Medicate for add or move to a smaller self contained class

amother

Denim

Thu, Jan 28 2021, 6:21 am

healthymom1 wrote:

Since ADD meds are lower doses of speed it can eventually cause heart problems if taken a long time

Just like taking anti anxiety medication for a long time can cause depression

Is it solid across for the board for everyone. No. Nothing is. But medications have long term effects if taken a long time

(As per a nurse who’s been working in hospitals over 45 years)

Not every child takes stimulants. There are other options.

amother

Jetblack

Thu, Jan 28 2021, 6:41 am

I'm speaking as a teacher not a parent. I've worked with children with additional needs for a long time. Most children I've worked with, that are NOT taking medication often will plateau in their learning. There's a limit to what their mind can focus on-if your world is working on fast forward, you can't process and learn. The medication allows the mind to slow down and I've really seen great things.
This should be a decision made with your doctor's advice.
A small class is great for every child tbh, but you have to ensure that she will have peers that will challenge her and she can socialize with. Often a more specialized unit will not have the same role models that a mainstream setting can offer.
I would first see if something more can be offered at the current school before switching.

amother

Cerulean

Thu, Jan 28 2021, 6:41 am

I am a language therapist with close to 2 decades of working with elementary age students. I also have a child on stimulants. I think you should try the meds ASAP. Stimulants are wonderful in that you will see results instantly. If she is on the right dosage, it takes just a half hour to kick in. It will remain in her system for a few hours and then it wears off. You are not locked in at all! Try it, and see how she does. Her scores for her testing are very possibly slanted to show she has learning disabilities, as she was probably unfocused during testing and did not answer correctly. Picture yourself at a shiur when you are half asleep. You may be very bright, but you probably wouldn't be able to repeat what you heard, because you were not really listening. First grade is a very fast paced year, with learning to read and a lot of core language skills. The sooner she will be able to focus in class, the better chance of her being able to absorb the lessons throughout the rest of the year. I personally started medicating my son toward the end of 1st grade. He did need some tutoring to catch up what he missed in 1st grade and Pre 1A, but he is now in a high level high school. He still takes meds, but is slowly lowering the dose.

FranticFrummie

Thu, Jan 28 2021, 6:56 am

Make sure that whatever you do, you have her evaluated thoroughly.

All through grade school my teachers wrote notes on my report card like "Daydreams too much, doesn't pay attention, doesn't follow the lessons" etc.

It turns out that not only am I hard of hearing, I also was having absence seizures. I didn't fall down, or twitch, or do anything obvious - my brain just went on "standby mode" and left me sitting there, totally blank. I could blink and an hour would have passed by, and I'd have no idea what happened until the teacher called on me.

Going on Depakote was a real game changer. Too bad I didn't figure it out until I was in my late 20's.