New diagnosis -- school questions

DogLover

New Member
Hello all, I am new here. Well, sort of new, I have been lurking on this board for awhile now. I wanted to wait until my difficult child's test results came back before posting, since I haven't had much to contribute or ask until now. My situation is with my fiancee's son, an 11 year old boy. Here is his background in a nutshell: diagnosed with ADHD when he was 4, diagnosis was confirmed at age 8. He is defiant, argumentative, has age-inappropriate temper tantrums, cries about things most kids his age wouldn't cry about, seems to have low frustration tolerance, anger management issues, is oppositional, argues about everything, gets in trouble at school for his behavior, few friends, seems unhappy much of the time. When in the midst of a defiant episode (usually when he hasn't gotten his way or was asked to do something he doesn't want to do), there is not talking to him. No amount of threats, taking away privileges, imposing punishments, etc. have any effect. He just screams, cries, and acts defiantly with seemingly little control over what he is doing. Then, once the episode is over, it's as if nothing happened. We talk with him and he will acknolwedge that "it wasn't worth it." Those are some of the things I can think of off the top of my head, but the battles and episodes occur daily. difficult child has two half-brothers (4 and 8) and a half-sister (6) who are all "normal." Has lived full-time with his father since age 5 mos and has very little interaction with his mother, who is an alcoholic.

difficult child is on Straterra, 40 mg, which was increased from 18 mg in September. He recently went through neuropsychologist testing and the ADHD diagnosis was confirmed. Bipolar, Major Depression, and Asperger's/autism were all ruled out, although there was some indication of mild depression. He was diagnosed only with ODD. The testing showed he really wants to be a "good kid" and get along with others...so he is not to the point yet of not caring. The psychologist said, however, that the not caring may eventually happen and evolve into CD or worse if the ODD is not brought under control. He was placed on Abilify last week and continues with the Straterra. The kicker was the intelligence testing...it revealed an IQ of only 82 (almost borderline mentally retarded, depending on what scale you use).

While we knew he was not going to end up a physicist or doctor, we did not realize difficult child's IQ was so low. He's currenlty on an IEP for reading and writing disabilities, as well as the ADHD. His behavior is a huge concern at school. He gets frequent discipline referrals for defiance, refusing to listen to teachers, purposely disrupting class, and general disobedience (as they put it). Twice he has physically acted out to the point the incident was labeled an "assault" on teachers. The police were called last year for the second incident (which occurred on the last day of school) because teachers could not bring difficult child under control before we got there.

My question is...should we request a re-review of his IEP in light of the testing results? We do not think he is performing at the level he should be compared to other kids his age (although have no proof to confirm that). When he has behavioral incidents, the teachers seem to blow it off. The last one, for example, notes on the discipline referral form that difficult child was "creating a dangerous situation," yet when the teacher talked to my fiancee, she minimized the incident saying "it only lasted 15 minutes." difficult child has been a behavioral problem since he started school and it is well documented in his school record.

We don't know what, if anything, can be done in the school system. We feel as if they may actually be "embellishing" his grades to show progress. Certainly, as noted above, they somtimes minimize the behavioral issues. They let him get away with things like using the word "cuz" instead of "because" on homework because they get sick of arguing with him about it (this came from difficult child who told us this). He cannot even construct a grammatically correct sentence -- for example, he does not capitalize the first word or place punctuation at the end without prompting. His penmanship is awful and most of the time we can't understand what he has written for homework in his assignment book.

Can we request that he be taken out of a mainstream classroom? If so, what alternative schooling options are out there? (in general -- I know some programs are probably school system-specific). What can we request the schools do to deal with both the behavioral problems and the academic concerns? His IEP gets "reinstated" every year, but they really don't ever change anything on it. They add a few comments, change the date, and call it good. We don't think they are doing enough for difficult child...but the problem is that we don't know what enough is.

