Please go to another Dr & have your daughter tested, for ADHD. Why did the 3rd grade teacher say she will struggle in 4th grade?

Because the school work is going to get harder, the teachers are alot meaner, and they don't baby kids, its a much faster pace,and I think that because she needs the attention from the teacher so much and so bad that the teacher feels that she will not get that attention from the teachers in the 4th grade.

You can have your child tested for ADHD. I know its very frustrating. I've been there. Sounds like you might need a new doc. Your child is really struggling and the faster you can get some answers the better. Try to read up on ADHD and educate yourself so you can be her advocate. Sometimes you have to tell the doctors what YOU want for your child.

First off - I feel for you very deeply. My daughter had all the signs from kindergarten on but wasn't diagnosed until high school. I can't tell you how many teacher conf we had!!! I would recommend finding a psychologist to help with the diagnosis - one specializing in children and adolesents. That is the way my daughter finally got help. I went for a counseling session to talk about my frustration and worry when my very perceptive psychologist asked to see my daughter for a session. It didn't take long for her to recognize the signs. A psychologist can not prescribe medication, but with her diagnosis in hand getting the doctor to prescribe Adderall was a breeze. I guess what I am saying is it takes a team - and a team you trust and feel good about. Don't give up. You have instincts that the Dr's can never have. You observe your daughter in all sorts of situations and moods, the Dr only sees her in a clinical setting. Certainly your ability to handle these fits is very important, and it is good that he has offered you tools, but I have learned that ADD has a huge effect on the family and especially on the childs ability to make and keep friends. It is not just her academic life at stake, her ability to interact with the other kids is in jeapordy. And if untreated she will have problems with social issues. I found out too late that my daughter was unable to make and keep friends until she was properly treated - that was High School! Don't give up! And if the answer doesn't feel right keep looking.

Hi,

My pediatrician would never say my son had ADHD (even when he was hanging from the chandalier in his office). We went to a psychiatrist for a diagnosis because and he was demonstrating 49 out of 50 of the symptoms. The psychiatrist was certain from the onset that it was ADHD all he had to do was watch him and try to have a conversation with him. Not happening! Several meds later we are on Concerta and he does fabulously in school and the rest of the day. The only time we have to deal with his improper behavior is first thing in the morning and a little bit at night sometimes. Looking for some answers on that here. I feel your pain. Been there done that! Good luck!

I have had the same problems. If she isn't on meds I believe she should be. Only becaue well I have a set of twins that are ADD and one would start in on things at school but I or the babysitter wouldn't see what the school was seeing. So going to the dr. he raised her medication. Then about a year later I was experienceing changes but the school wasn't. I would stay on top of the school. Watch her grades. If they are not where they should be go see the Dr. find a psychitrist a good one. If you are able to find a child dr that also deal with child behavior that would be your best obtion. I was lucky when my twins and youngest were all diagnoised. He was both and took his time with them. And started them all out on Concerta. My twins are still on it and doing well with little issues but all i have to do is say look you have to tell me if you feel different then before cause it could be due to the medication not working tell me if you believe that it isn't working anymore. If you feel that it is working fine then you have to work hard at doing the right thing. You would think that my twin girls would have it really bad concidering they were drug addicted babies. They aren't biologically mine but I think of them as mine. Dr.'s when they were babies said there would be learning diabilities as well as possible deafness with one of them. I never imagined or really heard of ADD or ADHD, ODD any of those things. So I wasn't prepared but I do feel that I handled everything very well. I didn't leave my children out of the loop when the Dr. wanted to talk to me about the condition. I wanted my children to hear and do thier best to understand exspecally when it came to the medications. I know that it sound wierd for a child to be put in this place of responsiblility but I thought it best for my children. And my twins have been doing really well on it. My son on the other hand my baby. Has been diagnoised 3 times already. First as ADD then as ADHD, then at the begining of the school year this year he was diagnoised Bipolar MIX, now he has been diagnoised with ODD and will not only be on Depakote 2 times a day but also put on a fast acting medication to help with his moodswings and only to be giving as needed when signs first start to appear.
I know that I am not the best parent when it comes to punishing my children when they are bad. I use to be alot stronger and stand by all my dissisions. That was when my children were 6,6,6 and 5 on up to the 7 years old. now they are 11,11,11,and 10 and man do things change. As I had mentiond earlier my twins are not biologically mine they are my husbands and were drug addicted babies. The oldest and youngest are mine but not biologically my husbands but we have combined our two families into one and the kids have all grown like biological siblings. I don't treat my kids as though they have a special need. I treat them as if they were totally healthy mental status and all. Some say I am a rock but I see myself now days as a sponge being wrung out and hung out to dry. I am sorry for rambaling on. I guess it is just because I don't talk about the problems in my life all that often. I could as I am sure all of you could keep going on and on about it all.
I hope I gave some good advise or at least sound advise. Good luck if not I am sure my advise will come out someday.
Thanks and God bless.

