I have a teenage son with ADHD. His emotional outburts are getting more frequent. Is this just his hormones? How does this relate to his ADHD? Are there any suggestions for how to handle him without the entire family loosing their patience and their minds?
Re: teenage boy with adhd
Hi Karen! Thanks for sharing your experience. Maybe you can give me some input on my own two sons. I have a 14 year old with ADHD and Expressive Language Disorder and a 12 year old with ADD. First, for about the past 6 months my oldest son has gone from happy-go-lucky kid to a moody, definant teenager. School and homework have always been difficult for him. To help keep him interested in school I asked about him taking a class at the high school and the school agreed to this. He loves the class and he is getting an A, but now he is failing some of his classes at the middle school. The guidance counselor told him he has 3 weeks to get his grades up or he will be taken out of the class at the high school. I realize she is trying to motivate him but he is so frustrated with middle school I’m worried this might backfire. I’m a H.S. Special Education Teacher and have worked for many years with students who have a LD and ADHD, and still I am perplexed.
Second, my younger son has little energy, difficulty paying attention and completing assignments. He loves to participate in sports but he can’t at school because his grades aren’t good enough. Like my older son, he takes Concerta and has attended counseling. Still he has trouble organizing his materials and remembering his homework. I am so frustrated because I asked his teachers to check his assignment book daily and they agreed. But a number of times my son has told me the teacher said he shouldn’t have to check his book now that he’s in middle school. At one point this year, he even had his desk in the back corner of the room and my son said he would forget to count him in for lunch, etc. I have had meetings with his teachers and the principal but it only seems to get worse. In one meeting his teacher even told me he doesn’t believe my son has ADD he thinks he’s just lazy (even though he’s been diagnosed by a neuropsychologist!) Friday he received an out of school suspension for having four detentions this trimester. All of the detentions were for behavior related to his disability (not paying attention, not being prepared for class, etc.) It is a very awkward situation because I work in the same district and I want to do what’s best for my children. I am getting increasingly frustrated with this school and he still has two more years there. What would you recommend?
Thanks for listening!
Re: teenage boy with adhd
Melissa, DO you have IEPs or a 504 for your boys? If so I would call the district about your younger sons teacher If it written in an IEP than that is the law and the teachers must follow it. Its to bad if he thinks your son is lazy he still has to check his assignment book (with out the smart remarks). Have you talked to tour older son about whats going on? Is the class in high school more challenging? Dose he get more positive feed back from that teacher? Are his other classes not challenging enough or is he concentrating so much on that class that he doesnt have time for his others? I went through 3 boys so I know how difficult this is GOOD LUCK dj
I have found that the onset of puberty puts a whole different spin on my 17 yr. old son’s ADD. He escalates easily, cries easily and now I am dealing with his refusal to take meds after being on them successfully for 3 years…he said he wants to do it a la naturalle…and now his grades have plummeted…It is driving my husband and I nuts…He has some good intentions he understands about his ADD and he knows what he has to do but he is still too immature to control his wandering mind and inattentive and distractible behaviors..
There are some great books by Guilford publications that are about ADD. There is one I just ordered called ADHD in Adolescents Diagnosis and Treatment by Arthur L. Robin. It is a how to book to help understand assess and treat teens who have ADD and their families…I am a clinician so I deal with ADD in many of my clients who have speech and language delays…this book seems practical and has a treatment plan in it . aanother one for kids 1st thru 6th grade is Homework Success for Children with ADHD a family-school intervention program by Thomas Power, James Karustis and Dina Habboushe
One thing I have realized with my son is that I have to remain focused and reason with him when he is on an even keel. If he is out of control and tired I can forget about trying to reason with him. In times like that it is best to just walk away…until I can reason with him.