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Here you'll find advice from parents and teachers on special needs education.

ADHA or not, what school. Please help its all starting again!!

8 replies

jumbo67 · 25/02/2009 14:03

Ahhh! Fist day back after half term and I get 2 e mails from school about DS behaviour, day 2 and I get the call to pick him up! Here's the history. From pre school doubts were cast as to if there was a problem, Aspergers was mentioned...then this behaviour got better, come March next year again concerns raised but thought to be a maturity thing as he is an August birthday. Then things calmed, come March the following year back comes the aggression, frustration and defiance. So we had him assessed and that came up with leanings to ADHD, to young at 5 to say for sure. THings got better at the start of the year and here we are again in March, almost. He is a very bright child, bad handwriting and hates to do work, but very perceptive for a 6 yr old. Very sensitive and the most darling little boy....well when he is not trying to knock 7 bells out of his teachers. My husband is in the category of'Nothing wrong with my boy!' and I am unsure if it is ADHD or not. We are careful of what he eats, how much time on the computer etc and he had boundaries. Does it sound like ADHD? He is not impulsive but a fidget.
To add to all of this we live in Switzerland, so the assessment was done here and so much can be lost in translation. We are looking to move back to the UK to get him settled. Which is best, Private or State? Private smaller classes but is the support there? Surely they will not have a child that can hit out? Or State where a big class size is sure to set him off? Already so unsure and now his behaviour is getting worst again, any help or advice welcome.
Sorry to be so long but my head is a tad fuzzy at the mo.

Thanks

OP posts:
jumbo67 · 25/02/2009 18:39

Oops that should say ADHD, maybe I'm dyslexic!!

OP posts:
sc13 · 06/03/2009 12:33

bump

ICANDOTHAT · 08/03/2009 23:37

My son is 6.5 dx ADHD. He has never hit out at teachers and I didn't think this was a typical ADHD 'thing', I may be wrong. He is not aggressive. ADHD kids are normally very active, fairly impulsive (act now, think later), can't concentrate in the classroom and/or pay attention (bad listeners). Has his school mentioned having him assessed by an educational physchologist ? Also, to get proper dx in the UK, they like the symptoms to have been consistently present for at least 6 months from the age of 5.

What's he like with other children? Does he have friends?

jumbo67 · 09/03/2009 09:38

He has friends but I would say not a best friend(did have one but he moved away), in fact he probably gets on better with the girls! I had to pick him up from school again last week, a run in with the same boy as before.
He is now much better in class than he used to be and the problems occur in unstructured time, play time and also in P.E. He is active in an 'ants in his pants' way and has trouble getting from A to B without getting distracted so lacks focus.
I do think an assessment in the UK is my next move. Would I go to a doctor to be referred? Happy to go private to speed it up.
Thanks for your input. Can I ask if your son have any help in school?

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AttilaTheMeerkat · 10/03/2009 07:44

If you come back to the UK you need to ask your GP for a referral to a developmental paediatrician. You can pay and see such a person as a private patient.

Support not guaranteed in private schools, they work outside of the LEA. Would also look into obtaining a Statement for him from the LEA in terms of his education needs as well.

jumbo67 · 12/03/2009 13:27

Thanks, will do. I am hoping to get something sorted for the Easter break but that may not be possible. He has been sent home from school 2 weeks in a row now so really need to know how to handle this/ what school is best etc.
Thanks for the advice.

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ICANDOTHAT · 17/03/2009 12:01

Oooh, sorry, just found this thread again and realised I did not reply. My son is on an IEP and School Action here in the UK. He gets a little 1-1 help, but mainly it's focus 'training' ie: egg timer set to 10 mins to allow him to complete tasks, 'special' chair that he needs to keep his bottom on Nothing major. Getting assessment via GP is the best thing, I think. A private assessment would be quicker, but if he needs any help at school in the UK, LEA's will not generally accept a private dx and you will have to go via their route eventually.

I have used both private and state schools each with their pros and cons. If your child is statemented in a state school then they are obliged, by law, to adhere to the terms of that statement and give him the recommended support. Any private school runs under it's own rules ifswim. You really have to talk to them about your child's needs and agree with them if they are able to support him. Many private schools will charge you extra for their special needs teaching - varies £30-£50/hour

jumbo67 · 18/03/2009 10:15

Thanks ICANDOTHAT, I had a meeting with his teacher and the head of support yesterday and they said in class he is fine but he needs support in the playground and in P.E. as he can get agressive due to his frustRATIONS. you can count the number of times he has gone too far on one hand I guess the thinking is that it could get worse? At the moment their answer is to send him home which does nothing for his self esteem. It would also cost another 10,000 on top of the school fees!! (as I said we are in Switzerland and he is in the international school )So I will have to work out the maths and see how that compares to the UK private rate. Whilst I am keen for him to go to state school the thought of 30plus gives me great concerns as he is at the moment in a class of 15 and has always worked better in a small group so may needing less support in the private. Ahhh sending myself slightly batty with all of this but next step is the assessment and it is interesting to hear about having to go through the GP. I will call them now.
Thanks for that.

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