My son was diagnosed with ADD, and i would like to know if there is a special kind of school for him.?

Question

we have been tried several medications for him but none worked, he is having difficulties at school, so there is any special school with a small group that can help him?

Answer 1

You don't need to send him to a special school.   Have you had your school test him for their special education program?  If they refuse to, you can make them.  I had to do that with my daughter, it took me 3 years of fighting but I got it.  I am also very lucky to live in a small town and we were blessed with the most generous and dedicated teachers that even before I could get her qualified for special ed they were helping her.  They tutored after school in small groups of other kids.  Our school also has the special ed as inclusion meaning it is done during regular class time and the special ed teachers come to the classrooms, we are lucky!!!!

I also went through a bunch of meds for my daughter that didn't work, we finally found the Daytrana patch, this has been like a miracle.  My daughter use to refuse to take any of the other meds, now she takes full responsibility of her meds, she puts it on in the morning and she takes it off in the afternoon.  She is rewarded by getting to take 1 day off the patch over the weekend.  I usually choose the day when we don't have anything planned.  I would recommend this patch to anyone who is having difficulty with any of the other meds.

Answer 2

Yes; your current school.  Immediately contact your school district with a letter requesting an evaluation to determine eligibility for special education services.  They should provide you wiht a permission to evaluate form within 10 days.  If possible, contact the school psychologist at the district directly and have them supply the form that day.  When the school district receives the signed copy of the Permission to Evaluate form, that starts the clock.  In Pennsylvania, the district has 60 school days to complete the evaluation.  Beginning July 2008, it becomes 60 calendar days.  Check with your local state code (should be available online) to see the deadlines.  You should also receive a copy of Procedural Safeguards.  THESE explain your rights under your state laws.  If you don't understand them, get help from a lawyer or support groups included with the safeguards.

Special Education services have to prove two tests:

ONE:  Does a student have a disability?

TWO:  Does that disability limit the student's ability to obtain an education?

If your child qualifies for ADHD, it would be under the category of Other Health Impaired (OHI).  However, that only proves the first test.  Other factors might make proving the second test.  Does your child attend school regularly?  How are your child's grades?  If they are at least average (i.e "C"), then they don't qualify.   There's no educational need.

As for the 504 plan, if your child doesn't qualify for Special Education services, chances are they won't qualify for 504 plan either as this also requires proof that the child cannot obtain an average education.

Remember too:  refusal of special education services is also refusal of 504.  You can't have a 504 without having had an evaluation for special education services done first.

Piece of advice:  when asking for evaluation to determine eligibility for special education be prepared for the unexpected.  There may also be learning disabilities, mental retardation, emotional disturbance, language disorders, etc.  This is part of a COMPREHENSIVE evaluation as required by law.

If your child qualifies for Special Education services, you are an EQUAL part of the team to develop an individualized education plan (IEP).  You can ask for an advocate to sit with you.  The purpose of the IEP is to meet your child's EDUCATIONAL needs;  Ask the team members to justify their recommendations.  Don't just accept their suggestions on faith alone; if you don't understand, make them help you understand.  

I am NOT A DOCTOR:  However, in my experience some children with ADHD do not respond to the first line of medications to treat ADHD:  Stimulants like Ritalin.  Some respond to Concerta, Adderal, Strattera or combination.  Others respond to antidepressants.  Seek out a reputable psychiatrist in your area to prescribe and manage those meds.  

Additionally, positive behavioral modification plans can sometimes assist the child with ADHD in developing adaptive and academic behaviors.  

Good luck!

Answer 3

There is a Program (not a school) that will teach your son to focus on his own.

Your son is a visual learner and this is why he has trouble focusing.  Your son can learn to use this visual gift to learn how to focus. This method allows him to take control of his learning.  It builds confidence because your son will see that he is capable of learning and capable of focusing, without medication!

If you are interested in a non-medication solution, read The Gift of Learning by Ron Davis.

