I am so glad that people are reaching out to one another here; I have never been aware of this site online, much less a sub-group, support for parents/teachers/ADD-APD(Auditory Processing Disorder, which is what both of my now adult sons were diagnosed with at age 4!), albeit there is a lot of asking and searching, with a need for more answers, information and communication, especially involvement with people who are up to date, perhaps through recent research going on now in studies by psychologists, M. D.'s in the field, and the ones who do the testing, like mine who works only with kids for determining a diagnosis and holds many, many ideas and professional advice to help kids like my sons, as they were just entering public schools the next year after testing. She was incredibly good, and yes teachers are not trained to understand much less be able to work w/ our children. Remember we can help them help us~ IEP's are legally backed, teachers usually have been most helpful and cooperative despite that they have to be coached a lot by the school team helping out the students. I often found myself alongside our social worker, teaching teachers how to work with my sons. They simply do not have the time unless we help them, and additional educational requirements for teachers is on the horizon. There are SO many children with many different ways of learning, hearing, perceiving, and most are highly intelligent yet fail, are overwhelmed with school and how it is set up in our country and sadly if parents do not get involved, and find out about students rights and how IEP's are available, even through college. One of my sons graduated college and is successfully working in his field but yes, he is still struggling a lot with issues around self-organization and project management, etc. There IS help! My other son, after I did some research post-high school and during his freshman year in college, immediately was still eligible for an IEP, joining thousands of others on his campus alone! Education of parents and teachers as we work together is key. I would love to hear more from those who are very learned and perhaps presently doing research within our hospitals, studying even the total picture of ADD, APD and ADHD which encompasses so many different types of kids. I would enjoy learning from our social workers, advisors, guidance counselors and social workers, as there-in lie many answers and support for all of us. It is a constant and was for many years, in many's lives as it cannot be left alone, these kids need the assistance and again, so much is still not understood about many of them, especially if they are not professionally tested. My sons were totally off the charts! Their teachers in nursery school noticed that there was a real gap in following-through on simple things such as lining up with a group, raising the question about their auditory abilities. The tests done took a few days, parts I sat in on, some not, but I was blessed by this audiologist who took so many hours with my first son, here in N. C., as she was very up to date at that point about what his risks would be in school, the type of classroom environment and adjustments he would need, etc. I basically taught then his new teachers as well as the IEP team things I was also learning along the way! Never give up, son 2 is struggling a bit, he is APD as well, and the IEP made a huge difference and he will most likely graduate from college, a U. N. C. location, next year, as he took less hours as one compensation, 12 instead of 15-18, he attended some summer school as able since he had a broken arm/wrist and 2 surgeries wearing a cast for the last year! His teachers/professors of course can SEE those disabilities. And yes, you have to talk to the office of student affairs in order to create a plan for your child to get through college level classes separately from their IEP in place already. All of his professors were great and supportive throughout the initial IEP and responded well when I had his surgeon's letter faxed to the school contact person and I helped her myself create what he would be needing and what kind of classes he needed to change/drop for awhile.
I just read Dr. Frank Papandrea's note here, and found it very interesting, and this is what I mean by finding these experts, learn more, and share it among groups, individuals working with your child, and their teachers! There is so much more I could write; his suggestions are spot on, and adding to that I wish in an ideal world students, all of them, could learn to calm and balance themselves as a routine early morning part of their day, through yoga and breathing instruction. It IS available! There are certified instructors who teach children all over the country, just not always allowed or available within a school system. I remember years ago, as I drove my children to school, without real knowledge about this concept, talking to them quietly, encouraged them to breathe fully, to sit still and feel the mind and body balancing as they (I would say mediated but I had not taught them this as was not qualified then). I would always say remember to ASK when you need help, raise your hand, and be present. Still it does not guarantee it will happen! Many teachers, again, overlook them as they are quiet, polite and compassionate kids who do think and see the world through different eyes. Classrooms are over-crowded, and private schools I discovered lack IEP's and teams to help them! This is presently changing, thank heavens, because one would think and hope a smaller classroom situation would bring positive results, and it is not true unless the student has been tested and that teacher respects the wishes and needs of the child. I end this long epic here with a bit of information about a team, or one M. D. anyway, who himself has a child with Auditory Processing Disorder, now researching at UNC-Chapel Hill. I would love to read his book when he is done! More later, never give up, these kids are often so creative, intelligent, and misunderstood but they CAN do wonders in a band, mine played drums throughout school even into college, art, film and videography, one is building websites and has formed his own company, so keep at it, it is so worth time spent and care and attention given surrounding your child with what is needed in addition to your love!
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ADHD/ADD/Reading Disability information sharing
Due to the lack of support in the school systems and the misinformation given by teachers to parents, I wanted to see if there are others out there that need information on the TRUE disabilities associated with ADHD/ADD and have a place to share good experiences and what works with others.