My Sons Teacher wants to test him for ADHD?

Question

My Sons Teacher wants to test him for ADHD
I have had 3 family members children who she has also wanted to test for it ,And the teacher is known for having several kids a year tested ,We read the pamplet she gave us and he did not fit any of the signs ,I think that it very misdiagnosed and that he is just bored,he is a very laid back child .But she says that he is being angry towards her,I asked him and he told me it is cause he thinks she hates him and that she picks on him all day and that he can't take it anymore ,sad coming from a 7 year old.I am going to let him be tested but i refuse to have him drugged like a zombie ,And last year his teacher made no complaints,he was student of the day once a week and she was always praising him when i went to field trips and helped out in the classroom,Am i doing the right thing?

He has good grades and is not behind in his school work.

Answer 1

Have him tested, but your doctor, not by someone the teacher picks. My daughter had a horrible time last year with her teacher (she was 7), not because of ADHD, but because the teacher picked on her. My child was the only one whose reading level was not tested in November, the teacher kept telling her she couldn't read. My husband and I fought tooth and nail and even after she was tested (brought her reading level up by 15 levels in 4 months) the teacher was still rude. I dreaded report cards and notes from the teacher because she never had a good word to say about my child. It got to the point where we were just enduring the year. My child started having behavior problems, due to stress. This teacher was the worst human being I have ever met. You know your child better than anyone, trust your instinct. If you feel the child should be tested (even just to prove her wrong) have it done by someone you trust. My daughters teacher last year even denied that my child was epileptic. I had to bring information from the pediatric neurologist. After that she shut up. Stick up for him, talk to him about his day when he gets home and just be there for him if he needs you. Praise him at home for all the good things he does, you don't want this to have a traumatic affect on him. This year my daughter has a wonderful teacher again and she really loves school again. Her grades have gone from C- & D's (last year) to A's and B's this year. We got through it as a family and luckily her self esteem is better now, last year she was starting to feel stupid and that nothing she did was good enough at school. Also, I recommend talking to the principal and the school board if you need to. Give your son a hug and let him know how wonderful he is, he needs to hear it.

Answer 2

I had gone through this with one daughter 6 years ago and now going though it again.ADHD , in the first child had its roots in the fact that she was very slightly crosseyed which caused her problems in reading, reversing letters, etc. this frustrated her, me and the teachers. She started acting up , not wanting anything to do with school. becomming a problem to the others. On the other hand , when she did perform a task to her satisfaction, she need validation for it but didn't receive it because it was thought she was causing a disturbance. We did not attribute her behavior to a condition that was treatable ,just to her misbehaving attitude. Thankfully, she outgrew it .Today she's in Grade 10 and being a 'normal' teenager. My 12 year old has a very lazy eye. This time we searched for causes. She also has an auditory problem. And she's the lazy one,. got to be one in each family. I treat her totally different from the way I did the 1st child. We know more, we found out more before we made decicions. I still keep at her to do her work and most time have to sit right there, but she does do it. Drugs had been suggested . Surgery had been an aternative, but as with the 1st child , if time can be made to give the kids more help, why take a chance.
Naturally. we don't know enough about your child or situation. I mean it took us nearly 3 years, multiple visits to optometrists, doctors and others,and then to find out that she was crosseyed? I think drugs and /or surgery should be the last thing to consider. It will all take time. Make that time. I think it pays of in the end.

Answer 3

I agree with you 100% because my son was also diagnosed with adhd and was put on adderrol and focalin both of which made him do well in school ,but after school it turned into hell he was mean and very aggressive i stopped giving it to him and although he struggled in school and still does his behavior here at home as changed.I am even go as far as saying that when i was a child i know i didn't pay attention and goofed off ,but no one ever thought i had added.I think that now a days just want very still children like you said drugged up.Go with your instincts there are many other options other than medication, my son is going to sylvan learning center and is making improvement in school.

Answer 4

Some important information on ADHD

ADHD is Highly Over diagnosed!!

Think about this fact:
After 20 minutes of inactivity one's brain quits learning effectively.

This makes sense when we look at kids who have to sit for at least an hour at a time (if not longer). They get agitated, move around, aren't able to focus. All these are symptoms of ADHD and yet can be explained simply by the fact I listed above.

Psychology website on ADHD, it's prevalance, and it's overdiagnosis.
psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2004/06/10/adhd-remains-overdiagnosed-overtreated/

Answer 5

She can maybe get some idea if he has difficulties with her testing, but to get a TRUE ADD or ADHD diagnosis requires going through much much more. A child needs to be referred to a neurologist to have a brain scan, to a psychologist/psychiatrist to have serious testing, and would have to have things checked like hormones, body chemicals, and nutritional analysis.
You know him best, though of course you can't know what he is like at school.
If, like you say, you have some idea that he is bored, that is what you have to deal with immediately. He could just be smart, and ahead of kids in his class, feels bored, etc. However, you have to talk to him about this, and if he is underachieving you have to deal with this right away. Make sure he is being challenged at school; if you have a problem with the teacher, go to the principal, and even the school psychologist.
At home, you need to work with him. Find the areas that he is interested in - cars, dinosaurs, space, whatever - and get him books, have him do research, make models, etc.
You need to also talk to him very seriously about behaving in school, even though he doesn't "feel" like doing work, he HAS to, and he has to treat the teacher and other students with respect. In other words, you have to get the point across that he has to adapt to the social system he is in, and conform.
Wish you luck. I agree with you about not medicating children when it is not absolutely required; much better to have their behaviour adapted, and hopefully you and your husband can do this.
Post again if you have more to discuss.

Answer 6

All learning requires the ability to concentrate on an idea or information in order to process it. The ability to apply abstract ideas requires focus. To those people who are against meds ,have they ever watched a young child trying desperately to understand the work when their brain is in constant turmoil. It is almost impossible to understand their daily frustration when they see their classmates working with such ease.These children are sometimes left behind at school because they cannot keep up. Who would needlessly allow their child to feel "stupid" for no other reason than they feel meds are not necessary. Has your child been diagnosed with a learning difficulty? Has he been prescribed meds? Meds are not meant to drug a child so they are high ,they are intended to help your child reach their fullest potential. As his mom do what is necessary to help him live a more calm and less frustrating life.Good luck.

Answer 7

I don't know about your school system, but at ours the Child Study team can test a child for both learning disabilties and superior intelligence (which sometimes results in similiar behaviors because of boredom). It is essential that you know if your son has a higher than average IQ so that future teachers (and even family) know how to deal with him (i.e. keep him busy with appropriate stimuli, etc.). There is nothing worse than having a child who looses all interest in school because he/she is not being challenged at all and decides to drop out at 16 because the boredom is so severe. Good luck and God Bless.

Answer 8

i am not so sure whether u shoul get your son checked up now since he is so young and doesnt fit into any of the symptoms u have read abt. why dont you observe your son for a day or more, then report your findings to a good doctor. then follow the doctor's advice. By only following the teacher's suggestion there is a poosibility that you would mentally harm your son or his feeling towards you at that stage.