Answer 4

he can go on a iep or section 504 if you are in the usa.

try buying him hunter headphones at any walmart to help deaden noises to ease his distractions.

go to www.nichcy.org and see add and then www.disabilityinfo.gov for the same info

Answer 5

Yes, it's called home.

Try home schooling, and provide the needed one on one instruction the child needs, and let them work at their own pace.

Home schooling also provides for all the needed breaks, and activities that will allow them to use all that energy.

Karate classes are good for extra structure, and discipline.

for another school of though on the ADD/ADHD issue go to;

http://www.adhdfraud.org/

Answer 6

for students with ADHD (no such legal term as ADD), he doesnt need to be enrolled in a special school. But if it affects his learning he can have a 504 plan or a IEP under the criteria of OHI (other health impairment)

As with therapy, try to find him a Cognitive Behavioral Therapist. Most psychologists are trained in this form.

Also, what kind of doctor diagnosed him and what kind of doctor is he seeing for his medication RX

Answer 7

I'm in the beginning process of learning my way around the school system and searching for programs (how to go about getting them, which ones are available, etc.).  The only thing I know to suggest at this point is start researching and IEP (individualized education plan).  My friend has an autistic daughter who has an IEP.  She is teaching me how to go about things, however we live in different states.  Some things are the same and others are different.  I just asked a similar question myself.  I'd also suggest that your son may be misdiagnosed.  The meds (assuming you've tried several) should have worked.  My son is bipolar and odd.  Does he show signs of depression?  My sons come out (shows itself) with anger on the outside as he has trouble knowing how to deal with it.  I'm not saying that is what is going on for yours, but I know that it gets misdiagnosed as ADD as well as other disorders.  I'd probably go for a second opinion that way, although I'm certaintly no expert.  If you find out any good info, e-mail me and let me know.  I wish you the best of luck.  I am going through some of the same.  The school is acting as if I'm not doing anything and don't realize all the trial and error that goes into helping your child overcome things.  Right now it's his sleep disorder, the principle fails to remember how he used to get kicked out of class for behavior.  How do they not realize that these things didn't fix themselves?  I'm ranting and now I'll stop.

Answer 8

I am adult with ADD.   I was actually diagnosed with it in my college years.  What fun that was not knowing all these years of thinking I am very slow learner.

Anyways....

I would speak with the school and see if they can just adjust things for him during his school year.

Have him leave the classroom for apart of his day so he can get some quiet time with out distractions to do his work.

Sometimes just reading the material out loud can be helpful.  (don't want other kids to stare at him, but that's why he needs quiet time so he can get work done)

Answer 9

As a school teacher for High School students with ADD and ADHD, I cannot reasonably advocate for psychotropic drugs, that is up to the parents and student.  You don't need to change schools.  Just sit down with his teachers, take a long look at what he needs to be successful.  What I mean is start with how much time he can focus, then work from there in trying to extend that by double towards the end of the school year.  Celebrate every small accomplishment along the way.  The system is set up not to meet the need of every child and the more you kid becomes isolated and disenfranchised with school, the more prone they are to trouble down the line.  Also, look at the schedule.  For my really out of control unmedicated HS students, it isn't unusual for me to have them participate in a academic course followed by a hands on (tech ed) or active course (phy ed), followed by another academic course, in order to help them release some of the energy they have.  One last general suggestion, it look at trouble spots with the schedule, get your kid out of teachers classes who aren't patient.  Some teachers are just better than others in working with students who need a different style.  Oh, one last thing...LISTEN to you kid...He/she can sometimes provide valuable insight on what they need to be successful in classroom or things/items that they can use to help them focus.  

As for groups, keep you kid involved with school sports and activities.  Foster interpersonal relationships.  The single biggest predictor of success after high school is involvement in clubs and sports.

I don't know what your kids day looks like but given a 7 period day many of my students look like this.

Study Hall

Academic

Phy Ed

Academic

Lunch

Elective

Study Hall (for credit)

Academic