Fcats & Adhd

she needs an IEP (Individualized Education Plan) that will allow her to be tested in a small group setting with extended time for testing and frequent breaks when testing. my son and my niece both have this and it works.

as soon as the testing is complete, request an IEP meeting to set up her IEP. it will help her with daily school struggles as well.

I'm sorry - I don't have any advice to offer you. My 7 year old daughter also has a hard time sitting still and staying focused in class. Her teacher at WCES suggested that she start seeing the school counselor also so that we can control her anger. She'll get really upset at times and throw her book on the floor...or she'll go to the teacher and say that everyone is being mean to her and bullying her-even when no one was around her. Should I take her to a psychologist?

I dont have a child with ADHD, but I do have a hard time focusing myself and I am 46. I just wanted to suggest maybe they give her the test orally instead of written. That way someone is helping her stay focused.

I wish her well. Blessings

I used to teach elementary school. I would ask the teacher who normally administers the tests to other kids with ADHD. When I was teaching it was the learning disabilities teacher. On the day of FCAT she took the kids with ADHD, learning disabilies, and ADD to another room to take their tests. They were given longer time to take the test. There were less distractions. I think they also received extra breaks. By law, they are given these things.

I don't know if you daughter would qualify since she's not officially been diagnosed with ADHD. But they might allow her anyway. If not, I'm sure that teacher would have advice on what you and the regular teacher can do.

Also keep in mind that the regular teacher should be able to watch over her and keep her focused. During testing, the teacher is not allowed to work with the students or anything like that. So there's really not that much for the teacher to do but walk around and make sure kids are on tasks. She could put your daughter in the front where there are less distractions. The teacher could place her chair near her to just simply tap on the desk or make eye contact to remind her to stay focused.

L.

Overall supplement that my son has used with great success is Zija, all the Vitamins Minerals Amino Acids,etc that we need in a day in one can. Safe for pregnant women, infants - everyone. They make it from a plant called the miracle tree. Here is my website: www.myzija.com/katbranch
Also, a company called Native Remedies has products to help with focus,etc. my son has been on BrightSparks & FocusFormula for a while now and has had great results noted by home and the teacher. They have tons of products for natural help. Natural is the best way to go. Best of luck in your Healthful Journey.

My grandaughter had similar problems and after testing by her Dr. was diagnosed withh ADD and put on a strict schedule at home and meds. It made all the difference in the world at school.All her failing grades quickly turned to high passing grades. She has to be in bed by (pm even on weekends, up at 7 am to take her pill. She has to eat at certain times everyday. All this goes hand in hand with her meds.

Hello D.,

I know this is so overwhelming and I see it a lot in children today. But, I am not sure if you are into homeopathic (more natural products), but if you have a wonderful health food store close by, please go speak to the herbalogist or whomever that knows good enzymes, products, etc., that will help slow down the energy and brain. They should not make your daughter lethargic at all, the brain product will slow the craziness that goes on down.

My husband was like that and when we went to an herbologist he told him that his brain was going 160 miles per hour yet my husband's behavior was kind of calm. When he started taking the enzymes, he was so much clearer in the way he spoke and his ability to listen better. It was amazing.

Also, watch the food she is eating. Sugar is in everything and if she drinks diet anything or chews gum with asparatene in it STOP immediately.

I hope this helps.

L. Hein
Author
THE BOOK "I'm Doing The Best I Can!" (They won't always be cute and adorable)
www.lisarhein.com

Hi D.,

We have a 14 year old son with ADHD and have been fighting those battles as well. We have had great luck using Cellfood. There is a great article at http://www.cell-food.biz/ADHD.html regarding this. It has not only helped with his ADHD but with his asthma as well. The whole famiy is taking it now. You can get it at your local health food store, but cell-food.biz is usually cheaper.

Good luck with everything. N. K

You need to go to the teacher and the school guidance couselor and get a 504 Plan into Place ASAP. It will put into writting all the accomidations that need to be made for your daughter. By having it in writting it is guaranteed to happen and if it doesn't it is a violation of law. I would also suggest that you get a letter from the Pediatrician and the Psychologist listing all the accomidations that they believe that she requires. I would list ALL - it can be modified as needed also. I would suggest the following
1) smaller class settings
2) Extended Time (Prefer to say NO TIME LIMITS)
3) Quiet Setting
4) Stretching/Standing/Moving between sessions or every X minutes
There are others but these are the most common

By stating the smaller group settings and the no time limits it means that they can stop and go to lunch or bathroom without being penalized.
Be firm and dont back down

Believe me been there done that and I have an 11yo who is ADHD and Dyslexic - a 5yo with is ADHD and an almost 4yo who is also ADHD.