My fiancee wants to hold difficult child back a year and not send him to middle school next year. The psychologist did not agree, saying this would do no good. I tend to agree -- trying to force material on a kid who doesn't have the intellectual capacity to process that material will only frustrate and damage him more (in my opinion). But the psychologist really didn't say what we can do when it comes to the schools. difficult child starts counseling with this psychologist next week for the behavioral/emotional issues. We also talked about family counseling (or at least something for my fiancee and I to learn how to parent/deal with the behaviors at home). difficult child is very challenging, to say the least.

Does anyone have advice on where we go from here? We thought the testing would give us some direction, but it really only added more questions. We honestly don't have a clue what to do next. It's all very overwhelming.

Any advice, comments, or real-life experience stories would really be appreciated!

Thank you, Merry Christmas, and God Bless all of you for being here.
 

BusynMember

Well-Known Member
Hi there :)
First of all, are you comfortable with the diagnosis? I don't care if he was dxd. twice with ADHD--do YOU feel that's the whole thing?
I"m just a Mom, but we had to evaluate my kid many times to get the right diagnosis so that he was on the right track. I'm just wondering if something like ADHD/ODD would cause so many meltdowns and inappropriate crying. I might get a second opinion. I did that a lot! Did this child have any delays as a young child, like talking? Does he seem overly moody? I just wonder if they got the whole picture. Professionals aren't perfect.

I would very definitely get an IEP. I'm a little "iffy" about the IQ test. Some disorders make kids with certain disorders score way below their actual ability level. My son was one of them. He scored 75 on a standard IQ test, but is obviously above average, now that he has had the appropriate help. He recently had an IQ test where he scored 108. Kids with certain processing problems or issues tend to just not test well. Has your son had an Special Education help, an aide, anyone showing him how to take notes, teaching him social skills? I would demand all of that.
My son is now 15 and practically mainstreamed, and he always makes the honor roll, but we were also told he was "slow." Then we were told he had ADHD/ODD. Then we were told he had bipolar. We've had a long, rocky road.
I love neuropsychologist evaluations, but they are not all created equally. How long was your son's testing? My son had ten hours of it. It's just a Mommy gut hunch, but I feel like they missed something important about your son. Does it matter as long as they treat the symptoms? YES! Why? Because the label will get him services.
Welcome to our little corner of the world! Others will come along soon.
 

Fran

Former desparate mom
Doglover, welcome. So glad you posted.
I want to post some questions and suggestions but I must run out the door. I will be back and post longer.
In the meantime, I'll think of something helpful to say. : ) Hang in there.
 

smallworld

Moderator
Welcome, doglover. I'm glad you found us.

I personally don't find the ODD diagnosis very helpful. It describes a set of behaviors that are typically fueled by an underlying disorder (think of ODD as a symptom rather than a diagnosis unto itself). When the underlying disorder is identified and treated, the oppositional behaviors generally improve. I suspect this psychologist may not have gotten to the root of your difficult child's issues.

Sorry for all the questions, but your answers will help us help you:

Is he better, worse or about the same since starting Strattera? What dose is he taking? Has he ever tried other medications, and if so, what was his reaction?
How does he do in school, both academically and with peers?
Any speech or developmental delays?
Any sensory issues (for example, sensitivity to clothing tags, loud noises, food textures)?
Any mental health issues or substance absue in the family tree?
What kind of reading and math learning disabilities have been identified by the school? Were these corroborated in the private testing?

Again, welcome.
 

