Revisiting an early ADHD diagnosis when child is in high-school

[Anonymous]

My DD was diagnosed as having ADHD (combined type) in elementary school. She was diagnosed by a psychiatrist and the initial diagnosis was confirmed by a psychologist who completed the whole psychoeducational testing process (6 hours of testing for DD, parent and teacher input, etc.). We tried medication for a while but it made her feel "out of it" so we stopped it. We had a 504 hearing in elementary (sorry if I'm using the wrong term--I don't remember the term exactly) and were denied any formal accomodations because they said she was doing well academically and didnt qualify. I didn't push back at the time.

DD went on to do well in ES, MS, and has a 3.6 average in highschool (10th grade). She is very organized so executive functioning is not an issue for us. We hadn't given the whole thing much thought until we started thinking ahead to junior year and beyond when the coursework will undoubtedly get harder. Is it worth revisiting the issue in HS to figure out what, if any, extra support she needs? Although she's organized and usually gets her work done on time, she still says she's bored out of her mind at school (no, I'm not suggesting she's gifted), takes much longer to do homework than others her age and, according to her, hates to read and wants to avoid any class that involves reading anything longer than a few paragraphs. These things sound to me like there are still some ADHD symptoms at play. And I say this as someone who has struggled with ADD all my life.

Those of you who have been down this road, has it been worth it to revisit an ADHD diagnosis in HS? Did it make a difference in your child's ability to get through high school? I know many of you on this board have much bigger problems but I would appreciate hearing from anyone with a siimilar experience.

[Anonymous]

Yes, we got a new ed-psych every 3-4 years. Different things fades and different things presented themselves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DD was diagnosed as having ADHD (combined type) in elementary school. She was diagnosed by a psychiatrist and the initial diagnosis was confirmed by a psychologist who completed the whole psychoeducational testing process (6 hours of testing for DD, parent and teacher input, etc.). We tried medication for a while but it made her feel "out of it" so we stopped it. We had a 504 hearing in elementary (sorry if I'm using the wrong term--I don't remember the term exactly) and were denied any formal accomodations because they said she was doing well academically and didnt qualify. I didn't push back at the time.

DD went on to do well in ES, MS, and has a 3.6 average in highschool (10th grade). She is very organized so executive functioning is not an issue for us. We hadn't given the whole thing much thought until we started thinking ahead to junior year and beyond when the coursework will undoubtedly get harder. Is it worth revisiting the issue in HS to figure out what, if any, extra support she needs? Although she's organized and usually gets her work done on time, she still says she's bored out of her mind at school (no, I'm not suggesting she's gifted), takes much longer to do homework than others her age and, according to her, hates to read and wants to avoid any class that involves reading anything longer than a few paragraphs. These things sound to me like there are still some ADHD symptoms at play. And I say this as someone who has struggled with ADD all my life.

Those of you who have been down this road, has it been worth it to revisit an ADHD diagnosis in HS? Did it make a difference in your child's ability to get through high school? I know many of you on this board have much bigger problems but I would appreciate hearing from anyone with a siimilar experience.

Agree with the pp- you should get a new neuropsych done. She may need accommodations in college as well. Our DS had a neuropsych in 2nd grade, re-eval. in 5th grade, and he will have another re-eval. before he enters high school. The goal is to have a reasonably fresh set of documentation on file before he enters each new school. It helps with accommodations + his ADHD presentation changes as he develops. It went from a serious set of social skills deficits and impulsivity, to stronger social skills and impulse control but weak executive functioning and inattention. This is a pretty common trajectory that has different implications as the expectations change.

[Anonymous]

Yes. Our DS was first diagnosed last year in 10th. They told us he will need a re-eval before college if he wants supports then as well. I agree with others, every couple of years is a good idea especially during/just prior to big transition events.

[Anonymous]

OP here. So are you all recommending that we do the whole 6-hour pyshoeducational testing process that we did in ES again? It cost around $2400 8 years ago. I didn't realize that some people repeat it every few years. Makes sense though because I can see how the symptoms would change over time.

I'm hesitant to go through the whole process again since it did not get her accomodations in ES and we may be denied again. But it sounds like it was worth it for the PPs.

[Anonymous]

We did it again in 9th grade. In order to get accommodations from the college board and from college the testing had to be within 3 years so the 2nd grade testing we'd done wasn't enough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. So are you all recommending that we do the whole 6-hour pyshoeducational testing process that we did in ES again? It cost around $2400 8 years ago. I didn't realize that some people repeat it every few years. Makes sense though because I can see how the symptoms would change over time.

I'm hesitant to go through the whole process again since it did not get her accomodations in ES and we may be denied again. But it sounds like it was worth it for the PPs.

We made sure to use a group that was covered by our insurance so cost was around $300. There's no reason to go to a place that doesn't take insurance unless there are very special circumstances that warrant it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. So are you all recommending that we do the whole 6-hour pyshoeducational testing process that we did in ES again? It cost around $2400 8 years ago. I didn't realize that some people repeat it every few years. Makes sense though because I can see how the symptoms would change over time.

