It does not take a neuropsych to get an ADHD diagnosis. And, if you have good relationships with your school and pediatrician, you can get diagnosed within a week. A neuropsych is not always recommended as early as age 5. |
Anyone doling out ADHD diagnoses to 5 year olds without extensive testing should have their licenses revoked. |
Exactly why they’d be a terrible choice in this case. This child’s needs exceed that of an OT. You might use them for supplemental therapy but you’re kidding yourself and doing your child a huge disservice if you treat a case like this by just “getting lots of OT” and putting them in another school. |
This. Especially with a kid with violent behaviors. When we were getting my kid diagnosed with ADHD and later autism, I was looking for “the best of the best” providers and obviously, neuropsych evaluations were recommended by all. |
| I would suggest Auburn School in Silver Spring |
They will toss out a kid with overly challenging behavior. |
+1 If you are taking this tone and using this sort of language with school staff and faculty, OP, you are not doing your child any favors. |
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Dad also needs to get an evaluation.
He has unrealistic expectations, emotional outbursts, makes important decisions while angry, demands solutions without contributing to finding any solutions, exposes his 5 year old child with ADHD to video games. I deeply hope the OP is a troll. |
Yes he probably needs to consider what kind of communication will be most effective. but schools are really, really bad at communicating with parents in a way that fosters collaboration. We (parents of kids with behavioral issues) have all been there. Especially when the school is failing to implement the IEP every day then calling you every day to tell you how bad your kid is. |
I'm sure that you believe you made the very best decisions for your child. But they are not the very best decisions for every child. I see a lot of value in getting a quick diagnosis so that you can get immediate services and accommodations in school. Those quick evaluations do not prevent you from getting additional evaluations. But failure to get a diagnosis can prevent your child from getting school services. |
When kids are that young they usually don’t need a diagnosis and can get services through a school assessment of developmental delay. But yes, if you need something quick to push that, do so. An expensive neuropsych in 6-18 months won’t help now. |
Hmm. Has the “quick diagnosis” and advice from that provider helped? It sure doesn't look like it. The kid absolutely needs a neuropsych and should get on a list ASAP. They should also be looking for a a whole new mental health team here. |
A “neuropsych” doesn’t even diagnose ADHD. I’m all in favor of consulting experts but in such a young kid it’s a lot less simple than shelling out $8k for a “neuropsych,” although I’m sure many providers would take OP’s money. What OP needs is whatever paperwork is necessary to get an IEP or update it (or BIP if they don’t have one), plus and advocate to get the school to implement it or find a new placement. |
Seems to me that OP says it did help. It provided a diagnosis, which enabled them to get treatment, which OP says greatly improved his son's behavior at his preschool and also led to the IEP. Neuropsych evals are great tools in some situations. But, getting a neuropsych isn't going to magically cure OP's son's behavioral issues. And it might not even provide any additional insight into interventions. OP is definitely prickly and has communication that leads me to think he's going to need to tone it down to be as effective as possible. But no one can say that he isn't doing everything he knows how to do for his son or that he is leaving recommendations from professionals on the table. |
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I haven't read the whole thread but wanted to say that my (at the time undiagnosed) 5-year-old with ADHD went off the rails in kindergarten--eloping; tearing stuff off the walls. He loved his classmates and the assistant teacher, but the teacher was a novice and the class was chaotic, and the demands of writing were too much for him. We were actually grateful when the pandemic came, because it was an end to the outbursts.
We switched him to a public school when we moved (he had been at a charter), and things were a lot better in many ways even before he had the diagnosis and medication starting in 3rd grade. Now he's in 6th grade and still has his meltdowns and learning struggles, and we have put in a TON of time with OT, therapy, and finding the right medication, but it's not kindergarten anymore, THANK GOD. All of which is to say, I feel you, OP; you may have a rocky road ahead, but it's not going to be quite like this forever. Good luck. |