Learn Your Special Education Laws, Special Education Rights, and Share IEP Goal Ideas

Adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) often struggle with prioritization and organization. Items get lost, bills go unpaid, and projects go unfinished. Creative, smart, and loving individuals suffer from chronic feelings of “not being good enough”. Relationships flounder and lives can spin out of control. People with ADHD can tell you that they simply feel overwhelmed and exhausted.

Fortunately, it is possible to manage ADHD symptoms. There are many extremely effective strategies for coping with difficulties in these areas. In fact, you can become organized and an effective prioritizer if you learn to utilize some of the techniques below.  The first step is to be aware of your weaknesses and take action to address them. The realistic goal is not to become perfect, but to make daily life less stressful. The way you prioritize should depend on your individual needs and problems. Below, we’ll take a look at useful tips that can get you started: Read the rest of this entry →

This is a common refrain at our house – sound familiar?

“Son, you look like you’ve lost focus. What do you need to do to get back on task?”

Wouldn’t it be great if your son’s behavior management was his responsibility, not yours?

Recently, my sons answer made me laugh with pride, “I need a motivator!” he said with a huge smile on his face. He quickly created an incentive for himself (something to do with ice-cream I think) and finished his homework in record speed.

Motivation is a powerful tool for behavior management. We know that the ADHD brain needs to be motivated in order to maintain focus. It is powerful when our kids begin to understand the concept and create tools to help themselves. Read the rest of this entry →

Sometimes, kids come home with assignments that can become a family affair. Maybe it’s a logic puzzle of the week, or a fun assignment for public speaking. Or maybe it’s having a lively discussion about a book your child is reading for Lit. You can increase your child’s commitment to his/her education by showing an interest, without actually doing the work for her! Read the rest of this entry →

What should you say to your kids about their ADHD?  When should you start talking about it?  The answer is simple to parenting ADHD kids: teach what they can understand, and do it now. Education and awareness are important tools. Knowledge is power, and it can help your kids be successful. There are three critical conversations that you can have at any age (with some minor adjustments for young ADDers).

1. Understand your Brain

It’s important, even at young ages, that all children understand what their brains need to do their job well. Since ADD brains work differently in some ways, it’s all the more important information for our kids to understand that: Read the rest of this entry →

Some people would answer something such as “the ability to stay calm,” or “providing the right kind of structure,” or “keeping yourself healthy and well-rested.” Read the rest of this entry →

What is a Neuropsychological Evaluation?

A neuropsychological evaluation is comprehensive battery of tests that provides a detailed picture of a person’s aptitude, achievement, and social and emotional status as compared to others at the same stage of development.  Only a trained neuropsychologist administers such assessments.  The evaluation involves a clinical history and interview, completion of standardized checklists, completion of paper and pencil tasks, hands-on activities, and computer-based tasks. Read the rest of this entry →

As children and parents negotiate their way through the final week of summer and approach the beginning of a new school year, they experienced the inevitable and vast array of thoughts and feelings about the upcoming challenges they will face.  Many students feel a predominance of excitement as they anticipate who their new teachers will be, look forward to seeing old friends, making new ones, and sharing the experiences they have had since June.  As a person, I hope that all children feel, on balance, more excitement than concern at the prospect of a fresh opportunity; however, as a Special Educator with thirteen years of school based experience, I know that many – if not most – children with special needs face every school year with worry and trepidation. Read the rest of this entry →

I can’t believe in the year 2012 we are still discussing whether a child with ADHD can qualify for an IEP.  Many people continue to point out that there are 13 disability categories listed in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) isn’t one of them.  The 13 categories are Read the rest of this entry →

Spotting people with Inattentive ADHD (ADHD-I) can be as difficult as finding Waldo in those busy picture books. People with ADHD-I do not stand out, blend into the setting they are in, and are perfectly happy if they are never found. Trevor is a good example.

Trevor is a quiet, well behaved, seventh grader who always sits in the back of the classroom. He rarely listens to a word that his biology teacher says, instead, he spends his time thinking about the science fiction book that he is reading. There will be a biology test in five days and he will barely pass it. Read the rest of this entry →

Hi, my name is Mac and I am a stay at home mama of 5 boys, we live in St Louis, Mo. My husband, “Big Daddy”, has 2 boys- Thing 1, a 17 year old bipolar rebel, and Thing 2- 16 with ADHD. I have 3 of my own. An 11 year old, Walter, who is also ADHD. Alexander the Great, 9, has severe autism and ADHD (since, you know, autism never travels alone). Goofy is the baby at 5 (and our last dose of ADHD). Read the rest of this entry →