I'm sure it was very difficult for you to receive negative feedback about your son and it probably came as quite a shock. No one likes to hear bad things about their kid. It isn't unusual for the teacher to be the first one to bring up the subject of ADHD. In fact, the teacher could be your son's biggest advocate. Hopefully, the teacher truly did have your son's best interests at heart. The school is now aware of your situation and will hopefully handle it better in the future. However, maybe you do need to look into getting a real assessment for your son. He may benefit greatly from some school help and accommodations and a proper diagnosis from a doctor.

It not be a bad idea to start doing some research. You came to the right place to start learning more about ADHD. That is the first step between helping your son and finding peace with his teachers.

Good luck, Dena

Quote

I understand why you are concerned...if you weren't already there thinking your son might need an ADHD assessment...I believe your teacher did overstep by providing you with an assessment. I know I have been told many times that the teachers cannot suggest my son has ADHD or suggest meds unless I bring it up with them, and then they are real weird about giving too much of their opinions on the subject.

I can tell you it might just be a good thing in the end for you as a mom with a 10 yr old adhd child...it is much easier when you get a diagnosis earlier, but I would like to share with you, that I tried to get an early diagnosis for my son around 5 and they didn't diagnose him with adhd, because they said he could hold focus and such for extended periods of time in things he was interested in, not knowing anything at that point about adhd I went with it, and figured it was my imagination that he didn't seem like all the other kids.

Around age 8 we finally got the diagnosis after struggles at school. We still have struggles, but they are lesser and I am more educated on ADHD at this point, so I go in there with suggestions & armed with knowlegde.

I know this is going to come off very negative, and I am not sure how else to word it but some teachers I am not sure why they are there, they don't want to make the extra effort to figure out how to empower an adhd child & techniques to get him/her involved...and it is disappointing. I hope you are able to switch teachers & I wish you luck.

Pammom3b

Quote

Most of those "checklists" are not actual assessments. Many are akin to the "Do you think you have ADHD?" Quiz boxes in Newsweek or Reader's Digest.

However, this has no bearing on whether the teacher is good or was appropriate.

A lot of professionals misdiagnose ADHD, I am not a fan people not qualified throwing around Diagnostic Terms.

Many things can "look" like ADHD, including poor teaching.

I would focus less on the paper and more on getting a good teacher.

Quote:

concernedbaltimore mom said: My son, who has just turned 6 attends a catholic school, and is in kindergarten. We had some challenges in the beginning of the year related to his activity level. However, up until last week we were really pleased with his progress, and thought the teachers were as well. In fact, we had been keeping a log book per the teachers request, which for past 21/2 months had shown (we thought!) tremendous progress. (This book goes with my son each day to school, in an effort to keep us aware as to how he is progressing). Then last week, we had our first very negative note since quite some time, that our son had hit 2 class friends, and had been given detention. The teacher requested a conference. My expectation is we'd talk about making sure he would remain on track, given the recent "hitting" incident. However to my surprise when I sat down to meet w/them, the teacher and her assistant had 2 papers in which I could see "ADHD Checklist at the top", set to the side at the meeting. Although they did not review the docs. with me, they came out and said they felt my son could not control himself to some degree, and that a checklist had been prepared for my pediatrician to review. The bell rang and we ended the meeting, and I was given the forms to review on my own (and share with my pediatrician). In reading them on way out of the school, I was completely devastated and left the school pretty upset. Later in that afternoon the principle called me to inquire as to what had occurred. I informed her of the forms given to me like some kind of FYI, with all kinds of very negative feedback which had never been discussed with us. The principle was very alarmed as she was unaware this had occurred, and mentioned "teacher could only be given forms upon our request." This request by us had never occurred, as we never understood we were even headed in that direction. I still have to pinch myself this has all occurred, in such a manner. Over this week end, I had a call from the teacher. She agreed she was wrong to have handled the situation as she did with us/our son. (Honestly, I think she is only concerned about her job.) We will be meeting with the principle this week. Although we would like to completely leave the school at this point we want to make things as easy for our son as possible (and therefore for his school to remain in tact till summer, if at all possible). There is another kindergarten teacher (there are 2), who is quite good (and who seems to have been given the more active little boys, as she is very strict and capable). Unfortunately, we feel our son's current teacher is not strong, and was looking for an easy way out. While we agree it may seem to make sense to get an ADHD assessment at this time, I did not agree with much of the feedback. As of today, I'm not sure where this will land. And we are very upset at the way this was handled by the school / teachers. Where we are: 1) planning to meet with the principle this week 2) Scheduled a meeting with our pediatrician for add/adhd testing and 3) hopeful we can switch teachers for the remaining school year. My question is: Is a teacher allowed to conduct an assessment of adhd on the child without the parent's knowledge and consent? Did this teacher really go overboard??

Quote