Re: how to respond to teachers negative comments

[Guest guest]

I would check with the doc. and see if adjusting her meds. would help with the

impulsivity. I would set up a meeting with the counselor and science teacher and

home room teacher to see if you can figure out the problems and how to support

her. She looks like she needs some kind of org. strategy for papers and maybe

someone to check her assign. notebook. My son's anxiety/OCD worsens when he is

disorganized. Talking with the science teacher will get his side of the story

and how he likes to run his class, expectations for your child. It seemed to

work with my son if he knew the school and parents were on the same page. Lots

of e-mailing back and forth, at least so you know both sides of the story. As

far as your Marine husband, I found that the more people know the better, so

involving him in all the doctor appt. and school meetings helps. It is

frustrating for sure.

>

> My dd has OCD and ADHD. She was diagnosed with ADHD in second grade. Started

Vyvanse in third grade and did really well for three years. The OCD was just

recently diagnosed and she starts her first Exposure therapy treatment today.

She has a really good doctor and I feel positive that we will make progress as

she wants to get better.

>

> Here is my dilemma. She started taking Prozac at the early part of September

and it has helped significantly with her obsessions/compulsions. However, it

apparently counteracts her Vyvanse and she is a little more hyper and

inattentive than she is otherwise. At least, I think it's the Prozac causing

it. It could be that the Vyvanse has started losing its effectiveness anyway.

Or it could be that her teachers are less tolerant this year. I'm not sure what

it is, but I am getting a lot of complaints particularly from her science

teacher.

>

> I also have to take her out of school two hours early every Tuesday to get her

to the clinic for therapy. Anyway, she is overall, not doing as well in school

this year. The science teacher has called me once about her talking, he has

noted it on her report card and she was not allowed to participate in jeans day

(they wear uniforms) because of the talking situation. She is also forgetting

to get papers signed which is negatively impacting her grades in her classes

where she actually would have probably made A's/B's. BTW, we do not have a 504

plan or an IEP and she is in the upper level classes.

>

> My husband is a strict disciplinarian (he was a Marine) and he feels that I am

excusing her behavior too much and at some point she needs to be able to exert

some self-control. I just don't know. Her social studies teacher absolutely

embraces her enthusiasm and I just wish I could clone him. She does well in his

class. She always struggles in math, and she is not doing great, but her math

teacher seems to like her and has made good comments about her

conscientiousness.

>

> I got really irritated though yesterday. I picked her up from Quiz Bowl

practice. The science teacher is the coach. She said he asked a question that

no one could answer, so she buzzed in and gave an answer. He told her that it

sounded like a " guess " to him and he was getting annoyed with her

over-enthusiasm.

>

> That really " annoys " me. Am I over-reacting? How would you handle it? I

have tried to explain to him that we are seeing a therapist and trying to get

everything under control, but he doesn't seem to have a lot of patience.

>

> Sorry for such a long post. My daughter gets her talking from me.

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks for your response . The doctor doesn't want to adjust her meds yet

because she is on a level of Prozac that is just right for therapy. She is

hoping that she can take her off the Prozac once she is able to make some

progress in therapy...hence, not wanting to adjust her ADHD meds. I bought her

an agenda so she could write her assignments and I ask her every day if she has

something for me to sign, but she isn't really utilizing it properly. Up until

this year, the school issued agendas to all the kids and I guess they made it a

point for the whole class to write in them. Maybe if I do have a conference, I

can get them to make sure she writes things in her agenda. I am not sure if

they are going to be willing because they are trying to get the students to be

accountable for themselves. I would like to involve the hubby in everything,

but he just started a new job that is an hour away so it is hard for him to be

at all of these appointments. I am having a hard enough time with my own boss.

>

> My dd has OCD and ADHD. She was diagnosed with ADHD in second grade. Started

Vyvanse in third grade and did really well for three years. The OCD was just

recently diagnosed and she starts her first Exposure therapy treatment today.

She has a really good doctor and I feel positive that we will make progress as

she wants to get better.

>

> Here is my dilemma. She started taking Prozac at the early part of September

and it has helped significantly with her obsessions/compulsions. However, it

apparently counteracts her Vyvanse and she is a little more hyper and

inattentive than she is otherwise. At least, I think it's the Prozac causing

it. It could be that the Vyvanse has started losing its effectiveness anyway.

Or it could be that her teachers are less tolerant this year. I'm not sure what

it is, but I am getting a lot of complaints particularly from her science

teacher.

