Perhaps a letter from your physician or psychologist stating that someone with ADHD can indeed be gifted and vice versa. It's frightening to me when the schools, centers of education, are so misinformed. I met a high school guidance counselor who had no clue that adults could have ADHD.

See if your school district has a parent advocacy organization. They have it in Florida, although it is not advertised so most parents don;t know about it. The parent advocate knows a lot about the law and special education, IEP's, 504 plans and the like. They will go to bat for you and your child. They have made a big difference for a lot of people here in FL who are trying to get help for their child in dealing with the school.

Elaine

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Your child is gifted - don't alter his/her brain patterns with drugs. These drugs were created by the non-gifted to make the gifted non-gifted. Don't drug your child!!! It is hard, that is why I am searching now. I am looking for help for the parents of gifted children, because we need help, as surely as those parents of other disabled children do. DO NOT DRUG YOUR CHILDREN! They have the right to experience the world without being drugged by their parents! The world is our problem, not our children. Let us band together and learn to take on the world together, but don't let the world take our children.

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I tell you, I have never been so frustrated in my life.

I have twin boys who are in the 7th grade; they turned 13 in September. They too are identified as 'gifted and talented' (have been since I can remember) and are currently in danger of being retained, held back in the 7th grade. Last week they were diagnosed with ADD without hyperactivity (by their pediatrician).

They did so very well through elementary school and have always tested exceptionally well ( PACT-advanced/proficient & MAP-top 5%). When entering middle school, they applied (and were accepted) to an academic magnet program. The program seemed like it would be a great fit for the boys. However, from the get go, there were problems. For the first time, there progress reports were a nightmare. It got to the point were I wasn't looking for straight A's, I was praying it wasn't all F's. It sounds extreme...and it was. There were problems at home with homework, projects, chores, pencils, paper, etc. Everything was a 'battle'. We had tried everything to get them 'on track', but to no avail. Interims and parent portal (used by parents to track a students progress) all told the same tale. All zeros led back to anything that required 'paper chasing'. Notebooks, signed forms (yes, they get zeros for that too), homework, etc. They test well...even on a semester exam. On the exam...100 in the class...a D. It surely did not make any sense to us. However, we were told "Middle school is a transition...it's boys...it's puberty...it's no big deal, they'll grow out of it." Unfortunately, we struggled for almost two years before a diagnosis of ADD without hyperactivy was made.

When I think about what we all have gone through, I feel so terribly sad for my boys. However, knowledge is power and we are all learning more each day. We cannot change the past and I am determined to enlighten us all so we can make the changes needed to insure that the boys can reach their full potential. The whole process and the lack of effective changes across the board have definitely put a strain on the family and have caused an untold amount of stress for everyone involved. I have already found so much useful information and have tried to slowly make changes in the household and how I respond to the boys. My husband is also doing his research and reading up on the topic so he too is well informed. Hopefully, I will be able to make some progress with the school. They haven't been too receptive to the idea of a 'talented and gifted' student having ADD. They belive they should have been identified at a much younger age. The comments I have heard over the last 18 months have lead me to believe that the school already knows what their 'problem' is. I truly feel they (the school) think it's an excuse (shaking my head) for the boys not to be 'accountable' for their 'shortcomings'. However, with all of the information I have gathered and the more I read, the better prepared and more confident I feel about moving forward with this process.

I will be my childs advocate and I will work hard to make sure that not only are my boys getting what they need, but also that the school is more aware of the diversity of all of their students.

This site is just the salvation I needed because I have never felt so alone. It's hard for anyone to understand the struggle ...

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John Taylor PhD, long time educator on ADHD, estimates half of the students in Talented and Gifted school programs warrant the ADHD diagnosis. My son was also in that category. He was ejected from the TAG program for not getting his assignments in. However, my diligent wife got him back in. By the way it was not until junior year in high school he was diagnosed. .

Also, law professor, Dr. Gary Chartier, wrote a great essay on grading fairly in which he says the only justifiable grade is one given on competency only (as opposed to getting assignments in on time or busy work)

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The Office of Civil Rghts published a directive in December of 2007 which stated to school sytems that they could not discriminate against kids who, because they were gifted ,were perceived as doing OK without accomodations. IN other words, just because your kid is on grade level does not mean he should not have accomodations to met his/her potential. Please go to the Office of Civil Rights web site : http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/letters/colleague-20071226.pdf

You may have a fight on your hands with the school system. Mine got really creative with their interpretation. A representative from the county school administration came to every meeting after I emailed the link to my son's school. Just keep the conversation going. It never helps your kid to get confrontational. I got what we needed with a 504 plan.

