Classroom approaches to ADHD

[BattlestarSpectacular]

Sorry for the essay that is about to start...but I'm hoping someone here might be able to give me some advice or have experience of ADHD approaches in schools.

The school approached me toward the end of my ds first year and suggested I contact my GP and try and get an Ed Psch referral for suspected ADHD. I did and 18 months later my son was seen by a psychiatrist who diagnosed moderate ADHD (with impulsivity highlighted) and recommended something like ritalin and melatonin.

We decided to wait before starting medication. Ds started new year at school (year 3) well and seemed more focused and calmer. Previously he was unable to sit still, fidgeting, making noises, being disruptive etc.

He is now in year 4 with the SENCO as his class teacher. At parent evening in October, the teacher commented that ds was tired in the afternoons, yawning and putting his head on the desk. She was also not very positive about him generally and struggled to come up with a subject he shined in when asked. also she commented that he fidgeted alot (I later found out that she had a special fidget toy that ds wasn't allowed to use as 2 other NT children were using it...just before Christmas he told me he was now allowed to use toy).

I was called into the office this week and she asked me if we had changed his medication as he was acting very different, fidgeting, talking and singing in class. I told her he was on no medication and asked her what we should do about this change. The teacher brushed me off and told me she would keep her eye on him.

I have up until this point made very little of the diagnosis with the school as I thought if he was doing ok then not to single him out would be best.

However it turns out that what the teacher has actually done is put ds on a different table in class which is where the 'fiddlers' sit, when I questioned my son about this he named some children that are the more silly in class and generally less intelligent (not being horrible, can't think how else to describe it). Ds even remarked that the work was easy.

Surely this must be one of the worst things to do? He'll now get more distracted and if the work isn't challenging enough he'll get bored and into more mischief.

I want to go into the school next week and try and find out what can be done for my son. Now I know I'm biased but he is a really intelligent boy who needs someone to help him focus when things are a bit tricky because otherwise he might give up. Surely a teacher would know the difference between this and a topic being beyond someone?

However I don't know if there are many things that a teacher can do if they have to spread themselves between the other 29 children too.

So here are the questions! Does anyone have a child with ADHD and can tell me what school does to accomodate their SEN or maybe anyone in a school who would know?

I'm not sure I've put any of this very well, my youngest is now crying so I'll have to check this later, soory

TIA

[BattlestarSpectacular]

Gaah! On my phone upstairs with baby and I've come across horribly. We've are changes with rd at home trying good sleep hygiene and making consequences immediate etc. His sleep is an on going problem we are doing our best with and I explained that to the teacher.

The fiddly toy...I wasn't being an arsenal about that, it just seemed strange that ds had an issue that they had a remedy for and he wasn't allowed it (not objecting to others needing special stuff).
Ds is a lovely boy who is at risk of developing esteem issues and I think the table move has affected him as his brother in year below is on a 'higher' table now.

I'm shit at explainiing things (here being a perfect example) when I see the teacher she tells me her points, asks me questions (what's his bedtime, is he on meds) and seems to wrap things up whilst I'm trying to ask what should be done.

I'm messing this up and failing my son

[BattlestarSpectacular]

Thank you poltergoose I'm a second year OT student! You'd think I'd know better really but whenever we've dealt with ADHD in class it seems to be me arguing that it's not a lack of climbing trees that's the cause
At home we have a sensory light that he has to look at to go to sleep and other sensory bits but I just thought the SENCO would be all over this and yet I feel like I have to go to the library and get print outs but that'll probably piss her off.

[BattlestarSpectacular]

Thank you, the IPSEA site looks really useful. I think I've been a bit head in the sand about this because I was hoping that it was that he didn't need any support, rather than the school didn't want to give it

[senvet]

battle you are coming over pretty mellow for someone who has CT so misinformed.

My relative with ASD/ADHD came off meds, but was given a low distraction environment and techniques for self-regulating.

He is now at college about to complete carpentry and has already had a successful work placement.

polter is brilliant at research and using it to get what her dcs need.

I did indie reports for my dcs and relatives did the same. So if you have someone wanting to do sensory OT for their second year case study.....

Either way, schools can be brought round, especially if you give them lots of praise for the little they do - massage their egos - and then ask if the change co-incides with the table move and could they try changing to a very still and silent table and seeing the difference?

Good Luck