I have a 9 year old son who has had trouble at school since pre K. Nothing serious, mainly calling other kids names and pointing out the mistakes his teachers make (he is generally correct about this, he actually does it with everyone, adults and kids alike). He does not make friends easily and does not seem to care that he has no real friends (I find this hard to accept). He is extremely intelligent and up until recently was in gifted classes at school. He despises the extra work associated with these classes and has convinced the gifted teacher that he does not belong in the classes, something he told his mother and me he would do if we insisted that he go into the program. He is a "schoolhouse" lawyer and is always "negotiating" with adults and other kids. This is, of course, because we participate in these negotiations with him.

We have been asked recently to consent to having our son screened for ADHD. We refused to allow the school to do any such thing as the research that we have conducted suggests that the majority of ADHD dignoses, especially when conducted because of a suggestion from a school, are misdiagnosed.

This morning we were asked to meet the school counselor and his teacher and the suggestion was made that we should have him screened for Bipolar disorder and depression as well as ADHD. The reason being that he has trouble sleeping (until two months ago when we finally kicked him out of our bed he had no trouble sleeping) and he was drawing "morbid" pictures (He draws Batman, the Joker, Spiderman and the Death Figure from the TV Show "Family Guy") and he has recently told a classmate that he was supposed to be "invisible" because he has been placed immediately adjacent to the teachers desk due to his lack of organization and his lack of concentration in class. It has also been suggested that his unwilligness to work in groups at school and his insistance that he be allowed to work alone is an indication of some sort of disorder.

My question is how do you know if your child is having problems or is simply marching to a different tune? I know from experience that adults do not like to be told that they are wrong by kids, especially when they are wrong. The research that I have done suggests that dignosing bi-polar disorder and depresson in children has grown almost in direct proportion to the development of high dollar drugs aimed at treating such ailments. I would place my child on such drugs in a minute if I knew that he truly needed them but from what I have read the jury is out as to their effectiveness and even if there is any such thing as these types of disorders in kids.

ANy comments that any of you have would be very appreciated. I, like most parents want to do what is best for my child but I just do not trust most medical professionals and I know from personal experience that not all educators always have the best interest of their students at heart.

HELP

Okay, I am a advocate who helps parents with issues in schools in
Indiana. For one thing I personally believe that if this were my child.
I would want to have him evaluated for emotional disabilites.
I'm not positive it would be bipolar, and I also think I would want him
evaluated for asperger syndrome too, I realize this might sound odd.
But some times the very bright, that beat to a different drummer,
technically fall on the autism spectrum.

Personally I would look for a very good psychologist in your area of
the state that can look into all areas for you. Not just the emotional
but also the educational too.

Because even a child that is gifted usually has a reason they don't want
to be in the program when they say the kind of things your son has said.
I would wonder if there was something about the work that he couldn't
do or think he understood.

I would definately want to look into it. I would have the conner's
paperwork filled out by his teachers, for add/adhd just to rule this out.
Remember you are also going to do these sheets too. And it would
be the psychologist you have on the outside that would say whether
he is or not. I wouldn't let anyone at the school evaluate the paperwork.

Have it all done by a independent team. THis is just my opinion.

I'm Donna, and if you happen to live in Indiana, you can call IN*SOURCE
at 800-332-4433 to receive some help with questions.

Donna