What "services" are available?

[TiredSoul]

My son's diagnosis is ADHD-combined and ODD. He has a little bit of Aspie traits as well.

His main problems in school are:
1) peer relationships (he wants his way, controlling, bossy, one-sided, doesn't understand when something isn't fair or when other don't act like they should)
2) not being motivated to work hard or try if something is difficult for him

He is bright and probably bored.

So my question is - what sped services are available to help with those issues? I don't really want to know about accommodations but rather actual services. Right now he gets 15 mins/day social skills (where he plays a game with peers and the sped teacher), and 30 mins/week social story read to the entire class, and 30 mins/week with school counselor.

He is not interested in school, does not like it, is not engaged and nothing is being done to address his motivation. Any ideas?

Thanks,
Jules

 

[TeDo]

My son's diagnosis is ADHD-combined and ODD. He has a little bit of Aspie traits as well.

His main problems in school are:
1) peer relationships (he wants his way, controlling, bossy, one-sided, doesn't understand when something isn't fair or when other don't act like they should)
2) not being motivated to work hard or try if something is difficult for him

To me it sounds like he's more than a little bit Aspie. Those are the same issues my son has and the Asperger's actually replaced the ODD diagnosis. Once we started looking at things "through his Aspie eyes" and figured out where those issues came into play, we were better able to change some things to fit him. Things like having information presented in ways he understood and interested him (in my case, more work done using a computer) works great. He may not see the relavance of work to HIM or the importance of it. He may not try difficult things because it's something he doesn't fully understand. Aspie's don't see the other person's point of view or how their actions affect others. They also have a problem changing mind set meaning once he gets an idea in his head, he has a REALLY hard time changing it.

Sorry I can't offer any suggestions about services. In my case, we are working on getting 1:1 help to help explain things to difficult child in a way he understands so he can do the work he is more than capable of doing and to "teach" him social skills he is lacking throughout the day instead of in a classroom with limited real life situations.

Good luck.

 

[exhausted]

It is very typical of ADHD kids to have all those issues you mentioned-not just Aspie kids. In terms of motivation-this is the $100,000 question and as a teacher, ADHD kids are the hardest here. Things that work in my classroom are offering choices about how students show their learning, giving kids opportunity to move to places they like- I have a rocking chair, a carpet, etc. I have a token economy for all my kids (left over from my Sp. Ed. days of teaching) where kids earn classroom cash-lose it as well for not following rules or completing work. They spend it in a weekly auction where kids bring stuff they want to get rid of. They get to earn their own money for selling their own junk. But this is a teacher thing.
My son, now 23, was a problem to get through elementary school. Smart and knew it all and bored. I did not insist on the best teachers then, big mistake. A teacher worth their salt has a plan in place for these kids because we all have them (average of 2 per classroom each year).When you find what they will work for it is a jackpot! Traditional seatwork kinds of teachers are the kiss of death for bright, ADHD kids. I would set up a way to catch him using appropriate social skills and finishing work and reward him with praise and anything else he'll work for like extra computer etc.
The only way in this state to get more services for these kids is if they have an Learning Disability (LD) on top of the ADHD. Sometimes they can be qualified under emotionally disturbed or behavior disordered-but this may not equal more services. Other health impaired is another catagory. It sounds like your getting some good stuff-the trick is getting the regular teacher to integrate the social skills,see and reward them. Remember the more services the more they are pulled and Special Education. teachers do mostly remedial academics. Doesn't sound like he needs that.The classroom teacher should be able to consult with the Special Education. person and they should write a BIP-behavioral intervention plan that includes ways to motivate.