Anonymous wrote:
ADHD.
Teachers never want to say that word or any other diagnosis word, and circle around the issue and say "absent-minded", "inattentive", "spacey", "doesn't listen", etc.
Since you notice the same at home, it's time to have her evaluated. Either a developmental pediatrician or a child psychologist will be competent to evaluate your child regarding ADHD. If it's "just" for an ADHD eval, it should cost less than 1K. If you have additional concerns, the full neuropsych is about 3K but the tests are a bit long for a first grader, so I would advise you to hold off until late elementary.
If there is a diagnosis of ADHD, this won't change who your child is. She will still be the same wonderful girl! But a formal diagnosis will help you receive significant services and accommodation from a public school, and perhaps some minor ones from a private school. Things like preferential seating near the board and teacher, an aide in the class to redirect her attention, repeated directions and checking that she's handed in her homework (and later on, that she's correctly written which deadlines for which project in her planner), extra time on tests and the possible use of a calculator, both of which might be very helpful in higher grades. She could get pull-outs to finish work in a less distracting environment as well. This might necessitate the creation of 504 plan or IEP.
+1000000