Ask the Public School Teacher

[martha]

from a teacher's perspective is medication the way to go, do the children on medication perform better at school?

First of all, thank you for having your son assessed. The only way to know for sure is to seek a medical opinion. However, some doctors don't think it's a real condition, especially when the child is quite tranquil in the office, whereas in a classroom environment, children can be very overactive.

The short answer to your question is yes, I've seen medication help a great deal in these cases. A great deal! I've seen ADHD kids who go unmedicated develop pretty bad self-esteem problems when they continually get into trouble for actions they simply cannot control. Their impulsivity and poor decision-making gets them into trouble with teachers, parents, and friends. Also, kids who have difficulty concentrating have difficulty retaining concepts, which can really snowball once the child gets into higher grades and doesn't know the basics that are required for the higher level of learning.

It takes a while to get the right dosage, and as he grows, a child will need it adjusted.

That's my professional opinion; I"ve been teaching for 10 1/5 years.

 

[fly so high!]

Thanks Martha, my son is a very bright little boy and i think it would be a real shame to see him slip in his abilities, just because i'm pandering to media's conceptions of the effects of ADHD medication, if that's what he has........I hope my GP believes this is a real condition,never really spoken to him about it before so i don't know what his stance is on the subject, i don't really want to argue or change doctors to get a referral!

 

[dazzlingamy]

Just weighing in with my two cents, i am a student teacher, going out on my own next year. I have had two ADHD kids in my class this term, one who definately needs it, and functions well on it, and one who I believe is just a very controlling, mis behaving, sly little boy, who uses his ADHD and pill taking as an excuse for a LOT of things that would be totally unacceptable for any other student.

Thats great that you got your son, assessed as hopefully youe doctor is sensible and thoughtful as taking pills for behaviour modification is very serious and not used as something instead of parenting control (very much not saying you are doing this, but more that i have seen that in other parents)

finally i think that if your son does take pills, dont tell him what they are for - explain they help him feel better, or are vitamins or something, but letting him know they are for his ADHD and what that is, gives them an idea that their behaviour is not their fault, but an "imbalance" and they can be very canny once they know to play that game...

but just my cc!

 

[martha]

I disagree. Children should always have a clear idea what medicines they're taking and why.

 

[joyfulgirl]

I'm not a teacher and I don't have kids, but just wanted to say for what it's worth that a close friend who is a clinical nutritionist has had great success in treating children with ADHD without drugs. Sometimes ADHD is a result of nutritional deficiencies and/or imbalances. Just something for you parents to consider when looking at different forms of treatment. I'm not against meds by any means and it's possible that one or the other or some combination of both might be the appropriate treatment.

 

[martha]

I absolutely agree!

If parents have the commitment to follow through with that, it is well worth trying.

 

[verte76]

I'm inclined to believe that you should always know what you're taking, medicine-wise. I'm biased as hell; I'm a psychiatric patient!

 

[DILETTANTE]

My 2 cents: to make a diagnosis of ADHD or ADD -- the behavior must be present in more than one setting -- for example, at school and at home. Most professionals making the diagnosis will try to get information about the child from a variety of sources. This could include asking teachers, parents, and the child him/herself to do behavior checklists. After treatments are put into place (behavior management plans, medication trials) additional checklists would be done to monitor the child's response to the treatment. Most physicians would understand that what they see in an office might be very different from the way a child might function in a classroom environment.
As others have said, even children should know what medications they are taking, and what they are supposed to help with. Children can understand that medications may make it easier for them to be successful when they try to focus, try to pay attention, and try to sit still.
Fly so high! I hope things work out well for your son.

 

[shika]

WOW, this thread is fantastic. I'm a Year 6 (6th grade) teacher in Sydney and so much of what is said here has real value. Thanks for letting me read. It's so brilliant knowing that other people are going through what I go through every day with "behaviour problems" and the like. I'm going to subscribe to keep on reading... thanks again.

