My family is very probably going to move to Houston. Although I am really looking forward to the experience, I am unsure about how my son will get along at school there. He has ADHD and is getting medicaments that help him concentrate. Here, in Switzerland, he is in a regular class and follows the regular lessons. He has one weekly extra "support-lesson" which all the kids with learning problems get. My question is, whether looking for a new school in the U.S. I should tell right from the beginning that my son has ADHD or should I rather be quiet and hope that everything will go well? Of course I would prefer being honest, but I just don't know, how ADHD is reacted to in the U.S.
ADHD and school...
- Thread starter Lynette
- Start date
My DS (dear son) also has ADHD. And we let the teacher know. In fact I let him lnow if we adjust his meds and just generally stay in touch via email. I plan on emailing him today to let him know we made and adjustment and ask him to tell us if there are any changes to his mood. i cant speak for your teacher but most of the teachers I have dealt with appreciate the info.
We were also able to isolate his really bad days to nights he had trouble sleeping. But I do have to ask for the Email address. I think you need to show the teacher you are serious.
We were also able to isolate his really bad days to nights he had trouble sleeping. But I do have to ask for the Email address. I think you need to show the teacher you are serious.
So far, here, I do as you do. The teacher knows and I let her know, when we change something. I think that is the best way, especially because it helps teachers to understand why my son sometimes behaves like he does.
So it's usually absolutely normal that these kids go into regular classes?
Observing mothers, reading, travelling in the U.S. I sometimes had the impression, that everything that goes a little out of the norm, is difficultly accepted. That's why I am a little afraid for my son... But if you say that I just have a silly fear, I more than ready to believe so.
So it's usually absolutely normal that these kids go into regular classes?
Observing mothers, reading, travelling in the U.S. I sometimes had the impression, that everything that goes a little out of the norm, is difficultly accepted. That's why I am a little afraid for my son... But if you say that I just have a silly fear, I more than ready to believe so.
Yes, it's normal that kids end up in the regular classes...it's called "inclusion". I would defiantely let the school know up front that your son has ADHD. They will be able to develop a good game plan for him with that information.Lynette said:
Well it depends. My DD (dear daughter) is autistic. The special needs class she attends has one little boy who attends who (for the lack of a better way to describe it). Is on the high end of the ADHD scale. Some of the day he is in the regular class and the rest of the day is spent in the special need class. All of the special needs kids spend at least part of the day in normal classes.Lynette said:
DS on his medication is pretty much the same as his peers. I dont think he would be left in class if he was causing a major disruption. Unmedicated he would either be in a special needs class or otherwise removed from the normal class. You probably know what I mean.
Keep in mind I live in Iowa. There may be subtile differences between the states
Thanks very much for all your answers. They are very helpful. The major concern of my DS's teacher is that "he does not disturb the others". Well, what he learns is written on another piece of paper. But, so far, I have the impression he learns as well as the others. He is just not too enthusiastic about school in general, but I can say that it has gotten much better since he started half a year ago.
By the way, at what age do kids start school in the U.S.? I know the schooling systems are very diffrent. By "starting school" I mean the age the begin to learn the cultural technics like reading and maths. In Switzerland kids are between 6 and 7 when they start school after two years of kindergarten where they are prepared for school. (Before kindergarten kids are at home and some go in private play groups once a week, some go to daycare.)
I thouhgt that maybe it would be a good idea, to have him "re-start" school in the U.S. in order to allow him to learn the English alphabet and so on. My kids do not speak English so far.
By the way, at what age do kids start school in the U.S.? I know the schooling systems are very diffrent. By "starting school" I mean the age the begin to learn the cultural technics like reading and maths. In Switzerland kids are between 6 and 7 when they start school after two years of kindergarten where they are prepared for school. (Before kindergarten kids are at home and some go in private play groups once a week, some go to daycare.)
I thouhgt that maybe it would be a good idea, to have him "re-start" school in the U.S. in order to allow him to learn the English alphabet and so on. My kids do not speak English so far.
