easy child/difficult child and medications

[dstc_99]

So husband took easy child to see the Dr this am. Issues were adhd medications making her irritable (not sure of the medication and I always get the name wrong), not sleeping (takes 10mg DR Melatonin), and generalized anxiety. The Dr proceeded to change her ADHD medications to Concerta 18mg and had a bunch of blood work done and a urine test. Apparently he thinks she may have an undiagnosed bladder infection. WTH??? Seriously how do you get not sleeping and generalized anxiety confused with a bladder infection. Plus you are talking about a kid that holds it forever. Seriously I pee three times as often as she does and she has ALWAYS been this way even as a very young child.

Maybe they will catch something else with the tests though so I am glad they ran them just for historical value and in case something is wrong medically like diabetes or hypothyroidism.

The other issue is that easy child basically refuses to take her medication. I leave before she does in the morning and most of the time she is not even awake so I can't really force her to take it. I have threatened on several occasions to take it to school but never followed through (I know bad mom). Anyway she says she doesn't want it at school because it is embarassing. I told her to tell the kids its an allergy pill she is taking and not to worry about it. I am going to have husband take it to school and get it set up so she has it every day.

Last but not least her grades have dropped dramatically in math and slightly in her other core classes. I am going to call the school and see about getting her some help. I think it could be due to the adhd kicking up but I also think she has some sensory issues. She hates noise like dogs barking and screaming and complains constantly about kids being too talkative or loud during class. When she is at home she spends all her time laying around with the tv on and reading books on her ipod. She likes it quiet or atleast as quiet as it can be with a tv running. I really think I should get her evaluated but I don't know how easy it will be to get a neuro evaluation done.

Suggestions?

 

[InsaneCdn]

She likes it quiet

Separate evaluation... get her tested for the full spectrum of APDs - including auditory figure ground, in particular. This is where the person has normal hearing (or corrected hearing), but has trouble separating the background noise from the "important" sounds... so, hard to hear teacher in class (even when the class is supposedly quiet... rustling paper, scratch of pen on paper, coughs... HUGE issue). Causes mental overload from trying to hear...

Not that it wouldn't be a good idea to get a comprehensive evaluation but... the Auditory Processing Disorders (APD) evaluation is faster to get so you could do that while you're waiting.

 

[dstc_99]

o since Friday she has been able to bring up her grade from a 53% to a 76% just by turning in some homework but I thought I would check her grades online to see if there were any type of pattern. Guess what all of her learning checks are failing grades. Her one test is a failing grade and pretty much anything that has to be done at school is a failing grade. All of her homework is a good grade (when she turns it in). Sounds like there is an in class issue or she is just doing well on homework because we check it and make her fix the errors.

I still have to figure out what OR and SA reviews are. I am guessing Oral Review but I have no idea on SA. Hopefully the school will call me back and I can get some answers.

 

[dstc_99]

I will have to see about that. Do you normally go through your regular doctor to request this or does the therapist have the authority?

 

[InsaneCdn]

Here (I'm in Canada) it starts with Speech Language Pathologist (SLP), who does "screening" for these things... if that slows anything, then fam doctor does referral to specialist in auditory processing (advanced PHD-level audiologist), who does the more complete test.

 

[dstc_99]

Just got done talking with the Assistant Principal and she doesn't qualify for extra assistance because she tested too high on some test they give them a couple of times during the year. ARGH! She failed every other test but apparently thats the only one that matters. She then proceeds to tell me that she will be in Pre Algebra again next year so she will catch up. UMM NOPE we are military and will move this summer. She may get thrown into something way over her head!

 

[StressedM0mma]

difficult child is on Concerta as well as some other medications, and I do not let her take them herself. husband is up before me in the morning, and he gives them to her with some soymilk every morning. SHe takes them and rolls back over and is asleep. She has many problems, but she does know that medication compliance is something I do not play with. Can you just give it to her everymorning before you leave? Besides, it does take a while to kick in, and if she waits until school, she will not be getting maximum benefit.

 

[InsaneCdn]

Just got done talking with the Assistant Principal and she doesn't qualify for extra assistance because she tested too high on some test they give them a couple of times during the year.

Stupid-question time...
Is this all verbal?
Or did you send a properly-worded formal letter requesting that the child be fully evaluated for blah blab bla...

Written has power.
Anything verbal, they can just brush off. And often do.

 

[dstc_99]

Yesterday was verbal. Normally I email. That doesn't seem to work either. They have been fighting her getting tutoring since the beginning since she survives the classes. The problem is that she is surviving in KY which has a school system that is behind the average. When we move she could be in deep ****! This has been going on for a while now. When we got here we had come from VA which was a much higher level education she basically should have been acing everything because it was a repeat but nope she had the same issues.

She doesnt fail she just does really poorly and then the anxiety kicks in and she is a mess about her grades. She eventually brings the grade up to around a C almost every semester but last semester it was a D.

We have the school giving the Concerta now so that no matter what she gets it every school day.

 

[BusynMember]

I would get the neuropsychologist done first. JMO. They are very intensive and cover the big stuff. However, if there is a long waiting list,t hen you can get the other things evaluated seperately, but do NOT cancel the neuropsychologist appointment., no matter what anyone else says. He's the guy who can actually make a diagnosis stick for school. My son's evaluation was ten hours. I had a few myself. Covered lots of ground.
The school did NOT give her IEP testing, by the way. Does s he have one? Do you have an advocate to kick the school's behind if they make excuses?

 

[InsaneCdn]

Requests for school to do an evaluation for services... needs to be a formal written letter, by mail, with proof of delivery... I understand (I'm not in the US) that THAT is the only way to start the formal time-line that requires them to respond. Email isn't a formal request. There will be posts on this over in Special Education.

 

[dstc_99]

She doesnt have an IEP. I dont have an advocate but I am going to contact her therapist today and see if he can help point me in the right direction. We will only be here about 4 more months so I am not expecting too much here but I want to get a head start for next year. The school hasn't done any special evaluations or anything just the normal testing all kids take. The extra tutoring after school they offer doesn't require any special reason but they don't want straight A students. They want it for kids with d's or f's. Of course mine generally keeps her grades C's or above and when her grades dip it is only for a few weeks so she doesn't get the same assistance as students whose grades are consistently low.

 

[dstc_99]

I will give that a shot and see what happens. It can't hurt right. LOL

 

[buddy]

IEP / IDEA is federal so if they do the evaluation and she qualifies you will arrive at your district a step ahead.......If not, as soon as you have an address send a request in a formal letter, return receipt requested......to the new district director of special education. perhaps let them know this is the step you were on in her last school and you don't want to waste time.