How can I get the help my son needs?

Question

I just had my son's school conference and again, they keep on insisting that I put him on medication for ADD. My son is in 1st grade. He actually exceeds in math and science, however, his reading and writing is below normal. He also has a speech delay. But has really progessed with that. I am just soooo tired of teachers wanting my child on medication. I just heard too many horror stories with medication. The special school district said that he scored to high in language to recieve special services. please help with any knowledge on this matter. Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

I am a Special Education teacher and you will get what you want.  Depending on what you feel has to be done in order to accomodate him will depend on the services he gets.  I'm sure he is receiving speech classes and if he is exceding in the other subjects I wouldn't worry.  Many of my ADHD students struggle with mostly organization rather then academics.

Answer 2

I have ADD to... your son might need pills to help him focus and stay on track because they help me.... you just need to get him More one on one time and when he does home work u need to put him in a separate room and make sure he has no distractions... and don't be afraid of him taking medication just start him on a low dosage to see how his body reacts to it... and im sure everything will be ok for you and your son..

Answer 3

No teacher  has the right to "put your son on meds". Only a medical Dr. can do this...They can not diagnose the child. I would go to my Dr. and have him do a complete physical. It will be helpful for you to take any written info from his teacher with you. 1st grade sounds young to be put on meds,but I do not know the full situation....

In the end,you want what is best for your son....Think long and hard before making any decisions...

Answer 4

On what do they base the request for him to be put on meds?  My grandson is bipolar and cannot function without his medication.  Has he been diagnosed as ADD?  If he is truly ADD or ADHD then medication would make life easier for him.  You might try bringing him yo a psychologist for an evaluation.  They don't prescribe medication and are not so quick with an ADHD diagnosis.

Answer 5

it sounds a little to me that your child was misdiagnosed(mind you im not in the medic profession) is he disruptive? if e is exceeding in science and math then it doesnt really seem llike he has an attention problem. and just needs more help in other subject (they are probably boring to him) i was the SAME way when i was younger and my mom never put me on meds. speach delay and ADD dont have anything to do with each other...

to sum up...if you dont want to put him on meds then dont, that or designate a trial period, but it sounds to me he doesnt need them..

Answer 6

As a parent myself with a child in first grade with minor special needs I know how difficult it is to get the proper help from the school district. I first want to tell you that no one not "educators" or doctors or anyone else can tell you what is best for your child. ADD is a common diagnosis given today to young children, sometimes medication can be helpful but it isn't always what is best for the child. Many times changes in diet and daily activities can be very helpful for children diagnosed with ADD. Research and try what you think will be best for you and your son. Of course, they think medication would be helpful, it would be less "work " for them if he were medicated. As far as recieving special services for his educational needs, do as much research and investigating on your own as you can. Find out what your parental rights are when it comes to your child's educational needs. Do not assume that his school will tell you what he is entitled to. Every state is different but you do have rights and can make decisions for your child's public education. If at all financially possible try and have him evaluated privately. I did this where I live and the school honored my evaluation even though it differed from theirs. I can hold them financially responsible for services that I recieve privately if my private doctors and evaluators find that special needs exist and I can challenge any decision the school makes if I disagree through the district school board. Talk to alot of people, do a lot of research and find out as much as possble. If you have medical insurance find out what services, if any, they may cover in regards to speech and special educational needs. Some insurance policies will pay for special services with a diagnosis. Don't give up. I know it is a long and exhausting journey but he is worth the fight! Good Luck to you and know that you are not alone! :)

Answer 7

i do not believe it is legal for the school to mention medication.

be persistent it will pay off.

some advocacy help my help

try these sites

www.taalliance.org

www.fape.org

www.nichy.org

the TSA has a really great brochure called

Introduction to Educational Advocacy: The Basic Tools

i hope you find this help-full; GOOD LUCK

Answer 8

i had the same problem with my sons school.  my son is 8 and was originally diagnosed with adhd, nonverbal learning disability (nvld), developmental coordination disorder and a general anxiety disorder.  

for the past year, i have had a ton of 504 and iep meetings.  his school kept pushing me to medicate.  i eventually tried it out, but not because of their prompting.  needless to say, my son had a very adverse reaction so i took him off the meds.

despite all of my son's doctors recommendations to approve him for special-ed, the school kept on dragging out the process.  the school psychologist fonally concurred that he did need to be approved for special-ed services and he was eventually granted an iep.

it was a very long process.  he has had accommodations for the past year and not all of them are helping.  my son was officially diagnosed with aspergers a few weeks ago (autism spectrum disorder).  i will be meeting again with his school to revise his iep.  

my best advice to you, would be to stick to your guns.  unfortunately, many teachers are lazy and just want a quick fix to problems.  try to get a 504 or better yet, request IN WRITING that you would like to have an iep meeting.  you will need to prove though, that your son is having significant problems in school.  many schools won't do much of anything if they see he is doing well in his classes.  most importantly, document EVERYTHING..emails with teachers, doctors notes etc.

Answer 9

Although he seems to be doing fairly well in school, he might still have an attention span problem. I agree with you about the medication. My son was put on medication when he was in kindergarten....I took him off of the meds when he was thirteen because of the effects that the meds had on him (psychotic episodes caused by the meds). There are other options available such as changing his diet and several others. Talk to a Dr that believes in helping a person with ADD without taking medication. They are few and far between but they are out there.

Answer 10

You need to be backed up by a psychiatrist.  Get your son evaluated by one.

       Also find out your rights as a parent. I don't know what state you are in ... I would get an attorney, if the school system doesn't give you the information you need.  

      My son was on medication for 1 week , it changed his personality  so much , I removed him from it.

        Sometimes the schools want our children medicated for the teacher's convenience . I'll bet your son is easier to deal with when medicated.

   MY Son was a special needs child until this year . he is now a functioning high school junior.  But I had to fight every year to get him what he needed.. now he's doing fine , though he'll never be cured .  He has Asperger Syndrome.

              We found the best school system in our area , put him in the towns preschool at age 3 , and fought like h**l for him .  It was worth it .

     Don't let the bureaucrats get you down !!!

     Remember your son has a right to the best education possible!!!

Answer 11

Try the following websites.

Good luck

Answer 12

It is against FEDERAL law for students to even MENTION meds to parents.  Print this out and give it to them, that will shut them up

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?c1...

scroll down until you see the words 'a bill'

Answer 13

Good for you on the medication. In our school district, anything any parent insist on, they get it. So please be more persistant with your district.