Update on Carson--My ADHD WOnder Boy

Chaosuncontained

New Member
Today I went and saw Carson's doctor. Told him the refusal to do work, hiding under his desk, moodiness, anger...even a little suicide-ish comments ("I hate my life" "I wish I was dead" "I would throw myself off a cliff if we had one" and "I'm the King of Idiots") were still happening. Carson is failing the third grade already, 3 weeks in.

I also am having a hard time with the school. I don't feel supported. I feel like they have given up. If I mention IEP they almost have freak outs. They think he is just a discipline problem.

The doctor changed his medications. Now he's to be talking: Focalin, Intuniv and Celexa.


Doctor wrote a note to the school that Carson should be allowed to bring home any unfinished work and allowed to do it at home. And said he needs to see a psycologist.

I took the note to the school. The counselor didn't like that idea but admitted that because the doctor wrote it they would comply. I told her it wasn't to be "forever". But that we hoped that with new medications and counseling that he would gain self esteem that he COULD do his work and then would be able to do it at school without getting overwhelmed and hiding under his desk. I then mentioned IEP again. I could feel her tension. She started trying to talk me out of that--in round about ways.

At that moment a lady stuck her head into the counselors office. She is the county Diagnostician. OMG. Do you know how lucky (or blessed) I was that she was there today? I spent over an hour talking to her. Telling her about Carson. The medications we've tried. How many times he's been sent to On Campus Suspension, Discipine reports sent home from the Principal. Notes/emails from the teachers. Hiding under the desk, refusing to do his school work. Small bits of aggression. Chewing on his shirts.

Dark clouds parted, the sun began to shine. I swear the was a RAINBOW in the room... She told me that we should get started TODAY of getting paperwork filled out, consent forms signed so that she could do IQ and Achievement tests on him. She immeadiatley called the County Psycologist who will do all other testing, interviews and observations of Carson. SHE faxed over her consent form for me to sign. His testing is supposed to be done by 11/10/11.


In TWO short months I will have more information. We will maybe have something else to work on, but we will know WHAT we need to work on! He may not qualify for IEP--but we will have a better understanding of what is going on. And if he DOES qualify? Well, then we can figure out what he needs to succeed! I am so excited.

I haven't felt this relieved in a LONG time. This lady explained everything so clearly to me. While I was in the office, the counselor looked up at me and said "...and YOU won't have to pay for any of it..." Her tone said "WE (the school) have to pay for it!!" and then the diagnostician said "That's why we have it. So that ANY child that needs testing can get it done--and he NEEDS testing"!! Big smiles here. Light heart...

Whew. Thank you all for getting me started on this journey. All of your information made me sound (sorta) like I knew what I was talking about. Now I pray that the next 60 days go by swiftly!!! LOL

PS: Forgot to add... he was diagnosis with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) today. Makes sense why he can't do his work, he sees it and gets so anxious ("I cant do it, it's too hard") that he shuts down and doesn't do the work. And why he "hides".
 
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JJJ

Active Member
That lady knows the law :) Techinically, all of the testing should have been done within a couple of months of the FIRST time you asked for an IEP evaluation.

Keep that lady on speed dial!
 

keista

New Member
:choir: So happy for you and your difficult child! Yes, keep that lady on speed dial, and make sure she is invited to ALL IEP meetings. I'm just guessing that she will be one of the "heads" of the team so will be required to be there anyway, but if not, make sure you invite her and schedule meetings to accommodate her presence if necessary.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) sounds like an excellent first diagnosis for him.
 

DDD

Well-Known Member
Congratulations on a job well done. Preparation by the parent is key. How totally awesome that the expert happened to show up. You might call that a miracle. I think I would. The "experts" in the school system usually know and truly understand that the needs of children have to be foremost. I love, lol, her response to the Counselors comment. Just love it! Sleep well tonight. You're on the right track, you have an ally and your child is actually getting help. Yeah! DDD
 
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