|
Light at the End of the Tunnel
I have raised 2 special needs children and I just want you to know that there is light at the end of the tunnel. My daughter who is now 33 yo was diagnosed with ADHD (with hyperactivity) in 1st or 2nd grade. At that time the only med available was Ritalin. My daughter who was very bright but very disorganized and struggled all the way through high school. I fought with the schools/teachers the entire way, changed doctors (didn't believe add existed or children outgrow it),served as advocate, cheerlead, etc, but I never gave up. It was very difficult watching my daughter struggle with her self esteem (she thought she was stupid), struggled with relationships (she was the only girl in her class not invited to a classmates birthday party and the invitations were passed out in class, harassed in high school), struggled with teachers who didn't understand/didn't care/didn't believe, wouldn't/didn't follow the IEP(she once was told she was just a spoiled brat),etc; however, I am proud to say that my daughter has grown up to be a fine young woman. She put herself through a private college and then through a private graduate school where she graduated with a MBA with honors. She is now gainfully employed and surrounded by incredibly loyal friends.
So, I just want you to know that things will get better. One of the most helpful things was a book a psychologist recomended called SOS for Parents which is still in print and can be found online. I also spent a lot of money on therapy which at the time was not covered by insurance-and it was money well spent. However, if you go to a public school, the school is now required by Federal law to provide whatever a child needs to learn, including counselling. I cannot remember if this is covered by ADA or IDEA,. Your local mental health center would be able to answer that question or you can find it on the internet.
Good luck and God Bless.
Rita
Quote
|