>

> I also have to take her out of school two hours early every Tuesday to get her

to the clinic for therapy. Anyway, she is overall, not doing as well in school

this year. The science teacher has called me once about her talking, he has

noted it on her report card and she was not allowed to participate in jeans day

(they wear uniforms) because of the talking situation. She is also forgetting

to get papers signed which is negatively impacting her grades in her classes

where she actually would have probably made A's/B's. BTW, we do not have a 504

plan or an IEP and she is in the upper level classes.

>

> My husband is a strict disciplinarian (he was a Marine) and he feels that I am

excusing her behavior too much and at some point she needs to be able to exert

some self-control. I just don't know. Her social studies teacher absolutely

embraces her enthusiasm and I just wish I could clone him. She does well in his

class. She always struggles in math, and she is not doing great, but her math

teacher seems to like her and has made good comments about her

conscientiousness.

>

> I got really irritated though yesterday. I picked her up from Quiz Bowl

practice. The science teacher is the coach. She said he asked a question that

no one could answer, so she buzzed in and gave an answer. He told her that it

sounded like a " guess " to him and he was getting annoyed with her

over-enthusiasm.

>

> That really " annoys " me. Am I over-reacting? How would you handle it? I

have tried to explain to him that we are seeing a therapist and trying to get

everything under control, but he doesn't seem to have a lot of patience.

>

> Sorry for such a long post. My daughter gets her talking from me.

>

[Guest guest]

Are you still increasing her Prozac at this point? It can take some time to

reach the dosage you want, as you gradually increase it.

The reason I ask is because those medications have the potential to make them

feel hyper. It is something that gradually mellows out after your reach the

dosage you want them to be at, and sit there for a bit.

Our son used to lie on the floor sometimes and just start wiggling all over,

sort of thrashing around and say, " I just feel SO hyper " .

It can also make them a bit uninhibited. . .Almost as if they are tipsy, when

they first start the meds.

So, if this behavior is not normal for her, prior to the Prozac, it is probably

her body adjusting to the meds, and NOT something she can control. But, it will

improve given some time.

If you think that is potentially it, then you need to let the teachers that she

is having problems with, know that. Bring in the prescribing doctor's help, if

needed.

The forgetfulness can also be the medication. Our son often said he felt like

he was in a bit of a fog from the medication.

You might need to get a IEP or 504 so she is not being unjustly punished for

things that are not her fault.

Nobody would think to punish a child that had diabetes, if that child was having

side effects to their meds. But, because OCD is not very well understood, in

society, and because it is " not seen " , it if often misinterpreted.

Keep us updated on the progress. And good luck!

BJ

>

> My dd has OCD and ADHD. She was diagnosed with ADHD in second grade. Started

Vyvanse in third grade and did really well for three years. The OCD was just

recently diagnosed and she starts her first Exposure therapy treatment today.

She has a really good doctor and I feel positive that we will make progress as

she wants to get better.

>

> Here is my dilemma. She started taking Prozac at the early part of September

and it has helped significantly with her obsessions/compulsions. However, it

apparently counteracts her Vyvanse and she is a little more hyper and

inattentive than she is otherwise. At least, I think it's the Prozac causing

it. It could be that the Vyvanse has started losing its effectiveness anyway.

Or it could be that her teachers are less tolerant this year. I'm not sure what

it is, but I am getting a lot of complaints particularly from her science

teacher.

>

> I also have to take her out of school two hours early every Tuesday to get her

to the clinic for therapy. Anyway, she is overall, not doing as well in school

this year. The science teacher has called me once about her talking, he has

noted it on her report card and she was not allowed to participate in jeans day

(they wear uniforms) because of the talking situation. She is also forgetting

to get papers signed which is negatively impacting her grades in her classes

where she actually would have probably made A's/B's. BTW, we do not have a 504

plan or an IEP and she is in the upper level classes.

>

> My husband is a strict disciplinarian (he was a Marine) and he feels that I am

excusing her behavior too much and at some point she needs to be able to exert

some self-control. I just don't know. Her social studies teacher absolutely

embraces her enthusiasm and I just wish I could clone him. She does well in his

class. She always struggles in math, and she is not doing great, but her math

teacher seems to like her and has made good comments about her

conscientiousness.

>

> I got really irritated though yesterday. I picked her up from Quiz Bowl

practice. The science teacher is the coach. She said he asked a question that

no one could answer, so she buzzed in and gave an answer. He told her that it

sounded like a " guess " to him and he was getting annoyed with her

over-enthusiasm.

>

> That really " annoys " me. Am I over-reacting? How would you handle it? I

have tried to explain to him that we are seeing a therapist and trying to get

everything under control, but he doesn't seem to have a lot of patience.

>

> Sorry for such a long post. My daughter gets her talking from me.

>