ADD/ADHD and School

ADD & ADHD  -  Possible Causes of ADD/ADHD

Medication Concerns

Special Education  -  Learning Disabilities

There are so many concerns surrounding the diagnosis and treatment of ADD/ADHD that parents must be knowledgeable and cautious.  It is usually the school that approaches parents to have an assessment for ADD/ADHD and parents often feel pressured in having the traditional drug treatment to 'correct' their child's behavior.

What should parents do if the school identifies a child with potentially having ADD/ADHD?

• Have the school put their concerns and directions in writing.  Hold them accountable.

• If the school tells you that your child needs medication to control his or her behavior, remind them that medical help does not necessarily mean taking medication.

• If you are told to sign a release for your child's medical records, ask to see that law in writing.

• Whenever you have a school conference or go before a school review board, record that meeting on a tape recorder.  The recorder should be in plain sight.  If you are told that the meeting is confidential, remember that confidentiality is your child's right -- not the school's right.

• Children who have an ADD/ADHD diagnosis normally have an above-average IQ.  Ask the school why it is so difficult for them to teach the smartest kids in school.

• The federal government allots over $2 billion to local school systems under the Individual Development Assistance Act of 1985.  Ask the school officials how much money their school and school system gets when a child is coded as needing special education services.

• Find out what percentage of students in the school system are taking ADD/ADHD medication.  The average number is between 3-5%.