I think the age is pretty close to the same Kinder 4 to 5 1st grade 5 to 6.
I took some management training with a global mix of people. They loved CC (closed captioning in english) on the TV. You could probably do that with cartoons, news, and everything. I would guess you could start doing that today.
You are pretty fluent. My spell checker doesnt work and I type faster than I think. So dont try and use stuff I've written.
I took some management training with a global mix of people. They loved CC (closed captioning in english) on the TV. You could probably do that with cartoons, news, and everything. I would guess you could start doing that today.
You are pretty fluent. My spell checker doesnt work and I type faster than I think. So dont try and use stuff I've written.
*lol* I'll keep that in mind
I did not really get what "closed captioning" is. It would be nice if you explained it a little more. I think I am going to start to have them watch movies in English once they know they go to cowboy country... But it is definitely a good idea to get them used to the language before we leave. I see what I can do.
We will only tell them once we are completely sure and everything is signed, no need to irritate them sooner than necessary. (I mean, we'd tell them soon enough, but three months is still an eternity for them.)
I did not really get what "closed captioning" is. It would be nice if you explained it a little more. I think I am going to start to have them watch movies in English once they know they go to cowboy country... But it is definitely a good idea to get them used to the language before we leave. I see what I can do.
We will only tell them once we are completely sure and everything is signed, no need to irritate them sooner than necessary. (I mean, we'd tell them soon enough, but three months is still an eternity for them.)
Yeah, actually most schools will try their hardest to keep any kid in regular classes long before they consider special ed classes. Sometimes I've even seen it where it's hard to get into the special classes! The kids have to be tested for it. But it depends from place to place, certainly. One of my younger sisters and one of my younger brothers both have ADHD and they attend regular classes. ADHD is actually really common over here, so don't worry about it. Everyone is really familiar with it for sure. Definitely shouldn't be a problem!! Let them know everything so they know how to relate to him.
That's exactly the answer I hoped for Great!
I got the CC thing now. It's a good idea to help them learn English -I certainly make use of it.
Great!I got the CC thing now. It's a good idea to help them learn English -I certainly make use of it.
Do you think moving home and giving a child a lot more to deal with in life can make ADHD worse?
I've spent a lot of years on the subject but this is an area I still don't have a huge amount of opinion on. I wrote an article about ADHD and it is also in my book but it may be totally opposite to anyones opinion on here. It is an opinion based on years of research however it is still just an opinon.
Is ADHD A Real Disease?
First thing I say to anyone who disagrees with that article is to simple comment on it and help others understand also. That is the idea of it. I personally feel that a change of schools and home for a child is a lot to del with and as a Psychologist I can tell you that parents are clueless to how much pressure it really gives a child.
I've spent a lot of years on the subject but this is an area I still don't have a huge amount of opinion on. I wrote an article about ADHD and it is also in my book but it may be totally opposite to anyones opinion on here. It is an opinion based on years of research however it is still just an opinon.
Is ADHD A Real Disease?
First thing I say to anyone who disagrees with that article is to simple comment on it and help others understand also. That is the idea of it. I personally feel that a change of schools and home for a child is a lot to del with and as a Psychologist I can tell you that parents are clueless to how much pressure it really gives a child.
I do not think that moving home will get my son's ADHD worse. I am aware that the move is troubling him -as it would trouble every child.
As it comes to your article: it is a slap into the face of every parent who has lived what I did.
I was the last person to think that my son had ADHD -he was just him. Energetic, his head in the clouds, unable to sit still or concentrate for a second and at the same time very interested, very bright and a clown... As the teacher told me that he was difficult in school I thought that it was a discplinary problem, that the teacher was not strict enough and so on...
Than I got the diagnosis: VERY CLEAR ADHD. The doctor who did that made a series of standardized tests with my son - they took over three hours. She asked me questions about him for about an hour or so and only then she gave me the diagnosis. Prior to these tests, many other possible reasons for my son's difficulties at school could be excluded vby other tests.