jal

Member
Welcome doglover - Your difficult child sounds so much like mine in the behavior department it is not funny. My difficult child is diagnosis'd bipolar and ADHD. He has many sensory issues and may actually be slightly on the spectrum, but is also a very smart little guy. As for what is next, I would probably call an IEP meeting to state your concerns about your difficult child and see what they school system can offer you. Maybe a one on one in the classroom, sensory breaks (if needed). My child made it through kindergarten on an IEP and with a one on one (para), but by day 3 of first grade the school knew they did not have enough supports for him. He had an IEP and a one on one, but he needed more. We were offered out-of-district placement at a therapeutic school which the SD provides transportation and tuition for. We had the say on which one. It was the biggest heartbreaking decision to have to make, yet difficult child is thriving there. He is in a class of 8. He can't focus in a large, bustling classroom, it's too confusing and causes meltdowns and tantrums. In this setting he gets group and individual therapy, he will soon start receiving occupational therapy for his sensory issues, yet he is now more able to focus on learning because of the structure of the school. Once he proves that he can function within the mainstream he can go back to district. This was the best decision husband and I made as we have been thrilled with-the school and staff and also with the fact that he is starting to get and education and comes home and when he talks you can just tell he's getting it. There are other options out there to help our difficult child's. Good luck.
 

JLady

A ship lost in the night
Welcome. I agree with getting other opinions as well. My son was labeled with the ODD diagnosis as well and I just didn't agree with it. We have finally found some help and he began a new medication that is making the world of difference. YOU know your child. Do what is in the child's best interest.
 
B

bran155

Guest
Hello and welcome. I agree with the others with regards to getting another opinion and revisiting the CSE board.

I wanted to talk about the IQ thing. I wouldn't worry to much about that for right now. My daughter's IQ, is around 80. At first, way back when, 10 years ago when we first got that score I was a nervous mess about it. However, she did fine in school. She is a bright girl and quick learner. All through school I was told she is completely capable of going to college. Her IQ is not what is in the way of her education its her behavior that hinders her. She did have an IEP and did get services while in grammer school. She was in a mainstream class with resource room as an extra, her grades were pretty good. She was capable of learning in a regular classroom until she got into middle school. That is when she went into Special Education, but not because of her learning abilities it was becasue of her behavior due to the mental illness. So try not to put too much stock into that dreaded IQ number!!! That does not mean your step-son won't succeed academically.

I just wanted to share that with you. You have found a wonderful place here, the parents on this site are AMAZING!!! They are so full of knowledge and kind words. You will get lots of good advice as well as support. Finding this site was the best thing I have ever done for myself.

Hang in there and God bless. :)
 

KTMom91

Well-Known Member
Welcome, doglover! I would also suggest getting other opinions, especially if your "mommy gut" tells you that the current diagnosis is not correct.

Merry Christmas!
 

DogLover

New Member
Thank you all for the feedback. It's helpful.

MidwestMom -- No, I don't feel as though difficult child just has ADHD or ODD. Problem is, I don't know what he might have. It's difficult to know what to question or what to push when you really don't know what you might be dealing with.

The NP testing lasted 4-5 hours. We have not gotten the narrative summary report, but did recieve copies of the test results (scores). The PhD who did this testing is reputable and his practice exclusively involves troubled children. He performs forensic testing/evaluations for court cases. Based on the brochure summarizing his services and expertise, this guy knows his stuff. He works at a clinic that is one of the most reputable in town, which is a large metropolitan area. I'm not sure where else we would go.

I don't know about developmental delays because I was not invovled when he was very young. However, according to difficult child's dad, there were none. (Not sure how accurate that is, though, my SO sometimes just doesn't see the forest for the trees.)

Yes, he is often moody.

He has received Special Education teaching for the reading/writing disabilities since 1st grade. However, they do not go further to address social skills, note-taking, etc. He just goes to the Special Education room a couple times a week to do his Reading and that's about it. They don't even send homework home, which I find odd. I would think that for a child with a reading Learning Disability (LD), they would encourage reading at home and suggest books appropriate to his level. They don't -- I have yet to see a reading assignment sent home (in the 3 years I've known this kid).

smallworld -- We think he may have gotten a bit worse since the Straterra was increased in dosage -- more agitated and defiant. He currently takes 40mg. He took stimulants when he was younger but they caused tics. I'm not aware of any other medications (other than the Abilify that was recently started).

He does not do well either academically or socially. His grades are C's and D's, although he did get a B in Social Studies. See my original post for other comments about his academic skills.