If you want to email me privately that is not a problem either

Check with the school guidance counselor to make sure she can get special assistance for the week of FCATS.
Also some of her acting out could be a sign that she is anxious not only about the testing but about your upcoming marriage.

Hi D.,
This is a very difficult struggle. My son is almost 10 and suffers from ADHD and ODD (Oppisitional Defiant Disorder) He also has trouble staying focused during testing. We have found it helpful to let him test in smaller groups and in shorter durations. Until you have a diagnosis from a doctor, schools are not required to accomodate this disability. I had the diagnosis, and still had a problem getting a 504 plan set up for my son, because he is a extrememly smart child and they said his disability did not interfere with his grades. I had to wait until he almost failed because of the growing amount of homework and classwork to have one set up. If you ask a doctor, they have to accomodate a child with this diagnosis.(A 504 plan is set up for children with every kind of learning disability, or with some type of quote unquote handicap. It legally binds the school and the parents to set aside certain accomodations for these children. i.e. extra time to complete assignments, one on one with peers or teachers etc. These accomodations are set by the parents and the school, and vary from child to child). I also am fortunate to have a teacher that was willing to work with my son before they denied the 504. After the denial is when she stopped the "specail treatment" and this is when his grades suffered. The doctors have put my son on a patch, that has made a "HUGE" difference. The patch is called Daytrana and it works all day, and up to 3 hours after you take it off.
I wish you all the luck.

Hello, I don't have a child with adhd but my friend does. Her son is on medication to help him focus. I did not know if your dau was on meds. Also he is in a special class where they gave him more time to take the Test. He is very smart and now he is on his way to 6th grade. Good luck

Yes, I have used DHA and a good multiVitamin.
Also, Omega 3 oil.

Essential Fat for the brain.

Hi D.,

I am a certified ESE teacher. Based on what you have stated your daughter should qualify for a 504 plan if her ADHD is documented/supported by a physician. Schools CANNOT write 504 plans and provide special accomodations to children without a doctor's diagnosis. Otherwise, every other student would be on a 504 plan (all parents and teachers want to see their students perform better and therefore would want every accomodation that would ensure success/schools get money when their students are successful on the FCAT).
Your doctor should provide you and your child's teacher with a checklist to complete. If the teacher is understanding,she can complete and return it to you the next day. You would then need to take it to the Doctor ASAP and if his diagnosis is correct, you would then speak to the school counselor and request a Child-Study Meeting ASAP. You still have time. This could be done by Friday if all parties agree to the urgency of this situation. I am assuming that your daughter is not in the 3rd grade; if that is the case, then you really need to take care of this ASAP since failing the 3rd grade FCAT will equate to an automatic retention of the 3rd grade.
Good luck regarding this matter!

I don't know how much help this would be but lets see. Does she have an IEP at school? My daughter does not have ADHD, we thought she did but it turned out she is profoundly deaf. They put her on a IEP and she gets longer time to take all of her tests than other kids do. It has helped alot becuase she gets distracted easily.

Whatever you do don’t give medications that the doctors may want to prescribe. My fiancé has ADHD. When he was younger they put him on Ritalin it caused stunted growth etc. He is now 39 years old and still has trouble focusing. He is hyper and extremely smart. This is why they have a hard time concentrating their mind is always faster than what they are capable of absorbing. They have to learn to stay focused. Better than meds.

What she needs is a 504 plan. It allows for accommodations that are based on reasons other than specific learning disabilities. If she was SLD she'd have an IEP (individual education plan). The IEP holds more power than a 504 plan, but 504 will get her what she needs. For the FCATs there isn't much in the way of accommodations that are allowed, but for an ADHD child there are ones that will assist. She could be tested in isolation or small group which would eliminate distractions. She could be given unlimited time and breaks so she could get up and move a bit, even have a snack if that is necessary. The school counselor may have additional ideas for accommodations that may help her.

It may take a while to get the 504 in place. Although I know our school did one in two days because a little girl at our school had her arm in a cast for FCAT Writes and they had to allow an accommodation for her to dictate her writing. I'd immediately go in and talk to the guidance counselor or principal and ask them how to accomplish getting the 504 plan in place so she will be successful in testing this month.