We have been dealing with the school system since my son was in 4th grade.The middle school years were particularly hard because I had to stay on top of the school to make sure my son got the accomodations spelled out in his IEP. It was my second full time job.

High school went well until his junior year when the system retested him and determined he no longer needed services; dropped him from his IEP and stated he didn't need a 504. My son was doing great at the time, but , over the school year his grades fell from A's and B's to D's and F's by third quarter. We all viewed the action as "Congratulations, you're successful. Now we are going to pull the rug out from under you." We paid to have a complete battery of tests at our expense, just like we had to do when he was in 4th grade.

Our son is getting ready to start his senior year after bringing his grades up the 4th quarter. We are all expecting great things this year.

I'm telling you all this to help you understand to always stay on top of this. Educate yourself about ADD and any associated learning disabilities and/or psychological diagnosis your child might have. Pretend you are a teacher and learn everything you need to from that perspective. Pretend you are a doctor and learn everything you can from that perspective. Don't just accept what you are told, ask questions and do research, specifically when it comes to your child's school needs.

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Hi...I'm new here, but was just reading a bunch of posts, and it looks like this is where I need to be. I have a son who is in 5th grade, who is applying for the IB program. Do any of you have a child in this situation? He is a very driven student who is very ADHD!!!! He does get all A's in his advanced classes currently, but I manage all his time for him. He is always willing to study/do homework, but I have to keep him on track. I'm wondering if the IB program would work for him. Any insight?

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I too have to sit down with my daughter to keep her on track while doing homework! She can also do the work, but her classroom participation isn't strong! She is on her 2nd med-Ritalin. She was so irritable when taking Adderall, so hoping this will be the one!

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I have three children and all three are similar in many ways but one son has required our special attention.

Since he was a baby he puzzled me. His older brother was so verbal and he was not. He curiously under-reacted to pain - like a delay in processing the feeling or the idea of what that feeling meant. I brought this up with his pediatrician (my son, 1 1/12 years-old had a bee stinger in his foot but my son had never noticed). The doctor found it interesting but sent me on my way. I thought perhaps this kid may have some delays.

In preschool he was a terror - bright but inappropriate in all social settings. If his Montessori teacher had not been male I'm not sure he would have lasted. After having many unsolicited diagnoses about my son (he truly stood out) we finally got him tested in 1st grade - ADD.

In first grade he would spend circle time under a desk seemingly unengaged. But his teacher was anxious to tell me that the following day he was one the child who would volunteer and tell her exactly what was said. This was repeatedly. She had hope for him :-) and by the end of the year she had him out from under the desk and at least sitting on the outside of the circle.

Home was a nightmare! We had battles at every transition: dressing, eating, getting up , going to bed etc. he'd respond with tantrums, biting, shouting, crying. He was an extraordinarily happy kid when left to his own devices but he had to eat - he had to go to school - he had to bathe. The school psychologist suggested Aspergers? PTSD? Autism? So we had him tested again.

This time the diagnosis was ADD and ODD. Duh!

With great reluctance we agreed to treat him with Adderall. (And for the parents who are dead set against drugs - for some children it can be their salvation. We already had a careful diet) By then he was half way through 2nd grade. The change in school was immediate. And we breathed a sigh of relief.

But at home we still had problems. The meds wore off by the afternoon. We still had the battles. And he was losing weight. The following year he went from 85%-tile in height to the 35%-tile! If we took him off meds he couldn't really function anywhere. But even the low dosage he was on severely impacted his growth.

By fourth-grade we encountered another bump. The school implemented testing for the GT program Guess what? He was also gifted! And in math he tested at 7th grade. Our public school is soo great! They moved him into a 6th grade math group (we agreed a 3 year skip was not a good idea) and they pulled him out a period a week to work one-on-one with a teacher to "enrich" his learning experience. He ate it up.

Because he was still having such "emotional" difficulties we had him tested again in 5th grade. ADD and low processing/reaction speed, 2%-tile. Finally a diagnosis I could work with. He wasn't so much ODD as he was a kid struggling to process a reaction to the world around him.

Now in 6th grade he is in a two year Algebra I class. He is taking an online GT science course. He is in his own spelling group. He's in one of top reading groups. His teacher routinely beefs up his social studies assignments (though not the written ones). The school is great. But he's out grown his class.

So next year we are planning to move him to 8th grade. He's already working with the top kids from this class anyway. The move would just be a change in homeroom. But now we have another dilemma. ADD kids are notorious for being socially immature. He's academically on par with kids 2 to 3 years older but emotionally on par with kids 1 to 2 years younger. He won't be ready for the rigors of High-school the following year. He needs so much support to complete assignments and hand them in as it is.

Help!

How do we proceed? How do I help him? What do I ask his high-school to do for him? The world is just not a good fit. And he is so very academically motivated (nerdy even) but noticeably small and immature.