Socially, he has very few friends (only 2 -- one a kid two years older than him who is a problem kid and we discourage difficult child seeing him, the other a nice kid with RAGING ADHD -- he's always moving). We have watched him at a few school/sports events we took him to and he never really hangs out with or engages other children. He'll say hi, but generally sticks to himself. Other kids don't approach him, either -- I suspect because he is the "bad" kid in class. difficult child has had numerous discipline referrals related to arguments or disagreements with other kids (he is sometimes overly sensitive -- even just a look will send him into a defiant/angry episode). Additional information regarding his school performance is also noted in my original post.

I'm not aware of any speech or developmental delays. But again, I was not in the picture then and his dad has selective memory. So who knows what really went on in difficult child's early years.

He is sometimes sensitive -- the microwave beep, for example, really irritates him. He always stops it at 1 second so he doesn't have to hear it go off. He always takes all his clothes off the minute he gets home and walks around the house in his boxers. However, I would not say he is overly sensitive to stimuli.

There is alcoholism, drug abuse, and possibly mental illness with his mother. We don't know for sure exactly what, if any, diagnosis she has been given. There is alcohol abuse with his paternal grandmother. His dad has no substance or mental health issues at all, and I'm not aware of any other issues in the family.

No math disability was identified by the school, just reading and writing. There is not much detail on the IEP, it just says difficult child performs below the expected level in reading/writing.

I'm honestly not sure if the Learning Disability (LD)'s were confirmed by the NP testing. We only have raw scores, no summary. The psychologist verbally reviewed the results with us but never actually gave a diagnosis until I asked "so what's going on." I specifically asked whether difficult child shows indications of Bipolar or Asperger's. He did not feel the testing revealed enough depressive symptoms to warrant a Bipolar diagnosis. The testing also showed that he has an ability to empathize or see things from another's viewpoint. Given that this key characteristic of Asperger's appears not to be present, the psychologist felt this disorder could also be ruled out based on that. It wasn't until I came right out and asked "Is this ODD?" that he said yes, he believed it was.

My sense was that the psychologist was not prepared for our meeting to go over the testing. He had not yet spoken to difficult child individually. He hadn't connected yet with difficult child's former counselor. There was no written summary of the test results available. He seemed reluctant to offer up any specific diagnosis or impression until I came right out and asked. He did not offer suggestions or ideas of where to go next -- he basically just offered us 2 book titles. In a nutshell, I had the sense that he just wasn't prepared for the meeting. I do believe this psychologist is knowledgeable and experienced, but something about the appointment had me wondering if we were truly getting the whole picture.

The problem we have is...what do we do now?? We're struggling to even know what questions to ask, either of the school system or the psychiatric doctors. I guess we expected that the psychologist would lay out a plan for difficult child that would give us some direction (and hope). All we got were some test scores and two book titles.

jal -- Your comments are of particular interest to me, as this is what we are thinking our difficult child may need. But again, we don't know how to get the ball rolling. Who do we talk to? What do we use to justify the request? What if they say no? We just really don't know where to begin.

JLady -- Thank you, we are trying our best to do what is in difficult child's best interest. Problem (again) is that we don't necessarily know what that is. We don't know what our options are or who to turn to for help or guidance. I'd be curious to know what help you found and what medication he is on?

I wish there was an easy answer to this!! Thanks again for all of your comments.
 

DogLover

New Member
bran155 -- Thanks so much, your comments are encouraging! Perhaps the IQ score isn't as meaningful as we thought. It's just kind of a shock at first -- and also a little sad. I agree that my difficult child's problems in school are definitely more related to his behaviors. There's no doubt his acting out impedes his learning (and that of other students, as well).

Our fear is middle school. Once he loses the structure and "coddling" he gets in elementary school, who knows how he will react. We want to find out if other options are available before he has a middle school meltdown.

I read the threads about your daughter and pray for you that she is safe and things work out.
 