Good Luck

Hi, D.,
My son is 8 and has ADHD. Not sure if you would be interested, but in the evenings after school, when his medication starts to wear off, we give him an all natural supplement called Calm. You can find it at Ada's Natural Food Store. It is $8 for a bottle of 100 tablets. It helps to relax my son so he can focus on his homework, and it also relaxes him , so he can fall asleep easier. Also in the morning I give him a fish oil capsule, and that also helps greatly with his focus. My husband and I have started taking the Calm tablets before work, and we notice a big difference---it really lowers our stress level during the day. Hope this helps!

Good Morning D.
I was skimming thru the newsletters and I thought I would jot down a thought. If you have a child with a diagnose in a public school then they are entitled to a program called "a 504 plan" Ever hear of it? If not, ask the psychologist whom is testing her right now to see if she/he could help. Or you can also inquire in her school. Basically, it is a plan that is implemented and it is determined thru her school teacher and the school psychologist and guidance councler. The school personal format a educational goal for her with her diagnose depending on her strengths and weakness. For example, my son has one for diabetes. So, he is allowed to go and test his blood sugar, eat a snack and NOT have ANY timed tests because how the diabetes can affect his thinking. Depending if his sugar is low or high or right where it needs to be. So, I am not sure if you have gone that route yet? I hope it helped some. You can also pull up a search engine and go under Florida education and 504 plans and see more in detail about what I am mentioning here. Good Luck

my younger brother is 12 years old and he has a few learning disabilities. they set it up so that when he sat for the fcats he didn't have a time limit and i think he was by himself (just him and the teacher in the room) and he did great. talk with your child's teacher and tell her your concerns and they can make appropriate acommedations to help your child get through it. if you have to, speak directly with the counselor or asst. principal. just let them know you need to be pointed in the right direction and need to know how you can help her be better prepared.

Hi D.... I also live in Land O' Lakes:).... I believe the expectdreams.com nutrient-packed products could truly help your daughter stay focused! Does she like chocolate? Check out a brief video at www.isadelight.com and see how these newly-created chocolates are "all about focus"! I have only been using them for several days and cannot believe the improvement in my own a.d.d. self!!!.... unreal!!if you'd like to try them go to expectdreams.com and I'll get some to you... Good luck with FCAT!
Sincerely, D. M

my daughter is 8yrs old and I have the same problem she is very smart but had a very hard time staying focused especially during long projects and testing. We had her tested last year with the advise of her teachers. I wish I could help you we struggled last year really badly until we put her on medication and this has been amazing she is doing soo great now. I have her very organized in every aspect in her school work and homework she knows where everything is etc...

Has a doctor diagnosed your daughter with ADHD? If you have a diagnosis from a doctor you could look into getting a 504 plan for your daughter. A 504 would allow for certain accommodations such as extended time or frequent breaks. FCAT is only a week and a half away so both you and the school would have to be on top of things to get it completed in time. I don't know if your daughter would qualify, but you could call the school and talk to the guidance counselor for more information.

Has you daughter gotten an IEP yet? Last year when my child was in public school they gave him extra time on the FCAT's because he had an IEP. Once you have your IEP you can go to the McKay Scholarship website and apply for the scholarship. You can then use the scholarship next year for a private school.

I will just tell you my son struggled in public school, because of his ADHD. Now that he is in private he is excelling in every subjuect. GOOD LUCK!

K.

My son is 14 and struggles with ADHD as well as anger problems. My Dr. suggests cutting out or limit anything with red food dye Make sure you carefully monitor diet. I have found out that this is a huge factor in concentration. Try more natural foods and less preservatives. Hope it helps. Very important to read labels.

Hi D.,
My nephew has ADD and was on Ritalyn (sp) as an adult he wanted to discontinue the medicine and found that wearing headphones blocked a lot of distractions at work and enabled him to focus. Not sure if they would allow that but its worth a try if it works....
Good Luck
J.

I am a teacher in Hillsborough county. My first question, does she have a 504 plan??? You would know if she did. Have you sat down with the school guidance counselor/psycologist. She needs to have an active 504 to get assistance on the test.
Students that have a medical condition, such as ADHD, can have a 504 plan with the school addressing how the school will modify tasks for them. Modifications for testing include: extended time or a quiet testing location. This would probably help your child. That said, unless she has a plan on file, the school/teacher cannot legally do anything to assist the child; it would then be seen as giving your child an unfair advantage.
My advice, make an appointment with the guidance dept on Monday. See what they can do...they might have to wait for an actual diagnosis from your psychiatrist.
Hope this helps