Hi everyone,
I just got a phone call that really upset me. I just found out that schools in my area are referring parents to see specific doctors to get a prescription for Ritalin for their kids! And - to make things worse, parents, not knowing what to do - are following their advice!
Here is the story. Each year the local college sends me nursing students so I can educate them and give them insight into what it is like to live with a special needs child. I had a young lady here a few weeks ago, and I told her Adams whole story of living with Epilepsy and Autism. I also told her about my upcoming podcast with Dr. Swingle and how he helps kids with ADHD, epilepsy, autism etc. and how he helps get them off the medication. I am glad she was listening!
The nursing student has a little boy who is 5 years old who has a playmate that comes over frequently. The playmate was just diagnosed with ADHD and he is only 5 years old. The little boys school recommended that the mom take him to a particular doctor and have him assessed and put on Ritalin because he is aggresive at school. The mom, having no experience went ahead and followed their advice and the 5 year old is now on Ritalin.
The nursing student told the mom about the neurotherapy treatments that I recommend and the told her about the teleseminar I did with Dr. Swingle and asked me for permission to give the mom my phone number.
I cannot wait for her to call me! Boy will she get an ear full. I am so sick of these little kids being medicated when there is so much more that can be done to fix the problem in the brain instead of medicating and covering up the problem and dopping the kids down. I can't believe the schools are doing this but I guess I am not surprised.
Arlene Martell
Publisher - EpilepsyMoms.com
This is hard to believe
The first time I read this, I just clicked away because it seemed impossible that a school would be making the decision to treat a kid with Ritalin. Then I came back and read it again.
This is mind-boggling. It isn't, as you noted, the mom's fault because she doesn't have any experience. Isn't there somewhere, like with the school district, that a complaint can be lodged? I may be way off base, but it seems like there should be a way to be proactive, to keep this from happening to other kids.
Anna's first year in Grade 2
Anna's first year in Grade 2 was like this. She had a teacher who just assumed that Anna was ADHD because of the staring episodes, the failing grades, the lack of motiviation, etc. When it was finally discovered that she has epilepsy, this teacher STILL refused to accept this and STILL insisted that Anna was either ADHD or ADD. GEESH! It was like talking to a brick wall! This was, by far, our worst school year ever. This teacher caused Anna to have a horrible complex about herself...she would come home crying everyday saying this teacher hated her. She would give Anna an unreasonable amount of homework and when I would modify it, the teacher said she refused to "hand feed" Anna just to help her pass. Anna has had an active IEP ever since preschool! This teacher was definitely NOT special ed friendly. I think this teacher assumed that since she saw Anna during the day that she was the authority on what was what...and when I questioned her "authority" she took it out on my child. No, I can't officially prove this, but let's just say that Anna repeated Grade 2, same curriculum, different teacher...success!
The way to KEEP this from happening is to be very proactive in your child's education! I can't stress that enough...not only from a mom's viewpoint, but also from my educator's viewpoint. If the teacher knows mom and/or dad are going to be a regular visitor, they will be more inclined to take you seriously. Also, educate yourself on what ADHD/ADD is all about...what the signs are, what the meds do (and don't do) and what the side effects are. There's nothing stronger than an educated parent!!
Could that year have turned out differently?
I'm guessing that you did everything you could to work with this teacher, Karen. Plus, you're a teacher yourself, right?, so you, better than anyone, should know how to work collaboratively with your child's teacher.
But it sounds like she had a terrible year.
This is the ultimate school-related nightmare for me: that Sarah would have a teacher who would label her, despite her seizures and despite anything I might do or say. What are other options when you've done your best and you know your child is in the classroom of someone who just doesn't get it? Could you, for instance, go to the principal--or would that just escalate the animosity it seems like this teacher had for Anna?
I'm positive that my husband
I'm positive that my husband and I did everything possible to work with this teacher - we met with her several times throughout the year. She had a bad habit of waiting til it was too late to do anything about Anna's academic progress to tell us anything about her grades, performance, etc. Even she had noticed the staring episodes but merely put it down to making the choice to NOT pay attention. This is where she decided to make her grand diagnosis of ADHD/ADD. This teacher has two daughters who are both gifted...not sure if this has any bearing on her views regarding special needs kids or not. We thought about going to the principal but I was worried that it would make things even harder for Anna. How sad to think this way, yanno? The only other option we had was to remove her from the classroom and into another room. Unfortunately, according to the principal, there wasn't room in another class. The only bright side to that whole year was one of Anna's special ed teachers...she has such a compassionate heart. She was the one who initially suggested that Anna be tested for seizures. However, even she had little control over what was happening in Anna's regular classroom. I can only hope that this year, Grade 3, will be better. At least she will be at the school where I am. :0)
I have to say if she had an
I have to say if she had an active IEP and the teacher refused to follow it - and the principal refused to enforce it - I would have been in the superintendent's office - making it VERY clear that something needed to be done or I would have been calling the ACLU and bringing in a civil rights attorney.
I did - and it got the job done. Keep in mind I was a PTA member who volunteered at the school on a regular basis. They knew me well enough to know that I would not be taking the situation out of context. Sheri