I'm hesitant to go through the whole process again since it did not get her accomodations in ES and we may be denied again. But it sounds like it was worth it for the PPs.

We made sure to use a group that was covered by our insurance so cost was around $300. There's no reason to go to a place that doesn't take insurance unless there are very special circumstances that warrant it.

What insurance do you have? We have federal BCBS standard option and they wouldn't cover much as they considered it educational testing.

[Anonymous]

get through high school?

She can get through high school. Op, you didn't mean that, did you? Not exactly that, I hope. You'll get through high school and go to college. Do you have fears that she won't be as competitive for some colleges? Maybe not. Do you fears that she won't be in all the highest level HS classes? She may not. First thing is to be very honest with yourself and whether you are doing this because you think it reflects on you, which of course it doesn't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. So are you all recommending that we do the whole 6-hour pyshoeducational testing process that we did in ES again? It cost around $2400 8 years ago. I didn't realize that some people repeat it every few years. Makes sense though because I can see how the symptoms would change over time.

I'm hesitant to go through the whole process again since it did not get her accomodations in ES and we may be denied again. But it sounds like it was worth it for the PPs.

We made sure to use a group that was covered by our insurance so cost was around $300. There's no reason to go to a place that doesn't take insurance unless there are very special circumstances that warrant it.

Or if you can’t wait 12-18 months. Which is often the case.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. So are you all recommending that we do the whole 6-hour pyshoeducational testing process that we did in ES again? It cost around $2400 8 years ago. I didn't realize that some people repeat it every few years. Makes sense though because I can see how the symptoms would change over time.

I'm hesitant to go through the whole process again since it did not get her accomodations in ES and we may be denied again. But it sounds like it was worth it for the PPs.

We made sure to use a group that was covered by our insurance so cost was around $300. There's no reason to go to a place that doesn't take insurance unless there are very special circumstances that warrant it.

What insurance do you have? We have federal BCBS standard option and they wouldn't cover much as they considered it educational testing.

ADHD is considered a medical condition (dyslexia, for example, is not). Given the OP's kid's history, it is worth revisiting.

Going to an in-network provider will result in the most coverage. Children's and KKI have long wait lists. Another option is INOVA Kellar, and I think the wait time is shorter.

Whether or not she receives accommodations isn't the only reason to do the evaluation. Your child may want to try medication again (more options now and perhaps her system can tolerate it better, or find something with fewer to no side effects). Regardless, she really needs to know whether she has this condition and how to manage it, what her strengths and weaknesses are as she enters adulthood, whether that's college or work.

[Anonymous]

PP’s are correct that it is recommended to repeat neuropsychological evals. in children every thee years. Their brain development changes so much that symptoms and compensation strategies will usually change. In some cases doctors propose additional or different diagnoses.

Intelligent children with learning differences can develop various coping strategies to get through school without formal accommodation. This doesn’t mean that work is always easy or engaging. In fact boredom is a fairly common experience for ADHD individuals. Schools are only required to eliminate barriers to education. So, in the case of physical disability, someone using crutches would get an elevator pass and possibly additional time to transit between classrooms. However, the school can’t do anything about the fact that walking with crutches may feel more laborious or take longer than walking without them. In a similar fashion, schools will provide supports for learning differences, but students usually experience some level of challenge.

Testing might provide your child with greater self knowledge and some strategies you can employ and your own. It may also be useful if you seek extended time on standardized tests.

[Anonymous]

I agree on updated neuropsych eval. I had one done for my son in second grade. We got an IEP and then it was changed to a 504 in middle school. When things got tougher in HS, we did another neuropsych. Result was a new IEP. Even if nothing comes of it for you, OP, you will always worry and wonder "what if" if you don't do it. Better to be safe than sorry.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP’s are correct that it is recommended to repeat neuropsychological evals. in children every thee years. Their brain development changes so much that symptoms and compensation strategies will usually change. In some cases doctors propose additional or different diagnoses.

Intelligent children with learning differences can develop various coping strategies to get through school without formal accommodation. This doesn’t mean that work is always easy or engaging. In fact boredom is a fairly common experience for ADHD individuals. Schools are only required to eliminate barriers to education. So, in the case of physical disability, someone using crutches would get an elevator pass and possibly additional time to transit between classrooms. However, the school can’t do anything about the fact that walking with crutches may feel more laborious or take longer than walking without them. In a similar fashion, schools will provide supports for learning differences, but students usually experience some level of challenge.

Testing might provide your child with greater self knowledge and some strategies you can employ and your own. It may also be useful if you seek extended time on standardized tests.

Not everyone has an extra 3 grand lying around for constant neuropsychs

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, we got a new ed-psych every 3-4 years. Different things fades and different things presented themselves.

Every three years is the recommended standard. If you plan on getting accommodations in college, you need to have testing to send in. If your testing is more than three years old, the Office of Disability Services at the college will ask you to submit new testing before they will talk to you about accommodations.