We started with Ritaline then. It worked great. He is still Patrik, but he now has gotten the chance to live up to his potential. Thanks to the diagnosis, thanks to the doctor and thanks to Ritalin (or concerta).
I hope I explained why I think that ADHD is a disease indeed and maybe you understand why your article is upsetting me (not that I read something like that for the first time -but it's the first time I've been given the chance to react to it -so, thanks for that).
As it comes to your article: it is a slap into the face of every parent who has lived what I did.
I was the last person to think that my son had ADHD -he was just him. Energetic, his head in the clouds, unable to sit still or concentrate for a second and at the same time very interested, very bright and a clown... As the teacher told me that he was difficult in school I thought that it was a discplinary problem, that the teacher was not strict enough and so on...
Than I got the diagnosis: VERY CLEAR ADHD. The doctor who did that made a series of standardized tests with my son - they took over three hours. She asked me questions about him for about an hour or so and only then she gave me the diagnosis. Prior to these tests, many other possible reasons for my son's difficulties at school could be excluded vby other tests.
We started with Ritaline then. It worked great. He is still Patrik, but he now has gotten the chance to live up to his potential. Thanks to the diagnosis, thanks to the doctor and thanks to Ritalin (or concerta).
I hope I explained why I think that ADHD is a disease indeed and maybe you understand why your article is upsetting me (not that I read something like that for the first time -but it's the first time I've been given the chance to react to it -so, thanks for that
).
I would say that the article is a gross overgeneralization. I do firmly believe that ADHD is very overdiagnosed, but certainly it is a valid disease that when diagnosed correctly can be treated easily. Too often parents are quick to react and put the label of ADHD on their child simply because they don't want to find the real reason behind the beavior or to actually parent the child. However, that does not mean that ADHD isn't a real disease that causes real problems, with a real treatment.
I can easily see Lynette's opnion here that the article is an extreme slap in the face for parents with children with ADHD.
I can easily see Lynette's opnion here that the article is an extreme slap in the face for parents with children with ADHD.
Don't feel bad Lynette, its easy for ignorant people to say things like that - the kind of people who have never raised a child with ADHD or grown up with one. The people who have never personally experienced certain things are the first ones to criticize them.
I've been there before - its a valid disease, and it can be REALLY hard on a family. I agree with Dadu that it is sadly overdiagnosed, but that doesn't make it fake? :/ I mean seriously, come on.
Also Turtel try not to bump old threads, its annoying. Make a new one about the topic if you want to talk about it. And read the rules.
I've been there before - its a valid disease, and it can be REALLY hard on a family. I agree with Dadu that it is sadly overdiagnosed, but that doesn't make it fake? :/ I mean seriously, come on.
Also Turtel try not to bump old threads, its annoying. Make a new one about the topic if you want to talk about it. And read the rules.
Nope, it's very real. It's just that some people use it as a scapegoat to medicate their kids so that they don't have to be a parent.Xero said:
Yes please.Xero said:
Right Dadu, my thoughts exactly. Some parents are just being lazy and they decide their kids are too much work and they don't want to make the time to spend on helping them out, so they medicate them to make them less effort. I've seen it too, and it's sad.
But it's definitely real, I have a younger brother with a very bad case of ADHD combined with a couple of other problems that make him really hard to deal with. Sometimes it seems like the medicine doesn't even help.
But it's definitely real, I have a younger brother with a very bad case of ADHD combined with a couple of other problems that make him really hard to deal with. Sometimes it seems like the medicine doesn't even help.
Ritaline and similar medicaments are stimulants -given to kids that do not have AD(H)D they do not have the tranquilizing effect all those lazy parents probably desire.Some parents are just being lazy and they decide their kids are too much work and they don't want to make the time to spend on helping them out, so they medicate them to make them less effort. I've seen it too, and it's sad.