One of the greatest school challenges parents of an ADD/ADHD child will face is how to determine what support is best for their child. The many alternatives or gray areas that parents must face can become a frustrating experience for school, parent and child alike. For example, there can be the different school programs or support to facilitate greater academic and behavioral success. That is, a percentage of ADHD children often have average to above average academic skills, which entitles them to a 504 or regular education accommodations with testing, homework preparation etc.
Conversely, if ADHD children have a defined learning handicap (reading, written language, math etc.) they are entitled to special education or an IEP (individual educational program), which allows for smaller specialized classes in English, math, study skills etc. The special education identification can eliminate and provide a more flexible academic program as well as behavior accommodations for greater focusing and school achievement.
Here in lies the dilemma for some parents. That is, if we allow for a 504, are we placing the ADHD child with a known neurological disability into a classroom that requires study skills based on regular education curriculums and schedules, which is often antithetical to the child’s focusing, organization and behavior skills? Also, if the child is given a 504, will regular teachers support accommodations, such as extra time allotted for tests, homework and even permit the child to have periodic breaks (high school block schedules consist of 80 minute class periods). Finally, if the ADHD child has a learning disability, do we allow him to be placed in special education class, which attaches a stigma and a challenge to his self-esteem?
Support from the many specialists can also become a challenge, especially when ADHD children and parents who are putting forth 100 percent energy, but the child is only producing at a 50 % success rate. In other words, when a parent is faced with countless setbacks they will look for additional support in the form of private therapists, nutrionist, MD’s etc. that can often overwhelm the child and parent?
Out of desperation, some parents will turn to medication, which often comes in the form of stimulants. Unfortunately, for some children medication is a short-term fix that can lead to a future addiction for hard-core drugs?
Finally, the parent may turn to neurofeedback, also called EEG biofeedback. A program that helps the child learns how to self-regulate brain activity which for ADHD children is critical for school and life’s success (neurofeedback has been supported by the American Association of pediatrics as having Level 1 efficacy (top ranking) in application for ADHD).
Again, ADHD children have a defined neurological disorder or when the child’s neurons or the brain’s transmission of information is inconsistent. Either too fast with ADHD or too slow with ADD. The end result is stopping and/or speeding up which affects the ADHD child’s working memory or focusing ability as well as the executive areas of the brain.
Whatever path the parent chooses: the school program and test and homework accommodations; a special education class that offers flexibility and specialization in core subjects; the private therapist who prescribes a behavior contract and works with the parent on how to set boundaries; the nutritionist who will advise the parents on sugar and/or food intake; the MD who could prescribe medication and finally a specialist in Neurofeedback who will recommend a program to teach children how to self-regular the brain neurotransmitters. The key for the parent is to recognize that you and your child could be giving 100% but only seeing 50%. The key is to look for those small beads of success because 50% can often be 100%. Just ask the ADHD/ADD child.
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