Adhd help at school?

[maybeck]

Hi wise ones! I have a 12 year old who has adhd mixed and has been struggling at school. The middle school transition (socially and academic demands) has been so incredibly challenging, that he is feeling hopeless, demoralized and having a great deal of anxiety. he was so overwhelmed that he was hospitalized. I am researching the process of applying for an IEP/504. He is at a small school with very limited resources so I have no idea how school can help him I have already talked to the teacher and he sits in the corner desk at the front row, he has a band on his chair and an eraser he can chew on or fidget with. I know I have to wait 30 days until I hear back from the district... do you have ideas on what kind of accomodations I can ask for? He is a visual learner, but the school is big on listening in the lecture and taking notes...well hes not good at listening, misses a ton of details and sucks at note-taking (and Im lucky if I can read his handwriting!). It is a screen-free school, so tablets are not allowed. The middle school expectations are super high (he gets dinged if he turns in stuff late, forgets to put his name on HW, misplaces completed assignments, etc etc). If he doesnt get all the details of an assignment...well, I wont know what it is either to help him! He really struggles with exec functioning skills and I dont know how to help him. Im looking for a tutor who can help too. Any suggestions as to how the school can help with kiddos with adhd in middle school would be greatly appreciated

[B19B]

He can get accomidation services that include...printed copies of the notes for each class...

I went through testing for assistance in college...and there are many accommodations available...

I will let you know tomorrow, once I've looked at my evaluation list tomorrow, and find out exactly what mine said.

There is hope!!!

[maybeck in reply to B19B]

Thank you so much for your willingness to get back to me! I have a meeting with the school principal this week and I want to make sure Im well prepared to ask for certain types of accomodations....

[B19B in reply to maybeck]

I totally understand!!! I will get back to you tomorrow on this!!! Hang in there!!!

[Janice_H in reply to maybeck]

If you are able to connect with your child's health professional who conducted his evaluation, they can greatly assist you with the accommodations that can be requested. Once the IEP is implemented, you can always ask for a follow-up meeting to change/add modifications. You do not have to wait until the next school year to make changes.

[abryans]

He could have resource room support or a coach to improve his organization/executive function, reduced homework load, extra time to submit work, time and half on tests, ability to choose standing or sitting during class time, verbal reminders and extra checks from the teacher (e.g. "Put your name on the paper. Did you mean to skip numbers 15-18?") They should provide him with the homework or send it to you. If they say he needs to learn to be independent, you can say "he makes progress every year, but he is on his own schedule and providing this support now will pay off later. " It comes through how well you understand him and how much you believe in him and that will help him get through this! Our schools need to be more tolerant of the range of young human abilities, needs, and timetables for development.

[Onthemove1971]

Welcome to the group, you will find much comfort here since we have kids with ADHD who all struggle in school in some way.

I recommend you find out from the school district who at your school is responsible to help children who have 504 plans. Sometimes this is someone outside of the child's school, some time it is a Special teacher at the school. In larger school there is a counselor who helps.

Once you find this person, have a discussion about your son and what his needs are.

If you child is seeing a counselor, psychiatrist they can help you by writing a letter about his need. I am not sure if he takes medication to help him, if not that could help him a lot.

Let us know if you have any more questions. I also have a 13 ( yesterday was he was 12) so I know exactly what you are going through.

Big hugs are getting him what he needs.

[Jallysono]

There is a lot you can ask for. Remember you are his advocate and they are legally obligated to provide accommodations. Their budget is not your problem.

[Pmom]

Hi, I have a 14 year old who has ADD inattentive. He just started high school this year. He has a 504 plan since he was diagnosed in Kindergarten. There's a lot of articles about 504 accommodation out there. You can check in the CHADD website for instance. While my son was in middle school I had meetings with the school guidance couselor 2-3 times a year and walked through my sons accommodations. He has a list of accommodations such as sitting in front of class, verbal reminders, extra time to submit work and extra time in test just to name a few. In middle school, he wasn't taking meds and I had to constantly remind him to advocate for himself because he forgot or embarrassed to ask. I also had to communicate with all of his teachers to make sure he was doing his work in class. I made sure he did his homework and wrote his name on it. In 8th grade, he was in the organizational alt class which helped him organized and do his unfinished work. It was a struggle but we got through middle school. You just have to advocate for your child because it helps a lot. Now my son is in high school I have to continue advocating for him. I started him on meds so we are still in the trial period. Crossing my fingers that it will work.

So hang in there and good luck to you and to all of us!!!! HUGS

[care4myboy]

You will have to reach out to the Principal and the school psychologist. Do some research to see what they IEP evaluation process is at your son's school district. Do you have an official diagnosis for your son on a report? If you do, bring it to school and tell them to set up a meeting to see if your son meets the IEP criteria. I am sure he would. Hang in there and advocate for him. It's physically and emotionally demanding, I know. I have been there and am still doing it for my 11 yrs old too. Good luck!

[Janice_H]

Hello Maybeck, I have a 12 y.o. son with ADHD who recently transitioned to a new middle school. The transition is not easy - new environment, different rules, different group of older students, peer pressure, more challenging assignments. It is no wonder your son is overly anxious. Hormones are changing too which can bring on anxiety and changes in mood.

If you have not already done so, have your son evaluated by a psychologist. Public schools will not provide an IEP unless they have been diagnosed with a qualifying condition by a health professional. Once you receive a diagnosis, you can advise the school that an IEP is needed. The psychologist will make recommendations on what accommodations the school should provide based upon your son's evaluation results.

By law, public and charter schools are required to provide IEP or 504 plans. Private schools do not have to as they are not regulated. Private schools will not have the ability to provide all the accommodations your son may need.

Everything you describe about your son is common for children with ADHD (poor handwriting, poor listening, forgetfulness, failing to complete work by deadlines). You can ask for OT services at school to help with handwriting. There are tons of other accommodations you can request - scribes, use of a recorder, checks for understanding, frequent breaks, extended time on tests, reduced homework load, extended time to turn in assignments, etc. You can also ask that teachers e-mail you daily with homework assignments. This can be written into the IEP.

Read all that you can about the IEP process and learn what your parental rights are. It can be confusing. The school systems do not always do what they should, so it is important to stay on top of them. I would also recommend enrolling your son in sports, a school club or other support group for teens so he can be in an environment where he is having fun and being social. If all else fails, there are many medications that can help with anxiety and depression. I hope you son improves and that you feel less confused about what to do.

Good luck!!