After undergoing a psyched testing bettery, imy daughter was diagnosed with ADHD and adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood. Psychologist recommended seeing pediatrician re medication and counseling was recommended. But when i talked to the guidance counselor at school, I told her that i had a copy of the report for the school and i asked if she would provide the resource teacher with the info, she said that she’d share the recommendations with my daughter’s teachers. Period. Also, mentioned that if i wanted to come in and talk just call her. What should happen next? This is overwhelming.
Re: testing done- now what?
I sent you a huge e-mail with a lot of information in it. I hope it helps!
Tammy Eubank
Re: testing done- now what?
Mary,
Seems my e-mail was sent back. Here’s the info:
Mary,
Since it is close to the end of the school year, you need to talk to the school’s principal right now. Tell him (or her) that you want your child evaluated for Learning Disability. This way, they can do the testing over the summer, and you can start the new school year out on the right foot.
This is what I did for my son, Jordan, at the end of last school year. You must become familiar with your rights and his. No matter what state you’re in, you can go to your state’s State Board of Education website, and look for info under the “Special Education” heading. This will get you pointed in the right direction. For instance, the state of Illinois (where I live) has an 83-page parent’s guide titled “The Educational Rights of Students With Disabilities” on
their website. I printed it out, and it’s full of useful information.
For starters, put your request for evaluation in writing and date it. Make a copy of it, then hand-deliver it to the principal. Tell them in the letter that you want testing done over the summer, and you’d like to have the first IEP meeting within the first 2 weeks of school next fall. That way, you’ll know their findings and be able to start the school year off with whatever extra help your child needs.
If your daughter was just diagnosed with ADHD (which is what my son sas), be prepared to fight for her rights in the classroom. Always remember that YOU have the right to accept or decline ANY IEP plans the school may suggest after their evaluation this summer. Don’t be afraid to push your own thoughts and force them to do what you want them to do. This is your child’s life, and by law they are required to do whatever is necessary to provide her with the “least restrictive environment” in which to learn.
Some great resources I have found on the Internet for ADHD children in the classroom and at home are:
www.chadd.org - A great parent support network. Find where your local chapter is, and get involved with it as soon as possible. Our runs during the school year only, but they have a lot to offer.
www.nichcy.org - Go here and read the IDEA ‘97, a must for all parents in our situation.
www.add.org - the national Attention Deficit Disorder Association, a wonderful resource with a lot of information for both you and your daughter (they have a cool Kids’ Area).
www.ldonline.org - Another great wealth of information, you can even subscribe to a free LD Newsletter here.
http://www.excite.com/health/disabilities/learning_disabilities/add_and_adhd/ - Another huge resource center.
www.nmha.org - the National Mental Health Association. Learn everything you ever wanted to know about ADHD, and many other things, here. They offer a vast database of information on all mental health topics.
Any one of these sites will also offer other links to more sites.
Also, I would suggest the following books for the wonderful information I got from them:
“Maybe You Know My Kid: A Parent’s Guide to Identifying,
Understanding and Helping Your Child with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder” by Mary Cahill Fowler (1990, Carol Publishing Group)
“Putting On the Brakes: Young People’s Guide to Understanding ADHD” by Patricia O. Quinn, MD and Judith M. Stern, MA (1991, Magination Press)
If you would like to talk, or want more information, feel free to e-mail me. I
will help you in whatever way I can. I will add you and your daughter to my prayers.
In Christ’s Love,
Tammy Eubank
It is overwhelming. I can’t say why the guidance counselor wouldn’t share it with the resource room teacher. Is your daughter in resource room now? But it does sound as if she’s willing to speak with you again, you need only call to make an appointment with her.
In the meantime, you could certainly talk to your child’s pediatrician or family doctor. That should be a comfortable first step. Some family doctors and pediatricians deal well with these issues and can help you coordinate an approach to helping your daughter. Even if they can’t. they are certainly the people to discuss medication with. They would also be the people to refer you and your daughter to a good counselor for the suggested counseling.
It sounds as if your daughter needs an IEP. Not teaching in the public schools, I don’t know much about IEPs but you might consider posting a specific “how do I get an IEP” request on the Parenting an LD Child BB. You should get advise from that.
Good luck to you and your daughter.