School Conferences

We just had our son's conference last night. His teacher & I agreed although he "attended" kindergarten last year, he didn't actually bring any of what they taught them with him. She asked if they had mentioned "retaining" him. They did mention it but he started medication in April and they finished in June and I was told he had caught on to things rather well so he should be fine, you can imagine the guilt I feel for letting him move ahead. That is why things have been so hard on him....

We discussed the Response to Intervention they are providing in hopes of asking for an MFE. My husband wants to believe he is just being "lazy" his teacher spoke up and said she had to defend our son at that point. She does believe "some" of these things he CAN do he just has to WANT to do them, such as Math. He seems to be a genius in that area but in Reading (sounds & vowels) he really does not understand it, it doesn't make sense to him. So at this point, they do believe he may have some type of LD,for now it is Wait & See.

He had been on Adderall XR for months, I finally convinced his doctor to try a different medication as I did not believe he was on the "right" one for him. We started the Daytrana patch on November 4 and noticed an immediate difference in him. I am Thankful for that, I did not believe in continuing a medication that was not even working at 50%. This is the best site I've come across since he was diagnosed, there is a TON of great info and other members strategies, suggestions, etc...This site is a Blessing, it has been to our family!!!!

Hopefully, soon we are able to find out what he can do and what he cannot do, the sooner we know, the sooner we can help him in the way that will work for him. It is nice to see people pulling together to make sure he doesn't get left behind. I was not sure of the actual "process" of preparing and asking for an MFE. I've tried to read about it, it is very overwhelming. It makes 100% difference in also finding a medication that works and works well, the 6 months he was on Adderall was not a pleasant experience. It aggravated his condition more than it helped him. Talk about it affecting a household, I think it affected our neighborhood These children who have ADD/ADHD are so special. They do not "act" or "think" as their non-Add counterparts may, it sure does not make them  "bad" or "misguided" or Undisciplined children, as many people have told me they think this of my child. I suppose it is hard to look all of these things up, Ignorance is bliss. I could have chosen to do the same thing with this, ignore it, deny it.....

I chose to understand it, to help my son get through this period of his life without too much harm being done to his Ego/self esteem, without him thinking he was so different from everyone else.

(The Stigma) of Add/ADHD are very prevelant in today's society. My son has been hollered at in stores by cashier's for being "hyper". He was not causing any trouble or touching anything. People have pointed their fingers and glared. Every time my son saw someone or heard them say something, he would ask "Why am I so Bad Mom" "How come I am different from so & so"  "I am stupid" .........