Daughter with Learning Disability Needs Extra Help

I have a son who is also ADHD and the thought of medication to help him focus was beyond me. I had the same problems but talked to his doctor about what we can do to get her focused and functioning. I placed my son on Adderall and it has helped him a whole lot. The teacher can work with him more and keep his attention on what he is doing and he brings me good grades. Try games too. Learning games that are fun and will keep her interested. Dora has a learning game that is great. Get her a computer that has learning aids that will help her focus and keep her interested. Get her a V-smile with all the games on her level and watch how she would react. There is so much out there that can help her.

Hi C.,

My son is 12, he is ADHD and also has Executive Function Disorder. Are you on an IAP or an IEP. IS your daughters school making accomodations for her that are legally binding or do they just try different things with her? I struggled with my sons school for years. We are finally on a 504 plan and he is on FOCALIN XR. I tell you, he is a completely different child. In a normal year, he would get d's & F's on his report card, this year (the first one , whew woo!) he was all a"s and B's with only 1 c+. Not only am i super proud of him, he is proud of himself which is ne of the things that our children lack as ADHD children. One accomodation the school could make is reduced homework for your daughter but unfortunately you have to ask them specifically to help you. The first step if you havent already taken it would be to ask the school for an MFE (multi factored evaluation) once that is complete they shoudl be able to let you know what she qualifies for. (this saves you the costs of taking her to be diagnosed through your local hospital or pediatrician) Is she on medication? I was against the meds for a long time bt realized that they are a great help. I did see at my chiropractors office that they offer an attention pill that she could take that isnt a stimulant and all natural. I have asked them about it but I am at this point unwilling to change my son because what he is on now works so well. I feel your pain, it is not easy. please let me know if you woudl like to talk, i have been studying and researching adhd for years. im more than willing to share any information with you that i have learned.

C., my son is also severely adhd and has other difficulties as well. There is a fabulous program that you can do with her about an hour/day that will dramatically improve her focus and academic acheivement. It's called Audiblox and it has revolutionized our educational process. I homeschool and was quickly becoming very frustrated with my son's inability to focus. You can access their info at www.audiblox2000.com The program isn't cheap, but WELL worth the investment!! Good luck!

S. B

well my 10 year old was diagnosed with adhd and they put him on methylphenidate it has helped him alot in school,at first i wasnt sure if medicine would work but now hes doing really good in school talk with a doctor who specialises in that and let me know how it works out.

Hi, my son had learning disabiltiy I take him to a chiropractor. They do cranial scarial therapy. It is awesome. If you have more questions feel free to email me at ____@____.com

J.

I'd seriously consider trying her on meds for awhile, and see if that helps her focus so she can learn. It may take awhile to get the right med and right dosage, but it would be so worth it. My brother has ADD, but it was not diagnosed until he was in High School. As a result, he was never able to focus well enough to learn, and at 24 years old is probably at a 8th grade level even though he graduated from high school. He can't spell very well, he is an awful writer, math is very difficult for him, and the other subjects aren't much easier. When he is on meds he is a completely different guy- he can focus, he got all A's and B's, he makes good decisions, he feels good about himself, and he's able to learn just fine. When he doesn't take the meds he can't focus, he is very frustrated, makes horrible decisions, gets himself into trouble, and consequently becomes very depressed, making the cycle even worse. The problem is that because he didn't start taking meds until he was in High School, he's got a lot of catching up to do, and at this point he may never catch up. You really have nothing to lose by trying the meds, and at least when she is older she will know that you did everything you possibly could to help her reach her potential. With the proper meds to give her focus, her IQ could be incredibly higher. I'm not a person who suggests meds for everything. My mom is a teacher and has tried every suggestion possible in the non-med arena for the kids in her classroom with ADD or ADHD. Her conclusion is that the only thing that works for these kids is the meds. She saw a dramatic improvement in the kids in a very short period of time, and said they were like completely different kids- happy, focused, learning, not being disruptive, and they were able to catch on to things that they previously weren't understanding when they were not on the meds. So, based on all of that, I highly suggest taking your daughter to the doctor and trying her on some medications. Just give it a little time to find the right medication and dosage, and you will not regret it. Best of luck.

Hello C. ~
I praise you for trying to make things better. I am a divorced mom, with 2 children. My husband & I seperated when my children were 2 and 2 weeks old. I do understand what it is like to feel like you are struggling and have reached the bottom. When I was getting my divorce, I had nothing left but my children, but the desire to do better for us kept me motivated. As far as your children with ADHD, have you tried medication ? My neice has the same, and I know how very hard school was for her, and how frustrating it was, not only for her but the rest of the family. My poor sister cried all the time, as teachers told her how my neice was failing, and how she was disruptive to the class (playing with her pencil, flipping through her books - lack of focusing). At first we were all against medication. But as a family (my family is very close), we thought it could be worth a try to see what happens. It took a few different medications to see what worked for her, and we watched for side affects ect. After 3 years, my neice just got her interim report, she is getting all A's !!! If you could see how proud she is of her papers, and the way she felt being able to show everyone her grades now, instead of the tears that came when report cards came out, it is well worth it... Talk to your ped, see what they say, I dont know where you are located, but the ped we have (we all take our children to the same ped, he is wonderful) has been wonderful in helping us find what is right for her. Take Care, and good luck.

C.,

I am a certified public school teacher (17 years) and the mother of three grown children. My oldest son was ADD (not ADHD). Don't let this intefere with your loving relationship! If you do, you will constantly be in a battle. Do the best you can, but enjoy your family time. Don't spend all evening on academics! I think there is way too much homework anyway. When kids get home from school, I think they need a break before doing homework. I would suggest no more than 20-30 minutes of "no tears" homework a night. If all you do is read a story to them, that's enough!

Hi there I am a full time stay at home mom..and my son,Benjermin is 8 as well. Everyone in my family thought he had ADHD,but he was just slow on maturing but anyways we held him back in second grade this year too..but he is wheezing through school now without any trouble..My advice for you with your daughter is be patient and keep focusing on her with her academics but don't expect so much from her cause if you do it only will make her fight you..sit with her and try to put yourself in her seat..get down to her level...always talk to her constantly and reassure her too...well i wish you luck and thanks for giving me this time to share my advice.
talk to you soon take care...
Sincerely,
B. Rader (a concerned friend?

Hi C.,

I am sure you will get lots of advise on this question so I hope what I offer is helpful. You know your daughter better than anyone. Step back and take a good look at her needs. Then look at your expectations for her. If you can be happy and satisfied with her being a 'c' student, back off and give her more child time. If you feel she can achieve more; push more. I am a teacher but also a parent of a 7 year old girl with ADHD (along with a few other issues) so I feel for you on both sides of the issue. In the end, you have to do what 'you' think is best for your daughter. Ther is no right or wrong answer.

L.