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kafikedling wrote:

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blondemss wrote:

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i actually know quite a bit about it but i'm not commenting until i know if you're being sarcastic or not :)

I wasn't being sarcastic at all about ADHD..I would like to know how best to help an ADHD eight year old boy...his mom is homeschooling him because he was being picked on so much in the regular classroom.

Kafi, the public school system is required to provide a fair, safe and accomodating learning environment for children with disabilities - whether the disability is physical or emotional. After you have a diagnosis from a professional (sounds like you already do), write your school a one line letter, addressed to the principal, SPED coordinator at the school, and the school counselor. Send it certified mail, return receipt delivered. The letter should state: "This letter is written to request scheduling an IEP meeting to discuss and plan evaluating my child, ___, for possible IEP placement"

IEP stands for Individualized Education Plan and is under a federal law called IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act). Here's a website dedicated to help parents. It's confusing if you're new to the concept, but this truly is the bible of IDEA for parents. http://www.wrightslaw.com/info/add.index.htm

By Federal law, the school has thirty days to respond to you. Keep on them respectfully, but proactively to get that meeting scheduled. While law varies somewhat from state to state, it's a federal law (I.D.E.A.) that requires public schools to offer a fair, equal and appropriate education for all children with disabilities. Just like they have to offer accomodations to assist the blind child to have an equal education, they have to offer accomodations for the emotionally-disabled child as well.

For a child with ADHD, Bipolar, OCD, Anxiety disorders and the like, some appropriate accomodations are things like: reduced homework. My son had no homework if he "got" a concept. Homework was a nightmare at our house and he was failing school because of it. (Anyone with a child like mine knows what I'm talking about); quiet place for testing (self-explanatory); an aid to help take notes, keep them on task, read to them if they have trouble reading to themselves (bipolar or adhd kids often will read the same sentence over and over and still not take it in because their mind is racing); a "safe place" to go when they're over-stimulated.

These are just a couple examples. I swear I'm not touting my website, and also promise I'm no expert - just a parent who's "been there, done that." I have put together an extensive list of resources on getting an IEP started, what your child's rights are under the laws, how to get an advocate to help you if you're feeling lost, etc. The link is on one of the prev. pages.

There is something called a 504 plan which many schools will try and use instead of setting up an IEP plan. A 504 plan is not acceptable - it is a "behavior intervention plan" and has to do with behavioral problems - not with learning problems. It will not require the school to provide learning accomodations for your child, but instead will set up a behavior plan.

Even if your child is homeschooled, you're still entitled to help from the public school system in the form of IEP interventions and accomodations. These vary state to state, but can actually include actual testing and/or screening for diagnosis, school-paid therapy, group therapy, socialization classes, and much more. Kids who go to private schools are also entitled to public school accomodations because private schools typically don't have accomodations. They're not required by law, so most just don't.

Kids who have anxiety as a big component to their illness have a really difficult time with school and can fall behind - even if they have way above average intelligence. Anxiety is almost always a factor when your child is dealing with OCD, bipolar, and even ADHD. It's the anxiety that can cause them to freeze up, have those obsessions and self-talk inside their head that keeps them from being able to stay focused or pay attention, and all the little bits of "white noise" in the class room that most people don't even really hear can be overwhelmingly distracting to a kid with anxiety, mood, or attention disorders.

Sorry so long. I've been helping advocate for other parents for years and years - I've had my support group since my son was 9 and he's 18 - so I can't help but reach out when I see a parent whose struggling to help their child. big, huge {{{hugs}}} It's so not an easy road, but being proactive and aggressively trying to give your child all the help he/she can get WILL pay off in the long run. Trust me. My son is about as sick as they come, and is graduating this May. He's graduating 100% mainstreamed (in regular class rooms), and on the honor roll all four years of High School. I owe his IEP team soooo much. I thank God we're in a great school district that provides him the tools he's needed in order to succeed.