Short of homeschooling I'm not sure how we are going to help him bridge the gap. My husband wants him to repeat 8th grade at some other school - but who would take him? He'd be ready for 10th grade in most subjects.

Long post - we need help!

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My son, now 13, was tested for what we thought was add at the age of 9, what we found was that that he was exceptionally bright with a very high IQ, they did not suggest meds a point but said he may need it later on. When he got into middle school, 6 grade, life went from challanging to hell. Every week was a new adventure with teacher or the principal, he wouldnt do homework, lost assignments, forgot to turn them in and so on. Desk was a mess, room was a mess. He got "A"s" on his tests but homework offset grade to "C". He got "U" in citizenship, the teachers liked him but hated his issues. This was a kid who volunteered with young kids at Church, active in the Church band, had a big heart but did bad stuff and he didnt understand why? I dont know was his creed. We were about ready for military school and had even looked into them, he went ballistic when he saw the information we had sent to our home fomr the school. We got him to a ADHD specialist as a last ditch effort, he was diagnosed with combined ADHD, got him on meds and he is now getting straight "A's" , doing his homework and life is real good. AMEN! Years of self esteem issues brought on by teacher insults and anger had to be delt with, he had little control over what he did and he realized what his life was and what it is now, he was mad at himnself for what he put the teachers and us through. I keep waiting for the anvil to fall, but first semester has been a blessing. All I can say that is if you have any indication of the signs, get tested and get medicated. By the way, it is hereditary, I was diagnosed and started taking meds 5 weeks ago and feel like I have been in a dream land for 50 years, my daughter who was diagnosed was doing poorly in college started getting "B's" immediately after starting meds. What a blessing in finding that this was running rampant in our family. Yes, we were all driving my wife batty, she is the hyper organized one. She survived.

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JulieK said: My 9 year old son (4th grader) is gifted and has been diagnosed with ADD. He takes meds to help him stay focused in school. Even though he is probably the youngest in his class, he has been placed in the advanced math class and is reading at or above the level of a 5th grader. He generally tests well, but has a very difficult time getting himself started. He doesn't always do enough of his classwork for a grade reflective of his knowledge and abilities, because he takes so long to get started. Homework is the same issue, so most days I have to sit at the table with him to keep him on track.

Does anyone else out there have a similar situation?

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My six year old son is gifted and ADD as well. We're having a time with him. He goes to a small private school, only six kids in his class. He's a definite underachiever. He usually refuses to do any work in class at all, and last year ended up doing about 95% of it at home after school. With homework, we have to sit there right by him and keep him focused. The first thing they do in his class at school is journal writing, which is basically copying a few sentences off the board and filling in some blanks. It should take ten or fifteen minutes, and sometimes takes him two or three hours. We tried the non-medication route first with neurofeedback, but got no results there. He then started taking Intuniv. It worked wonderfully at first, but eventually became ineffective and he doesn't weigh enough to take a higher dose. He stayed on Intuniv and started taking a 2.5 mg Focalin, but that wore off after three hours. He had good mornings, but lousy afternoons. A week ago he started 5 mg of long acting Focalin, and things were great again, until the last two days when he did absolutely nothing in school again. I'm hoping this is just a momentary glitch, but he goes back to the Dr. later this month so I guess we'll try something else then if he's still going downhill.

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I am really feeling the pressure from my son's teacher to purseu ADHD testing and medication. He is currenlty a 3rd grade student working at a 5th grade curriculum. The teacher says that he processes information so quickly and completes his assignments fast (and for the most part accurately). He is receiving A's and B's. He is definitely a high energy kid and usually is extremely involved in sports. The teacher complains that he is talking and has so much energy in the clsasroom.

After doing some research about ADHD and gifted kids, I am even more confused. I read that high ability and ADHD kids have similar characteristics. What should I do? Should I have a psychologist complete full testing to see IQ / potential? Does anyone else have experience with ADHD and gifted kids?

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I am an education advocate with most of my clients having ADD or ADHD. Many of them are gifted too. Parents often report to me that it is quite hard to get school districts to recognize students as being eligible for ESE services. However, I have been quite successful in having students with ADD or ADHD determined to be eligible for other health impaired eligibility for ESE services. There are very specific procedures you must go through to meet eligiblity. I suggest you get an advocate.

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I am a teacher, not in the same building where my son attends, but in the same district. My son is very gifted in several areas and is in a GT program. He was doing very well in his morning classes, but his afternoons were a disaster. We split the once a day dose into two parts. He now takes one morning pill at home and then he takes a smaller dose at lunch (at school). It is the same total dose for the day. It has made a huge difference in his afternoons.

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