For those of you with children, or know people with ADHD, or have ADHD, or just what to listen, here's my post:
So my youngest daughter is the poster child for ADHD. I won't list all her symptoms but here's what is GREAT about this child:
1. She is happy - I mean like 99% of the time.
2. Creative as they get. She does things with her hair and clothes I wouldn't EVER think of.
3. thinks out of the box. (I know this is a cliche) As an example: I was getting frustrated with my Jenn Air oven because I was trying to program it for delayed start. The screen gave me only up to 6 hours to choose from. She sees this and comes over and after a few seconds says, "Mom, use the key pad and put in the time you want."
4. She cut my step-sons hair (she's 13) without any instruction and it came out fabulous!
5. I have a wall of Jo Ann's art in my office. Nearly every person that has seen it comments on how fabulous it is.
Ok, enough of the bragging because I could go on and on...
So academically, she struggles. It is hard for her to sit in a chair and focus on class. She has been on meds and they actually work, but she is little (90 lbs and only 5' 1") this makes her only 10% for her age in both weight and height. One of the major side affects is appetite suppressment. She is nowhere near puberty. meds had to be put on hold.
At the beginning of this school year she asked me and her counselor if she could "prove" that she could do all her work without the check out system we had estabished (she is VERY self-consense of her friends thinking she isn't smart and needs special help.) Well, we agreed and she did it - for the month of September. Then, she kept slipping and slipping. Meanwhile, the schoold district performed a special school district evalusation based on last years grades and input from her teachers.
Sorry for the long story, but she qualifies for the IEP, but she is throwing a major fit about it.
Anyone been here? Got some advise?