Another Maddux parent...

We have loved Maddux. But it is no magic cure. They have a typical profile that they accept. Luckily, our child seems to be thriving there.

Unmedicated ADHD with many of the behaviors that go along with it seems to present a real challenge in the classroom. I have heard from families who were advised to medicate or advised to leave. I don't think the school wants that outcome. If they accept your child, they think that they can work with your child and make a positive impact.

But I think if your child needs more supports and it's outside their normal offerings, you are going to be in a tough spot. This isn't public school and they don't have the menu of offerings that a public school has.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If it is really severe and you live in MoCo, you might want to visit your public school that offers services for emotional disability support. A friend with a severely ADHD child has found it to be very good for her child. And they can't kick her child out. http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/special-education/programs-services/behavior-and-emotional-support.aspx

I have heard other people say this. We are in ACPS and do not have this option. I have been told by my son's current teacher to actively avoid the ED class, as it is self contained.

There is nothing wrong in theory with SC if the educational part is there. I for one wasted way too much time on typical peer exposure opportunities. If your kid needs SC, then that's what he needs. Better to have the right fit than the wrong fit with NT peers.

Anonymous wrote:OP, have you even applied or talk to them to see if they will accept your child? You have posted (think it is you) multiple times about this. I get your concern, but you need to talk to them and/or apply. If it is severe, they may not take your child. I know a few kids who were not accepted under behavioral issues (the parents were livid, especially one who minimized the behaviors). They are looking for a good fit. I spoke with them but it didn't seem a good fit for our child as there were no behavioral issues. I know they don't take kids with extreme behaviors, but most schools will not.

You can try the Lourie Center in Rockville. I'm not a fan of them but others like them.

I don't understand this: you thought Maddux was a poor fit for your child because he has no behavior problems? There are lots of reasons why Maddux would be a poor fit, but that isn't one of them.

I am one of the posters who had a kid kicked out of Maddux. I know other families who were as well. My goal, in telling people that his happened, is to dispel the myth that Maddux is a cure-all for everyone, as was its reputation when I first started hanging out on this board. People seemed to think that if your kid got in they would fix him. I know I felt this way. They are well meaning people at Maddux but they are overstretched and they are not able to deal with all behaviors or needs. I just want people to be realistic about expectations. My guess is that 1-2 kids are asked to leave every year (that's totally a guess) so not a lot but it hurts tremendously when it happens because you put so much faith in these people and if they can't help him what does that say about the kid's potential for improvement in general. Some of us were asked not to return for the following year, some were asked to leave mid-year.

OP, have you even applied or talk to them to see if they will accept your child? You have posted (think it is you) multiple times about this. I get your concern, but you need to talk to them and/or apply. If it is severe, they may not take your child. I know a few kids who were not accepted under behavioral issues (the parents were livid, especially one who minimized the behaviors). They are looking for a good fit. I spoke with them but it didn't seem a good fit for our child as there were no behavioral issues. I know they don't take kids with extreme behaviors, but most schools will not.

You can try the Lourie Center in Rockville. I'm not a fan of them but others like them.

Anonymous wrote:Is your child medicated to control some of the ADHD? Maddux may push for this if your child attends.

Yes, we are still trying to figure it out but a small dose of qullivant is helping.

Not a Maddux parent, but we were left with no choice other than to remove our preK child from a school that had special ed services, but could not handle what our child presented. It's very disruptive and disheartening. I would be very open with Maddux and have a clear discussion on the severity of your child's problem and if they consider it to be a good fit.

Is your child medicated to control some of the ADHD? Maddux may push for this if your child attends.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If it is really severe and you live in MoCo, you might want to visit your public school that offers services for emotional disability support. A friend with a severely ADHD child has found it to be very good for her child. And they can't kick her child out. http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/special-education/programs-services/behavior-and-emotional-support.aspx

I have heard other people say this. We are in ACPS and do not have this option. I have been told by my son's current teacher to actively avoid the ED class, as it is self contained.

I don't understand your concern for 2 reasons, first you are considering putting him in a special school that is effectively self contained and secondly, if your child has issues that are severe enough that you are worried he may be expelled from a school specifically catering to children with learning and emotional troubles then you need to consider how he can best learn and grow. A regular classroom teacher with a normal size class might not be good for him. He needs special teachers with special training and being in a group with other kids with the same struggles helps relieve the anxiety from the stigma of being the only kids who can't sit still, keep hands to self, etc.

The other children in self contained classrooms in ACPS have severe ID, and severe aggression problems according to the team that has advised me. Its not even on the table for him. The options are public with an IEP, but he will not get speech or OT, or a private like Maddux or Newton.

Also - please don't derail like this. I have researched the issue and thought it through and talked to his IEP team. At this point in time, there is no self contained classroom available to him in our school district. I guess we could move, but right now, that is not what we are considering.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If it is really severe and you live in MoCo, you might want to visit your public school that offers services for emotional disability support. A friend with a severely ADHD child has found it to be very good for her child. And they can't kick her child out. http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/special-education/programs-services/behavior-and-emotional-support.aspx

I have heard other people say this. We are in ACPS and do not have this option. I have been told by my son's current teacher to actively avoid the ED class, as it is self contained.

I don't understand your concern for 2 reasons, first you are considering putting him in a special school that is effectively self contained and secondly, if your child has issues that are severe enough that you are worried he may be expelled from a school specifically catering to children with learning and emotional troubles then you need to consider how he can best learn and grow. A regular classroom teacher with a normal size class might not be good for him. He needs special teachers with special training and being in a group with other kids with the same struggles helps relieve the anxiety from the stigma of being the only kids who can't sit still, keep hands to self, etc.

The other children in self contained classrooms in ACPS have severe ID, and severe aggression problems according to the team that has advised me. Its not even on the table for him. The options are public with an IEP, but he will not get speech or OT, or a private like Maddux or Newton.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If it is really severe and you live in MoCo, you might want to visit your public school that offers services for emotional disability support. A friend with a severely ADHD child has found it to be very good for her child. And they can't kick her child out. http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/special-education/programs-services/behavior-and-emotional-support.aspx

I have heard other people say this. We are in ACPS and do not have this option. I have been told by my son's current teacher to actively avoid the ED class, as it is self contained.

I don't understand your concern for 2 reasons, first you are considering putting him in a special school that is effectively self contained and secondly, if your child has issues that are severe enough that you are worried he may be expelled from a school specifically catering to children with learning and emotional troubles then you need to consider how he can best learn and grow. A regular classroom teacher with a normal size class might not be good for him. He needs special teachers with special training and being in a group with other kids with the same struggles helps relieve the anxiety from the stigma of being the only kids who can't sit still, keep hands to self, etc.

Anonymous wrote:If it is really severe and you live in MoCo, you might want to visit your public school that offers services for emotional disability support. A friend with a severely ADHD child has found it to be very good for her child. And they can't kick her child out. http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/special-education/programs-services/behavior-and-emotional-support.aspx

I have heard other people say this. We are in ACPS and do not have this option. I have been told by my son's current teacher to actively avoid the ED class, as it is self contained.

If it is really severe and you live in MoCo, you might want to visit your public school that offers services for emotional disability support. A friend with a severely ADHD child has found it to be very good for her child. And they can't kick her child out. http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/special-education/programs-services/behavior-and-emotional-support.aspx

They recently hired a behavior support person. I'd ask about what role that person will play and what resources that person will make available.

My son has ADHD, severe, and we are considering Maddux. Several posters have noted that their children with similar issues were counseled out. Can you tell me about that please? Really want to avoid such a situation.