the classroom door or helping me distribute papers)so they'd have them a chance to get up and walk around. Ask your son's teacher to give him a "secret signal" (like a tap on his desk or shoulder) to let him know when his attention starts wandering. Purchase a large clip that your son can use to clip all his homework assignments together in one place so he can find them when he needs to hand them in. Organize subjects into differently colored folders to help him organize his work. Divide larger tasks into smaller, more manageable parts and have your son take a short break after finishing each part. When working on homework assignments, have your son complete the most difficult parts first.
I've compiled some of these strategies into a book entitled Project June Bug. It tells the story of a teacher working with an ADHD student. If you're interested, you can find out more about it if you go to my website: www.jackieminniti.com. You'll also find some helpful links to ADHD sites.
The important thing to remember is that ADHD isn't a learning disability; it's a learning difference. These kids just have different needs when it comes to instruction, and the traditional classroom is probably the most difficult place for them to learn. But with a cooperative teacher and an involved parent, these students can succeed. I loved working with my little "June Bugs" because they were usually bright and creative, and were able to think outside the box. These are all traits that will work to their advantage when they're out in the real world.
Good luck, and please feel free to contact me if there's any way I can help.

luvs, It's great to hear a teacher with a positive attitude toward ADHD kids. All your tips were great.
My son is a senior in HS, he was diagnosed in 3rd grade - with inattentive type. He had some teachers who were great and understanding, and some of them, I don't even think knew what adhd was. it's a very hard road for the kids and a very frustrating road for the parents.
it's taken until this year where we have been able to knock some things off his 504 plan. So much of it comes to them in time and with maturity.
I'll go to your website and check out your book.