 

[martha]

Most physicians would understand that what they see in an office might be very different from the way a child might function in a classroom environment.

You'd think, huh. I've filled out many checklists for doctors. The problem arises when the doctor won't even give a checklist because he doesn't believe there's a problem.

 

[DILETTANTE]

That's pretty worrisome. I would hope that if a parent said that a teacher has a concern, and/or that the parent believes that there might be a problem, the pediatrician would gather appropriate information. The checklist could very well suggest that there ISN'T a problem. Or that there is a problem, but it's likely to be something other than ADHD, since, of course, restlessness, inattention, etc. could be symptoms of other things -- including age-appropriate behavior. But it's hard to get an accurate diagnosis or formulate an effective intervention without ample information. Sigh.

 

[dazzlingamy]

While i do agree that some children should know what medicine they are taking, i believe that some children use this as an excuse for behaviour that is not acceptable and they know it...

for example this particular student would not sit in his seat, he ran around the classroom and would not quieten down. We implimented our "steps" and he was told he may go to the reading square to look at boxs. He did but then proceeded to rip pages out of the box. He then got up and right in front of the teacher grabbed a pair of scissors and cut another students plait off. This was totally unacceptable and he was escorted to the principals office by me. As we were walking he said to me 'i guess my pills arn't working cause i just did so many bad things' I said to him 'sometimes you can stop doing them, its not up to your pills' he said 'well if im bad its because of my ADHD so i can't help it, i shouldnt be in trouble...you f*cking b*tch'

hmmmmmmm. I don't know, but that conversation just rubbed me the wrong way. That because he knows his pills are for his 'adhd/bad behaviour' then if he just feels like being naughty, or muck around and not do work, he can use this as an excuse.

Do you think that? He is only ten but i am from the school that some children are a llot more mature and understanding then we think.

 

[fly so high!]

I've been reading lots and lots of stuff! And the more i'm reading the more i'm convinced my son may have ADHD.....but i best let the pro's tell me either way. The best thing that i have read so far is Dr Christopher Green & Dr Kit Chee's "Understanding ADHD", when i read it i don't feel like that this condition is my fault,that im over-exageratting, it's has put my mind at rest knowing that "medicating" is not a bad thing.....as i was worried that medicating could lead to addictions later in life......But the the thing that stuck out the most to me is that ADHD is an explanation not an excuse for certain types of behaviour! And i will endeavor to remember that, so i doubt i will let problem behaviours slide.

 

[martha]

for example this particular student would not sit in his seat, he ran around the classroom and would not quieten down. We implimented our "steps" and he was told he may go to the reading square to look at boxs. He did but then proceeded to rip pages out of the box. He then got up and right in front of the teacher grabbed a pair of scissors and cut another students plait off. This was totally unacceptable and he was escorted to the principals office by me. As we were walking he said to me 'i guess my pills arn't working cause i just did so many bad things' I said to him 'sometimes you can stop doing them, its not up to your pills' he said 'well if im bad its because of my ADHD so i can't help it, i shouldnt be in trouble...you f*cking b*tch'

Sounds like he's been misdiagnosed and is on the wrong meds. I had a similar situation happen. The student was on ADHD meds when he really needed lithium. His HMO doesn't employ child psychiatrists, so he was fucked until the parents got him some county doctors.

 

[martha]

I've been reading lots and lots of stuff! And the more i'm reading the more i'm convinced my son may have ADHD.....but i best let the pro's tell me either way. The best thing that i have read so far is Dr Christopher Green & Dr Kit Chee's "Understanding ADHD", when i read it i don't feel like that this condition is my fault,that im over-exageratting, it's has put my mind at rest knowing that "medicating" is not a bad thing.....as i was worried that medicating could lead to addictions later in life......But the the thing that stuck out the most to me is that ADHD is an explanation not an excuse for certain types of behaviour! And i will endeavor to remember that, so i doubt i will let problem behaviours slide.

Information is the best thing. Non-medicating can lead to self-medicating, which is a lot worse.