JLady

A ship lost in the night
Doglover.. My son is taking Vyvanse-20mg and risperdal. I started with the peditrician. We then went a couple of different pshychologists. Finally we went to a child psychiatrist which add the risperdal to the vyvanse to help with his agression (what I think the other doctors refered to as ODD). He is doing much better now even though he is still agressive and emotional. I don't think he is on the right combination of medication yet but we are working on it.

I am also in the process of scheduling an appointment with a Psychiatric Social Worker for therapy. We have been to pshycologists and doctors that I didn't feel "comfortable" with regardless of the referrals and reputations. I really liked the Child Psychiatrist and think she has gotten us on the right path.

It's a lot of work to educate yourself about the different diagnosis's and they all seem to overlap. The people here have been awesome about ansering questions and explaining the differences. also, someone here recommended reading The Explosive Child which I am reading now. It is useful as well. I was able to find it at the library. There are a lot of books out there too. Use the resources available.
 

smallworld

Moderator
Did the psychologist say when the report would be ready?

The report should include scores, interpretations of the scores, clinical impressions, diganoses and recommendations for future support. This is just my personal opinion, but I'm not sure you can go to the school until you have the report in hand. You won't really know what you would be asking for without the report.

If Strattera is making things worse, you should consider asking the doctor about weaning him from it. It has been known to increase irritability, aggression and mood swings. Furthermore, it is effective for only about 40 percent of kids with ADHD.
 
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DogLover

New Member
He made no mention of a report at all, which I thought was odd. I only know that a report should be prepared because quite a few years ago I worked as a transcriptionist in a psychiatric clinic. That's what I did all day long -- typed up dictated psychiatric and neuropscyh testing reports. It was a long time ago, though, so I don't exactly remember specifics of what the reports included.

My fiancee left a message today asking when it would be available. I told him to put pressure on the doctor that we need it as soon as possible for school purposes.
 

DogLover

New Member
HELP -- I need advice from someone who has been through this!

My fiancee just spoke with the psychologist about when we can expect to receive a copy of the report summarizing results of the NP testing. The doctor responded that no report was necessary, that we had all of the test scores. He further went on to state he had no reason to believe difficult child needs to be in Special Education. He told my fiancee that all of difficult child's problems are behavioral. Since my SO knows even less than I do (which isn't a ton), he took the doctor's word as Gospel and didn't argue.

I am FURIOUS! This doctor is respected and came highly recommended. We have paid several thousand dollars for NOTHING -- not even confirmation of a diagnosis. Nothing.

I asked my SO to call the doctor back and give permission for him to speak with me. I have no legal rights, of course, so I need authorization. I can be more forceful than my SO when the need arises. I will not allow this doctor to simply blow us off.

I'm devastated and angry. I happen to know this psychologist's boss (the owner of the clinic). I will be calling her if the good doctor doesn't give answers I'm satisfied with. This is so unfair to us and to difficult child. We go to seek answers and help...and we get this. Unbelievable.
 

smallworld

Moderator
Your instincts are right on. This doctor should be providing you with a report to be used in any way you see fit (school, future doctor appointments, etc). I'm actually shocked that he thinks your difficult child's issues are all behavioral. Even if it's "just" ADHD (I happen to think there's more going on), the last time I researched, ADHD is a medical issue, not behavioral.

I'm so sorry. I hope you get some answers soon.
 

susiestar

Roll With It
Oh, you are totally right - there should be an EXTENSIVE report. I also would NOT take this man's word for much of anything. That report and $1.50 might get you a cup of coffee at a diner!

It can sometimes take many evaluations by many docs to get things right with our kids. Neuropsychs are NOT the be all and end all of diagnositicians for our kids. Find a Children's Hospital and say you want to see a psychiatrist and want full evaluation. Find a developmental pediatrician and say you want a full evaluation. Keep pressing until you get a diagnosis that MAKES SENSE TO YOU.