Get her diagnosed by a neurologist and tell the teacher to keep her mouth shut until then. In my experiance teacher's are the real down fall for kids with ADHD because they tell parents the wrong info and they traet their kids diffrent due to it.

Agree with getting an informed decision asap. Our daughter was "tested" by the school study team in 5th grade when she was having a really bad year -- teacher said something was off, and suggested we get help. In our case - the teacher was absolutely correct - except we were misled by the study team and our poor daughter suffered her way thru school until she was finally dx at 17 as ADD (not ADHD - so she was the kid who daydreamed in the back of the classroom - instead of bouncing off the walls). Once she was dx and put on meds - she went from HATING school & barely getting by to becoming a straight A student. Now she's in college - has made the dean's list more often than not. However, those early years of struggling & not having anyone acknowledge that there was a real problem - impacted her self-esteem & emotional state tremendously. She'd be the first one to tell you - get it dx & try meds - made a HUGE difference for her.

agreed - go to another Dr.....now. My 9 yo makes great grades - and they never took my concerns seriously. I found a Dr specializing on childhood ADHD (his son has it too) - and they did 6 hours of testing and YES - his results for long term attention, reactions etc. were WAY WAY low. IT IS REAL - parents just 'KNOW' when something is up. Trust your instincts - you KNOW they are right.

I don't know what kind of insurance you have but if you have the means go see a PhD. That's how I was diagnosed as a teenager. M.D.'s in my opinion don't know much about how to diagnose or treat ADD/ADHD. In fact when I got back on my meds last year I started with my M.D. and he couldn't manage them right so I moved on to a PhD. My boyfriends 7 year old gets sent home with notes from his teacher all the time saying he never sits still, is always out of his seat, at home he shows classic signs of ADHD I mentioned it to my bf but I'm leaving it up to him and his ex to take care of that. I don't want to stick my nose in it.

please don't give in to this, you know something is going on...my hubby was only recently diagnosed with ADHD, and has suffered horribly, not to mention the rest of us since no one figured this out earlier for him. There are specific tests for this, and they can rule out other issues so you get the proper diagnosis. If your doctor isn't listening to you, RUN don't walk to someone who will. My youngest daughter was recently diagnosed with autism and she started having "temper tantrums" last spring which was completely unlike her, sleeping problems etc, I took her to our family doct who thought it was just discipline problems sent me on my way, we tried everything over the summer, nothing helped and it was just getting worse, then took her back, same thing, I still felt like something else was going on, took her to a different ped. who immediately ordered tests, saw right away what was going on and now we are seeing specialists for it, I hate to think where we would be if I had just stuck with the theory of "just discipline her right". Good luck to you!

I, myself, have had a myriad of health problems. I have been told that I was crazy a time or two. It took 2 1/2 years for me to be properly diagnosed. I can't even imagine being a child with no advocate dealing with ADHD. You would advocate for yourself if you had a problem. You have the same right to do so with your child. There is nothing that says you have to stay with a doctor if the treatment isn't working. It sounds like this doctor is geting paid for nothing. Books are great, but how many times has he truly seen your child? Has there been any formal evaluation? I realize that she has not ben tested, but has he witnessed her behavior? You have the right to fire your daughter's doctor. Just because doctors know more than we do, doesn't mean that they don't work for us. Doctors are paid by our health care companies. We pay their copays. We also have the right to discontinue there services at any time, for any reason. Don't give up. Find a doctor that is more willing to deal with your situation. I hope I didn't come across as too harsh. I've been through this one too many times. It makes me so upset to hear stories like yours. Please keep trying. Your daughters rights are being violated by this doctor because he is unwilling to help her. Next time you see this doctor, if there is one, I would ask if he has been treating your daughter or you. My son hasn't been diagnosed yet either, but I've been fighting since he was 3. It finally boiled over in school this year. We just found a psychologist that will take a 6 year old. (In my state, kids aren't seen by psychologists until age 7, unless a danger to themselves or others) I am in the same boat that you're in, as far as the diagnosis goes. Feel free to contact me. I can't give advice on meds, but can on the other things I've tried. I hope you find someone better soon!

We went to a the Children's Hospital psych services to have my son tested. Maybe try that approach. If you are in a large city, try the University. You may have to wait (forever it seems) but they will do the testing you will need for diagnoses. I took my son in for Emotional Behavior Disorder and for LD's, we ended up with ADHD, which for some reason, was a complete shock for me (it shouldn't have been). It took a lot of calls, making lots of appointments for many weeks. We are still going to appts every week. I had to fill out questionnaires galore, his school did too. There are different reasons for every question, so it will be difficult for the teacher to be "different" between you and the hospital. All the questionnaires are supposed to be quite similar to aid in the diagnosing of adhd. Don't give up on the system. Just keep plowing along. I also have a 9 yo girl who is mouthy enough without the ADHD! I hope you are taking care of yourself in this long journey you are about to embark. We aren't too far away from shore ourselves, but so far the one thing that has really been emphasized is patience. WOW, and I thought I had a lot initially! Turns out I had a lot more to learn! Good luck and God bless.