At the 9 week mark, we had the parent/teacher conference and she said he was on a B reading level (Kindergarten level) and that he needs to be on a G level (mid-first grade level) by January..Her words, "I don't think that's possible." She gave us a list of high frequency words saying, "He knows them all" and a list of numbers 0-100 saying that he has issue with number sequence. At this point, we had an appointment in December set up with a developmental pediatrician b/c his primary doc was concerned about this issue back in August before school started. We got an appointment early (it was a few weeks back)..Her recommendation was to do the psychoeducational testing so we could see what was actually going on. She recommended Vyvanse, thinking based on what his teacher was saying on the Vanderbilt Assessment that its an attention issue even though when she observed him herself, she couldn't see an inattention deficit...We asked to have him moved to a different first grade room but the principal doesn't want to do it. Finally, after this song and dance, he's been placed in Title I.
Her other issue was that in his reading group, he won't say the word until somebody else in the group has said it..At carpet time, he wont' answer her questions. (I asked him and he said, "Sometimes, Mom, I just don't have the answer). He has complained a lot that he doesn't understand her when she talks..And we think that since his surgery in September, his voice has changed and she doesn't understand him. He still sounds a bit like he's got something stuck in his throat..(he checked out fine post op)...
Our issue is that he read Where the Wild Things Are to us...that's a mid-second grade level book...He read it to us, his parents...He read The Giving Tree to us...I've heard him read when he doesn't think that we're paying attention. He does beautifully. He read a blooming "out of order" sign to himself and then told us the machine was out of order..Well, what the crickets is going on?!
We cracked and got the prescription for Vyvanse (I'm on my way to fill it now) after the curriculum specialist for our county retested him at a C level (she's still sending him B level books home..we ditch those in favor of more challenging work)...
What would you do? Would you do the trial of Vyvanse to rule out AD/HD and see if it makes a difference? Would you request the psychoeducational testing to make sure there isn't a more serious issue at hand? Would you let it ride its course and see if he improves with some extra help?
At this point, I don't know what to do...I need an objective opinion...
Ok. I really have no advice but it sounds more like an issue with the classroom situation and maybe a lack of confidence.
Is it possible to look into something like a professional tutoring company (we have a couple here but I'm not sure if they are US based as well). Maybe if he could work on his reading outside of home and school, it would give him confidence to read in class?
How are his ears? Could he have issues with his hearing?
I'd be really hesitant to give drugs but that's probably me. I'd want a second opinion on that one.
Anyway, i don't have any history on this so take it for what it's worth. :)
I would not just start drugs to rule something out. There sounds like there is a different issue here going on. Has he has his hearing tested. I you are telling me he reads at home fine, but they say he is on a kdg level. That tells me something there.
I would have independant testing done outside the school. However, I know that is $$. Something does not add up to me in what you have said.
If a child does not need the medicine. It is not good for them to have in their system and could cause a lot of other issues.
I'll spare you my endless rant about expecting every kid to be on the same learning curve, but I will agree with others that I would not medicate unless you see, at home, the same issues of ADD. I think it is a slippery slope.
I agree with the others. Starting down the slippery slope of medicating without a diagnosis would probably be my last choice, honestly.
I'd have him checked out again. If his voice is different and he's having trouble understanding the teacher, that's not something that medication is going to fix.
I would not just start drugs to rule something out. There sounds like there is a different issue here going on. Has he has his hearing tested. I you are telling me he reads at home fine, but they say he is on a kdg level. That tells me something there.
I would have independant testing done outside the school. However, I know that is $$. Something does not add up to me in what you have said.
If a child does not need the medicine. It is not good for them to have in their system and could cause a lot of other issues.
See, I agree with you 100% (and Sonya too..And Alison). It has to be somewhere but he reads fine at home. I will admit we've had some issues but once I stepped back and looked, it was just a matter of "I don't want to do it" over "I can't do it." You give him a book on something he enjoys, such as a story on ships he read to me, he did beautifully. He got stuck on sounding out "steam" when it came to the "ea" so I got him a workbook on vowel sounds.
To be honest, I'm not a fan of this teacher. I understand there will be teachers along his educational path that he doesn't like. The principal said he has observed that classroom in specific and never noticed a problem.
He had his hearing tested last year and he passed. I go to the doctor Wednesday (to get my meds adjusted) so I will ask the doc if we can do it again for Colin since we both see the same doc (family practice). I also considered a more comprehensive vision screening. Our insurance won't cover the psychoeducational testing since its not deemed medically necessary. I don't know how much it costs w/o insurance but I'm sure I could get help on it.
Independant tutoring is something we talked about. A family friend was a tutor for Sylvan and a licensed teacher (he's also Dyslexic so he was happy to sit and work with Colin). He showed him some tricks he uses and worked with him for over two hours before coming to me and saying he could see an issue. I trust him.