These "experts" spend a couple of hours (at most 10 or 12 over a few days) with your child. You and SO spend your LIVES with this child. You deal day in and day out with his actions. YOU are the "experts" in the child. The "professionals" are "experts" in whatever field they study. The two fields have to meet - the child and the field of expertise - and somewhere they must overlap with an answer.

But it can take YEARS to get that answer. One figure I saw was 7-10 years of evaluation and treatment to get a correct diagnosis. I think it would be faster if the parents/family were listened to more.

If you go to the FAQ/General section you will see a thread on a Parent Report or Parent Input. It is a report that YOU make to share with teachers, docs, etc who are working with you and your child. You are NOT obligated to share it with any/all of them, but it can help you keep things organized and help you convey info to the "experts". I found it amazingly helpful.

Keep pushing until you get what feels right. Others here will have some ideas as to what is going on.

and by the way, my Aspie has USUALLY been able to tell you things from other's point of view. And he is so clearly Aspie it isn't even funny. So ruling out Aspergers because one thing is NOT valid diagnostic protocol, in my opinion.

hugs, and welcome to our forum!

Susie
 

BusynMember

Well-Known Member
Hi again.
A 4-5 hour evaluation isn't very long. My son was tested for ten hours at two hour increments. Have they looked at him for possible Autistic Spectrum Disorder/Aspergers? This would explain unevenness in school performance, poor IQ testing (these kids often do poorly on IQ tests) and if he is clueless socially that is usually because he is somewhere on the spectrum. Moodswings can go with it or he can have a childhood mood disorder, either co-morbid with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) or independent of it, however a mood disorder is different. What makes your child act out. Can he handle transitioning from one activity to another without acting out? Can he multi-task? Does he have an obsessive interests (such as computers, videogames, certain television shows?) Does he have a good imagination and a variety of interests? Does he ever memorize things that he's seen on television?
It's very hard to know for sure what is going on by just reading a post, however even a neuropsychologist can be wrong OR could have missed something OR could have cut the testing short. I don't know that a forensics neuropsychologist is the best type for a child who has so many issues that aren't just behavioral. If it were me, I'd get a neuropsychologist evaluation somewhere else and match them up. He's not getting better now, so you don't have anything to lose. I'm going to post a few links for you to look at. See if any of these disorders sound familiar. Like others have said, ODD is really not a useful diagnosis. We know these kids are defiant. What we don't know is WHY. ODD rarely stands alone and in my opinion it sounds like this child has more going on than ADHD. How is his fine and gross motor skills? If he struggles there those are more red flags for Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Anyway, here are a few links, and have a good Christmas!

http://www.webmd.com/brain/autism/high-functioning-autism
http://www.aspergersyndrome.org/

Remember, kids can have both. It is common, in fact. If so, both need treating.
 

Fran

Former desparate mom
Hello doglover, smallworld asked many of the questions I would have asked. I get the feel that the tendency is to think this is a behavior problem and that this must mean he has control. If any of us have learned anything is that in the area of behavior or educational world nothing is black and white. Spectrums cover from severe to slight.
IQ numbers in the real world are just a number that are supported or negated by behavior and choices. My difficult child has a high average IQ yet he can not make change despite being tutored and helped every year of his life since 4 yrs old. He can not write a paragraph but he knows quite a bit of information on history, mythology, science, movies etc, etc, etc.

Any chance your little guy suffers Fetal Alcohol syndrome? Just throwing that out since the mother dabbled in quite a few illegal substances. If mom is mentally ill, any chance you can find the diagnosis? Family background is important.

Your fiancee definitely should have a written report. I have reports that run 30 to 40 pages.

The bottom line is this child is not functioning at the same level as his peers. Not academically, socially or emotionally. He is not very likeable and he makes it difficult to help him. Identifying the specific behaviors, specific learning obstacles, finding the causes, working on a plan to help him find some success with professionsals, schools, family and parents is the best thing the dad(and you) can do to help this boy. The ultimate goal is to help him grow up to be a functioning member of society.

