Scool for ADHD boys

[rnada]

Hi, I just joined this group. I have a 20-year-old son with ADHD. Is there any private school where I can enroll him? He has no interest in studying or working. He takes anxiety medication, sees a psychiatrist, and plays Xbox most of the day. He lacks motivation to do anything and stays in his room with the blinds closed most of the time. Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. He is the only child to me.Thank you!

[Mamamichl]

stride/k12 does online schooling, but that’s for a high school diploma. Is that what you are needing, or are you meaning college level? Most of those schools are charter schools. The one I work at takes high schoolers until 22 years old. Some of them use Minecraft education and a lot have gamification for educational opportunities… they would push him though at times. They have to meet us half way. You can also request an IEP which can get him small group or social work help as well.

Another way to motivate him is to not pay for any more gaming and tell him he needs to finance his hobbies himself.

[rnada in reply to Mamamichl]

Thank Mamaichl, He has finished his high school. Looking for special school that can provide classes for adults (20yrs).

[Mamamichl in reply to rnada]

Many community colleges and city parks and recs. Have community classes that are affordable and interesting. I got my kid into karate, and saw lots of adult ones too.

[Redpanda5]

rnada,

If I may interject, it sounds like your son may be in what is called "defense mode," where one is so shut down that they are barely functioning.

May I also suggest that there may be more going on than just ADHD. You have described my 19yo daughter to a perfect T who also has ADHD and anxiety (medicated). Super smart, but she struggled to finish high school a year ago and is holed up in her room on video games. No going off to college.

She was also recently diagnosed with high functioning autism and she also has pda ("pathological demand avoidance" - not recognized in the states yet but some forward thinking psychiatrists acknowledge it). Basically, a person with this sees everything as a demand, even things they enjoy, and therefore just can't bring themselves to do them.

I found a coaching platform called aspergerexperts.com and they help parents, through very economical, self-paced, 8 week coaching courses ($200 and less) and group phone calls, to get their young adults get out of this "defense mode." They also have courses geared to the young adults but are usually recommended only after the parent has taken the parent course.

The coaches were all in defense mode themselves as young adults so they "get" it at a level that unfortunately many mental health professionals do not.

It would be successful for my daughter except that my husband doesn't buy into it. Both parents under the same roof have to follow it for it to work. Frustrating for me and I'm looking for a way to get her away from this poor support. (For what it's worth, I have two other young adult children who are not like this at all).

There is a whole world of kids out there like this. They check all the exact same boxes. It has been very eye-opening to me. If this doesn't fit what you're going through, my apologies. On the chance that it is, I would have wanted someone to share this with me.

Best to you. Hats off for your perseverance to help him!

[Genetic in reply to Redpanda5]

Ohh boy. I sport your child is going through this. Good replies. I need to hide tablets and TV remotes so our 7 year old doesn’t turn em on first thing when he gets up. Will never have a game system, for anyways in the house. I’m thinking about leaving his dads Sony PS ant my moms, where he lived( cause we are Kinshipcare Legal Guardianship Paternal Grandparents since birth)due to him recently passing and I feel it’s a way to connect back to his dad. Bought the only thing unfortunately.

But yes that gaming stuff is very stimulating. I like hearing about the schools and classes for an older child. I may need that some day.

Prayers for you journey-

Stacey

[mamina67]

Hello, I have a 16 year old son who is also diagnosed with ADHD, as well as Executive Function Disorder, and ODD. It is not easy to get him to engage in anything. He is not interested in going to school, nor doing anything really. He can express wanting to do something, only to not follow through and then go find something else to "hyper focus" on. I have been trying to find a school that will work with children with this diagnosis and it is almost impossible. I do not have much hope that he will graduate from high school....😓. I will look into the PDA mentioned by Redpanda5. That sounds a lot like him as well....

I feel our pain... Thank you for posting.