I will admit, there are times that he doesn't want to do it. And he does whatever he can to get me to give up and let him go w/o doing the work. Behavior wise at school, aside from the inattention issues she has with him, he is perfect. Always has been perfect. At home (and church) are different animals. Its like he works so hard to hold it together at school that he falls apart at home. I guess he feels more comfortable with us.
I told the doc when she offered the Vyvanse to us on the first visit that I wasn't opposed to medication but I'm not throwing a bomb into a room I know nothing about...
Interesting bit- C isn't the only child having trouble with her. A friend of mine has her son in the same class..At the conference, she was told her son was on a K level in reading and gave her this AD/HD spiel. She had the psychoeducational testing and found out her son is fine. He reads on a second grade level. So...I see pieces of the puzzle but still I'm missing something..I just wish I could observe the classroom w/o him knowing I'm there. I'm sorry for this to be such an overload. I've been holding this in for quite awhile.
I'll spare you my endless rant about expecting every kid to be on the same learning curve, but I will agree with others that I would not medicate unless you see, at home, the same issues of ADD. I think it is a slippery slope.
I really like Sonya's tutoring idea
I agree with you..I do feel like every child is expected to be on the same curve and learn the same way..The truth is that our children each have different learning styles..Sadly, I think most schools cater to the auditory learners.
I'm on Vyvanse at the moment, to help with the transition of going back to work. I'll be coming off of it as soon as I can. It does help me focus, but not without consequences.
I would never, ever put my children on it, or any form of behavioral medication. There are too many side effects that are not yet understood.
I would change or supplement his learning environment. I'd find an occupational therapist or another psychology-based professional (not psychiatrist) that had an anti-medicational stance, and get their opinion on 1) where he currently is, and 2) what needs to happen to get him where he needs to be.
caroline was diagnosed adhd and after much thought we put her on adderall. ultimately we took her off it because while it did "calm and focus her" it also gave her terrible anxiety ("but what if daddy gets hurt at work? what if the other kids hate me? what if i run in the street and get hit by a car? ...) not to mention her telling us her "heart was thumping really hard and it hurts". (INSTANTLY stopped the meds though dr says she's fine)
i see that she definitely needs help as far as attention goes but i won't go back to medication. can it help? sure. is it worth it? i don't think so.
as for colin - i definitely wouldn't put him on meds based on what you've shared here. does your school have a special education program? can he be fully evaluated through the school?
where we are a full eval includes speech, ot, pt, academic eval, social worker and psychologist.
i would push for that and get a formal IEP in place to help him. if the school refuses then i would definitely go private. even if not a full eval privately (because that can be SOOOO expensive) then i would focus on what seems to give him the most trouble ... so, reading?
anyway - i hope you get this settled soon. it's so hard trying to find the path that feels most comfortable for you & your child.
I'm still restraining myself from ranting, but I seriously suspect several decades from now when the pendulum has shifted again, we will determine that many of the kids forced with the label of ADD/ADHD at a very young age were just different style learner, or learners at a different pace. That is NOT to say ADD/ADHD is not a very real thing, and that meds are not absolutely neccesary for some- I just feel as a society (and under advice from doctors) we are pushed to jump that route very quickly. The new recommendations to diagnose ADD even younger before a child even goes to school concern me a lot.
as the mother to a child who does have adhd i would certainly expect more testing (like the conners survey for parents and teachers) as well an evaluation from a neurologist before i would medicate.
connor had the same issue with adderall, sara. it was frightening. i'm shocked a pedi would just prescribe something so casually like that, jennie!
Where we went, I heard from several other parents that medication was the route to go for children. I'm not opposed to medication if its what's best for the child...It really helped my stepdaughter. (I said child, I meant stepdaughter..Iiee)
We did the Vanderbilt Assessment--That's what the center sent us. She (the doctor we saw) said that the psychoeducational testing would include testing for ADHD. I'm not sure how it compared to the Conner Survey.
I really appreciate all the advice given. It leaves so much to think about. But I'm starting to get an idea of where we headed.
What does the request for psychoeducational need to say specifically? I want to do what's right by Colin.
-- Edited by Jennie on Wednesday 9th of November 2011 08:28:05 PM
I'm still restraining myself from ranting, but I seriously suspect several decades from now when the pendulum has shifted again, we will determine that many of the kids forced with the label of ADD/ADHD at a very young age were just different style learner, or learners at a different pace. That is NOT to say ADD/ADHD is not a very real thing, and that meds are not absolutely neccesary for some- I just feel as a society (and under advice from doctors) we are pushed to jump that route very quickly. The new recommendations to diagnose ADD even younger before a child even goes to school concern me a lot.
There, I kept it to one paragraph.
I don't think it will take decades. It's already happening in some pockets of the universe. I think it will hit mainstream when the cost of college education surpasses the benefit of having said education (when evaluating it purely on a potential earnings vs. cost basis), because the incentive to put everyone into a cookie cutter mold will exist no longer.
