Should a primary teacher know the difference between ADHD and ASD?

[Clevelandriot]

We've just had word of the class allocations for next year and I spoke with DD's teacher who seemed to know what he was on about. He's given me a transition form, and said he had some info he could email me which might be useful. I emailed him a brief overview of DD and her diagnoses (SPD/ASD) and he emailed me back with two documents. One was a charity training day for the parents of kids with hyperactivity, and the other was the care pathway locally for ADHD.

DD doesn't have ADHD. Hyperactivity has never been mentioned, but I think he's got them confused. AIBU to think he should know the difference? It's a big school, she's far from the only SN child. This is to transition from YR2 to YR3 btw.

The whole point of transition is to exchange information to ensure a good start next term. Perhaps he was given the wrong information?

I think your email was rude, and you should NOT send him links to educate himself.

Just go and speak to him and see what has happened. Be open minded.

Don't start next term on bad terms!

Yes, she is on the SN register, she has some 121 support, and goes to nurture group. This year has been OK as her form teacher and TA are v good.

SelinaMayer I know what info he had because I sent it. I asked for clarification, what's rude about that? Absolutely I don't want to get off to a bad start but equally it's a bit bloody basic to confuse two entirely separate conditions. Far too many teachers bunch all the special ed kids under one umbrella.

I meant that teachers are not always good at dealing with send children, some are better than others, and that teachers are expected to experts in everything which they are not. They are very overworked, underpaid, under a lot pf pressure, and there are so so many budget cuts especially to support for children with special needs. I know it's difficult to hear but op may not get an excellent level of support, and may be quite pushy get what she expects.

And also teachers do make the occasional mistake...

given the amount of training I had on sen/sn in teacher training, fuck all it is not surprising. I am not sure whether things have improved since.

(given I have two children with additional needs ) posted too soon

"I know it's difficult to hear but op may not get an excellent level of support, and may be quite pushy get what she expects."

Thankyou. Believe me I'm aware of the limitations of SEN provision, I should be grateful for what she gets.

Cross posted for spooninthebin

I'm so tired of everything being a battle and having to explain! but don't let this affect how you get on with thisnew teacher (easy for me to say I know). So many on here seem to have bad relationships with their children's school/teacher - just don't get off on the wrong foot based on past experiences. Maybe it was an honest mistake - wrong child, wrong info, bad day, blah

Give him a chance, if he is as experienced as you say hopefully this will be a good relationship for you all.

As a teacher I think this is a bit of a shocking mistake. For a start he should be working with the Senco and previous teacher and shouldn't send you anything without a discussion with them. Otherwise he might duplicate info you've had already. In your position I would speak to the Senco and ask how this has happened. Teachers may not be complete experts in every different need but they will know enough to know how to support your child in school.

A teacher not knowing or understanding your daughter's diagnoses would have a huge detrimental impact on her. It's difficult to understand how this can have happened really.

It's not about getting on the right side of a teacher. In this instance you need to know the teacher can support her and I think you have no option but to question this and take it further.

"I'm so tired of everything being a battle and having to explain!"

It sounds as if you have had difficulties with people not understanding the conditions in the past and this has caused you to react strongly to this situation, however, as far as this teacher goes this was an isolated incident which may have been a simple mistake rather than a lack of knowledge or understanding, so give the teacher a chance.

"I'm so tired of everything being a battle and having to explain

I can understand why you feel this but teachers have really limited training in SEN and IME even some SENCOs have limited or out of date knowledge about certain conditions. I think you need to try to remember that although the teacher got it wrong he had good intentions or may just have made a mistake. Most teachers feel incredibly frustrated at the lack of information, proper support and inadequate resourcing for the children with SEN in their classes.

Thankyou makeitrain you've summed things up beautifully.

You did say the classes had only just been announced. It's possible he had received no or scant information at this point about his new pupils. It's unlikely a full handover and briefing between teachers has happened yet. He made a mistake, he is human, or perhaps someone told him the wrong information and he was going on what he had been told.
I would have arranged a meeting with teacher and senco to discuss plans for the year ahead rather than send snotty email back.

ADHD and ASC are often co-morbid conditions with research suggesting a genetic link.

Although separate conditions in their own right, they are often linked and there can be a lot of over-lap between the two.

The teacher may have experience of both conditions co-morbidly in many children and erroneously thinking that is always the case.

As a secondary teacher of 13 years, I've had 2 short training sessions on ASD and none on ASD.

I do recieve information on each my class details come through on their particular requirements

As a parent though of a 17 year old DS with ASD and MLD you will find that although some support/activities etc may not seem initially targeted they are worthwhile.

So please open don't dismiss this teacher on the first contact email

Could it be something as simple as the wrong file names being clicked? If they are in alphabetical order it could easily happen.

This is a tricky one.

Most primary teachers I know, know very little and I could see them getting confused.

At the same time, there are many over laps with spd, ASC and ADHD. (I teach all). Also, the techniques used can be the same (visual things, structure etc). So. He MIGHT have known more about the courses and felt them appropriate.

My initial inclination is not though.

It's so depressing, how little training teachers are getting. ASD/SPD can be a huge barrier to learning.

I would clarify if the senco had recommended the courses actually. Because when I was a mainstream teacher is have double checked with them about something like that.

It's difficult for you but do clarify it with him/ them.

Then maybe suggest he goes on an early bird course.

It doesn't necessarily mean he doesn't understand the difference. Isn't it possible that he has some info on ASD and some info on ADHD on his computer and he just attached the wrong documents by accident? I wouldn't write him off as completely clueless based on one email that might have been sent in error.

It could be that he isn't familiar with the acronym and so confused it with ADHD. Acronyms can cause confusion - in medicine ASD can also be atrial septal defect (a heart problem). Hopefully he will be embarrassed when he realises his mistake. The fact he was looking at articles suggests he is interested in learning more even if he got off on the wrong foot.

Yes, it might be worrying. Nothing worse than feeling like you are about to launch into another year of educating the people you entrust with your child.

But it's early days and it may be a mistake/oversight so I would try and get a chance to meet him.

Teachers are over worked and under trained and that is dreadful but that makes no difference to the fact that you should expect a certain level of understanding.
If we keep letting the fact that teachers might be poorly informed or over worked compromise the quality of support our chikdren get then we might as well all give up.

To be very fair, it's hard to make any judgement when not knowing the school or teacher etc. So try to clarify things. Teachers hand on lots of info to each other towards the end of term. Also, schools and leas vary in their ASD / ASC Sen knowledge and understanding and generally it's much better known about these days.

I would just clarify things.