Anonymous
Post 10/27/2015 01:01     Subject: Re:Is this normal for child with ADHD
We're a family that tried hard to go the immersion route with my kid with ADHD and it did not go well. Such kids have a hard time processing transitions and transferring knowledge from one context into another. So the math she's learning in French would mean nothing when the question is asked in English...

This does not mean that DD never did learn the target language. Once she started to read fluently, she started to take specific language classes. It was tough in the beginning, because even the younger language classes are based on auditory repetition, just like immersion is. DD only clicked once she started to have access to real dialog, reading, exposure to grammar. She excels now in her private school that teaches a second language.

One thought I have about your situation is that the 20h helper is not there to manage the ADHD, but to translate. If that's what happens, then your child is getting no benefit from the immersion, and is only facing hurdles. Try to find out.

On the other hand, it would have been so helpful for DD is in those early years she had someone offering her a warm smile, a reminder to move to the next activity or a walk to the side when she was feeling overwhelmed and lost. Instead, she was left to suffer big bouts of anxiety without any help. Which is why we're now in private.

Good luck sorting this out!
Anonymous
Post 10/16/2015 17:00     Subject: Is this normal for child with ADHD
Anonymous wrote:Does Oakwood take public placements? Just wondering.


Yes, Oakwood does have public placements. But I haven't seen one from FCPS. Oakwood's curriculum is primarily for dyslexia and other language-based disabilities along with ADHD.

I second the educational assessment recommendation. My dd has severe dyslexia which was camouflaged by what teacher saw as adhd. "If she would just try harder/ focus she would get the reading..."

Now that we've been addressing the dyslexia, her adhd is also improving in interesting ways. So it is really difficult to tease apart avoidant behavior patterns in a classroom without the info from a skilled assessment.

Anonymous
Post 10/16/2015 11:02     Subject: Re:Is this normal for child with ADHD
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP here. After doing some research and talking to his IEP team I am more convinced that he does have ADHD/ADD and some type of learning disability. I talked to the psychologist and the IEP coordinator about this. We have an IEP meeting next week, where they want to make his increase of his hours official and they want to lower his goals. I understand about having attainable goals but at the same time seems like we are going backwards. Overall I like his IEP team. We really have a couple of options now at this point.

1.)Stay where he is at in his Spanish class. I would have to hire some kind of tutor to meet with him once or probably twice a week. I get the impression that the school doesn’t support this idea.

2.)Moves to an English class, either in his current school or his home school. If we keep him in his current school I think we will have to pay someone (education advocate or some other type of person) to advocate for his stay in his current school. He does have friends and we have built up a relationship with this school.

3.)We go to a private school. I have been looking at Oakwood and it seems to be a great school, a good fit for my child. We have a tour scheduled next week to look at it. It’s expensive, but if its worth it…..


Many Thanks for everyone’s opinion! Its been a valuable resource in figuring this out.


It sounds like you could benefit from a thorough independent neuro-psych. That would not only identify any LDs, but provide you with recommendations for the best school environment.


Yes, please do this. A lot of things can look like ADHD. That may be what it is, but there may be other things going on as well. You may also need this if you apply to private schools.

If you do 1 or 2 you may want to hire an advocate in either case, b/c you want to make sure he is adequately supported in either environment.
Anonymous
Post 10/16/2015 10:59     Subject: Is this normal for child with ADHD
Anonymous wrote:
OP,

I posted before about my child with significant ADHD who receives 12 hours a week of support.

I forgot to mention that we are a multicultural, bilingual family. My son goes to a weekend school to learn how to write in his native language (involves a lot of grammar, which he hates and has difficulty with) - he already knows how to speak and read it. These things did not come easily to him. We were nearly refused services from Infants and Toddlers in MoCo because his delays were thought to stem from his bilingualism and not from developmental issues - later on they backtracked, but not before we had lost what I thought was valuable early intervention time. I am particularly aware that teachers and special educators here will constantly trot out the anti-bilingual argument, saying it's too much, blah blah blah. Rubbish. Your child will have to work harder, certainly, but research has shown that learning a second language develops young brains and makes children more adaptable. The goal is long-term brain flexibility, and even a child with ADHD can reach it.


This happens and it perturbs me that when convenient long dispelled myths can be given new life to justify--or rather not--educational accommodations.
Anonymous
Post 10/16/2015 09:24     Subject: Is this normal for child with ADHD
Does Oakwood take public placements? Just wondering.
Anonymous
Post 10/16/2015 09:18     Subject: Is this normal for child with ADHD
I am the pp whose child with ASD/ADHD gets 20 hrs a wk of SN support in his IEP at an immersion school. He has had this level of support since K and is currently in 3rd. We stay at the school because DS is above grade level in English/Math and has no academic issues needing remediation other than handwriting in English - he gets to use a laptop and OT.

It sounds like you have some good options. Increase the supports for now and see how it goes while applying to other schools for next fall.

Getting a neuropsych eval is a great idea. Good luck!
Anonymous
Post 10/16/2015 08:42     Subject: Re:Is this normal for child with ADHD
Anonymous wrote:OP here. After doing some research and talking to his IEP team I am more convinced that he does have ADHD/ADD and some type of learning disability. I talked to the psychologist and the IEP coordinator about this. We have an IEP meeting next week, where they want to make his increase of his hours official and they want to lower his goals. I understand about having attainable goals but at the same time seems like we are going backwards. Overall I like his IEP team. We really have a couple of options now at this point.

1.)Stay where he is at in his Spanish class. I would have to hire some kind of tutor to meet with him once or probably twice a week. I get the impression that the school doesn’t support this idea.

2.)Moves to an English class, either in his current school or his home school. If we keep him in his current school I think we will have to pay someone (education advocate or some other type of person) to advocate for his stay in his current school. He does have friends and we have built up a relationship with this school.

3.)We go to a private school. I have been looking at Oakwood and it seems to be a great school, a good fit for my child. We have a tour scheduled next week to look at it. It’s expensive, but if its worth it…..


Many Thanks for everyone’s opinion! Its been a valuable resource in figuring this out.


It sounds like you could benefit from a thorough independent neuro-psych. That would not only identify any LDs, but provide you with recommendations for the best school environment.