Hi am new to this forum, I am a member of another great forum for ADHD, just recently also.

A little background about us...I am a mom of 5, between the ages of almost 5 and 12 yo, (his, hers, and mine thing). I bartend at night. I have a computer degree, but I have to work nights since he works days so that someone (me) can get the kids to all the functions, soccer practices, soccer games, appointments, homework done, meals ready, to and from school, be at home with my youngest during the day, etc., etd., etc.!!!

I am going through a medical transcription program (online) that I will probably finish in a few months. I am doing this course so that I can get a job where I can work at home (for the kids). Working nights can make me a "Zombie" in the mornings when I still have to function!

My 10 yo daughter is ADHD, diagnosed this year when the 7th teacher (including music and P.E.) had asked me if I thought she might be ADHD. The 1st time I heard this question was when she just turned 4! I had been trying to keep her off medication, but this year it was really affecting her in school. We tried methylphenidate and methylin before trying Concerta. Those 2 drugs kept her up and made her lose weight, which was not acceptible to us. My daughter is already thin as it is. Her doc put her on Concerta, and it seemed to have no side effects...she was gaining weight, sleeping, and doing great in school. But, there is always a "but," she just recently started exhibiting tic behavior. She would breathe in deeply every so often (about every 3-4 minutes) and had started to slurp in air when she did it. I took her off the Concerta when I realized it might be a tic (she is only 10)!

Well she obviously wasn't doing as well as I thought on her homework...she just had to turn in a bunch of late work that I wasn't even aware she had been assigned, until I came and got her from school for an appointment. That is when her teacher told me...when she was about 15+ assignment packets behind!!! Who would have thought the teacher wouldn't pick up the phone. I use to get progress updates because I would volunteer 2 hours in the morning on Tuesdays. Since I stopped, due to my youngest, her teacher doesn't keep in touch!

I tried the placebo effect?? With horrible results! Duh...but it was worth a try!
She decided herself, after talking with her about Adderall, she really wants to stay on meds since she can't seem to finish anything without them, gets in trouble with her soccer coach (she made U11 A team, so we do 6 days a week), and has a very hard time with being impulsive and focused without medication.

I started my daughter on Adderall XR 10 mg yesterday, and she came home in a great mood...then snap, crackle pop! She said school was fine (they had a sub)! She seems to be more arguementitive though, I hope that she was just having a bad day, and that it is not from the Adderall! She was also up 'till almost midnight, but on the positive side, it didn't seem to affect her eating! It was the first day so we'll see how it goes as her body gets use to it!

As for myself...I just took a test that there was a link for. It said I scored 42 (I think 25 was severe ADHD). I don't have insurance for myself, so I have not been diagnosed, but I have always thought that sounds soooo much like me!

My 10 year old has severe ADHD, everyone says she gets that from me! I think that if I had some help for myself that the house would run a lot smoother! I do get everything accomplished and the kids where they are suppose to go, yet, it is chaos doing it!

This family is already over scheduled, without my palm pilot (my brain) I wouldn't know the appointments, or get anyone any where on time!LOL

Any ways I just wanted to introduce myself, and give a brief background...sorry it got a little long!LOL I have a tendancy to babble!

If anyone has any suggestions on either my daughter or myself, it would be much appreciated???

Hello there,

My daughter is grown now, but I learned alot through her about ADHD and Learning Disabilities...

Has your daughter been formally evaluated for ADHD by a psychiatrist or PHD-level educational psychologist?

Medication can work wonders but none of it cures everything, and medication by itself does not give your girl everything she needs to succeed in school. And meds work best when the doctor takes time to monitor the effects and adjust the dosage or change the meds as needed.

I am not a lawyer, but I am pretty sure that you can request that the school line up a professional to evaluate your daughter for Learning Disabilities and ADHD- and then put an "IEP" (Individual Educational Plan) in place to accommodate your daughter's unique learning needs. Parents are to be included in the meetings and I think that once the school receives your written request to set up an IEP, they have 30 or 40 days to comply (in the USA). You may want to look into this... It has been awhile since I had to research all of this stuff...

If your state or province has a government website, you can go there and see what the Dept.of Ed. has regarding accommodations. US public schools are often reluctant to in intiate IEPs as the regulations came down from the feds without any funds to pay for them.

Sounds like you and your husband are working hard and could use some support with this. Parents do need to advocate for their children, but there is a lot involved. There may be a non-profit group near you that can guide you and maybe even find an experienced, volunteer advocate for your child. For many parents the IEP meetings end up as an annual battle with the school administrators instead of everyone working together to give your child the good program she deserves -- so a good outside advocate can really help.

I am attaching links to check out. Maybe you can find a local group or agency through one of these web sites that can help with your situation. I hope I hooked them on okay-- I am new at this NeuroTalk site!...

National Center for Learning Disabilities (includes info. on ADHD)
http://www.ncld.org

Bridges 4 Kids "building partnerships between families, schools, communities":
http://www.bridges4kids.org/

ADDitude Magazine - for people Who Have AD / HD:
http://www.additudemag.com

The Special Ed Advocate is a free online newsletter about special education legal and advocacy topics:
http://www.wrightslaw.com/subscribe.htm

Good Luck with everything!
Morag

Thank you for the links. I will talk to the school about that for next year...the principal was my high school teacher so he will at least listen! Thanks again