We all question if the behavior is a choice for our kids. In regards to my son I feel like he is looking at the same world I am but with vision that is not the same. Sort of wearing someone else's glasses. Nothing fits as it should. He makes choices that aren't always correct but he is basing his behavior and reasoning with a different idea of what is right or wrong or when to use those behaviors.
Their world is confusing and scary and darn frustrating. Doesn't make them any easier to live with but it makes us look at them sympathetically and realizing their limitations.
 

Nancy423

do I have to be the mom?
He has received Special Education teaching for the reading/writing disabilities since 1st grade. However, they do not go further to address social skills, note-taking, etc. He just goes to the Special Education room a couple times a week to do his Reading and that's about it. They don't even send homework home, which I find odd. I would think that for a child with a reading Learning Disability (LD), they would encourage reading at home and suggest books appropriate to his level. They don't -- I have yet to see a reading assignment sent home (in the 3 years I've known this kid).

My difficult child is in LDSC. her IQ is around 71-73 (depending on which IEP you read). She hardly ever has homework anymore because they do so much in class. In her case, we'd be stuck for 2-4 hours, in between rages and shredding of paper, and lots of crying before we'd get one assignment done. It wasn't worth our effort. In second grade, they did a psychiatric evaluation (not very good, but they tested her acedemic proficiency) and found she's below average in almost everything. She was in a transitional class (less students) and they gave her work according to waht she could handle, so all kids were going at their own pace. Parents are always encouraged to do extra stuff at home and they would have work sent home if they didn't finish in class. I had difficult child reading every night for 15 minutes in 3rd grade (when she finally understood reading). 3rd grade it was finally LDSC. (I think it was too late.) Her behavior (shutdowns as the teachers labeled it) really affected her learning. If something frustrated her or she didn't understand she would put her head down, **** her thumb and not respond to the teachers. So in a way, behaviors are very much a "distraction" or "detour" to learning and can have an impact.

ANYWAY, this is going somewhere! She's now in 6th grade, jr high. She's still LDSC. Total of 8-10 kids in the class. So there are different placements within the traditinoal mainstream classes (depending on your district I'm sure) Every 3 years they must reevaluate her. Because you have an IEP in place, you CAN request full testing if they haven't done any yet. IEPs can also set certain provisions regarding homework, schoolwork, "breaks", behavioral goals to be met etc. So if behavior is affecting his work, then maybe a SW needs to be called in.

My difficult child has had a wonderful year (well, if you take out that incident last month) and I was so worried about teh transition into a new school, new friends, and new rules (changing classrooms, locker with- a lock etc) but she really transitioned better this time than any other grade.

So you do have some options with-in the school district. I would highly suggest finding an advocate to bring to your next IEP. I have found that he caught stuff I never would have looked at twice. He knows the system! Mine happened to know the district coordinators and facilitators too which really made a HUGE difference.
 

Wiped Out

Well-Known Member
Staff member
Doglover,
Welcome! As others have said you should definitely have received a written report. Our difficult child's report is almost a book! We too were shocked when we found out that our son's IQ was at an 84.

Our neuro-physch felt some of difficult child's behavior at school came from the fact that he had to struggle so much academically. He only reads at about a first grade level and the Special Education. teacher actually had him trying to read Stuart Little witha group at one point. Now he is still mainstreamed for most classes but does get pulled for reading and math. His other work is often modified. He doesn't receive much homework because of how violent he used to get over it.

Our nuero-psychiatric isn't the one that diagnosis's the Bipolar or ADHD for our son but he did agree with it. For that we took him to a child phychiatrist. Have you taken him to see a child psychiatrist? If not I would probably take him to one.

As for the mainstreaming question. I know in our district that we really had to advocate hard for him to be able to get the type of reading program he needed. Your son may be able to be mainstreamed for some classes and pulled out for others. Some school districts offer total pull out programs-ours doesn't.

Again, welcome and I'm glad you found us. You will find much support here.
 
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