Re: Not Focusing or Getting Work Done At School

[Guest guest]

Have you tried any listening Program, like the Tomatis, google Tomatis and see the info, I am going to have my son take it because he also has focusing problems, it is supposed to help with Dyslexia, speech, focusing, balance, etc. look it up and let me know. Hope it helps, my son is also in 3rd grade and I am going through the same problem. From: cmt263 <gina9431@...> Sent: Thu, January 13, 2011 9:44:34 AMSubject: ( ) Not Focusing or Getting Work Done At School

I have had such issues with the teacher this year!!! My son is in 3rd grade and has always brought home A's....until this year:( Maybe part of that is getting older and things getting harder, but I feel a lot of it is this teacher. She will mark a spelling word wrong because she thinks the word starting with the letter S looks uppercase! Kind of hard to tell with 3rdgrade writing! Anyway, I save all his papers and check his grades online daily. She updated grades yesterday and my straight A student now has a 19% in health as well as a C and 2 B's. The reason for the lower grades is mostly missing classwork and quizzes (not homework). I was never notified this was an issue and it all started after we stopped meds. I am really frustrated with the school for not upholding his IEP!!

What I am really wanting to know is this....is there anything that can help him concentrate and stay focused outside of meds? We have tried almost everything, but it seems like he gets all the side effects! The teacher says he sits with his head down instead of working, unless she is on top of him. Prior to this, he has been fine with this. I am not she is his add symptoms are getting worse or if this teacher is just less accommodating! She says he doesn't seem able to concentrate or focus and suggested we try the same meds he had last year! Um, he is on them now....no meds, lol.

We are trying some vitamins specifically for add, but I haven't seen a difference. I also give him omega 3, but it is a pretty small dose. Can anyone suggest anything other than meds. We are also using social atories and visual aids in class. He just can't seem to control himself and talks out a lot....very impulsive!

Thanks for your advice!

[Guest guest]

Starting in 4th grade we used a natural supplement because my son couldn't take

the ADHD meds due to the side effects. We used brightspark from Nativeremedies.

It wasn't as effective as the ADHD meds but it did help and there were no side

effects. He stopped taking it when he started high school by his choice. We

tried Omega 3 supplement but it had an adverse effect on my son's behavior.

For school, ask if you can observe the classroom (or have someone you know do

it.) It would help you understand better what is happening in class and

determine how to handle it. We had an educational consultant do this when my son

was in 1st grade. It helped that it wasn't us observing because my son acted

like he would normally and unfortunately so did the teacher. But the

consultant's report made us realize that the teacher wasn't following the IEP at

all and was probably making my son's behavior worse with her methods.

Caroline

>

> I have had such issues with the teacher this year!!! My son is in 3rd grade

and has always brought home A's....until this year:( Maybe part of that is

getting older and things getting harder, but I feel a lot of it is this teacher.

She will mark a spelling word wrong because she thinks the word starting with

the letter S looks uppercase! Kind of hard to tell with 3rdgrade writing!

Anyway, I save all his papers and check his grades online daily. She updated

grades yesterday and my straight A student now has a 19% in health as well as a

C and 2 B's. The reason for the lower grades is mostly missing classwork and

quizzes (not homework). I was never notified this was an issue and it all

started after we stopped meds. I am really frustrated with the school for not

upholding his IEP!!

>

> What I am really wanting to know is this....is there anything that can help

him concentrate and stay focused outside of meds? We have tried almost

everything, but it seems like he gets all the side effects! The teacher says he

sits with his head down instead of working, unless she is on top of him. Prior

to this, he has been fine with this. I am not she is his add symptoms are

getting worse or if this teacher is just less accommodating! She says he

doesn't seem able to concentrate or focus and suggested we try the same meds he

had last year! Um, he is on them now....no meds, lol.

>

> We are trying some vitamins specifically for add, but I haven't seen a

difference. I also give him omega 3, but it is a pretty small dose. Can anyone

suggest anything other than meds. We are also using social atories and visual

aids in class. He just can't seem to control himself and talks out a

lot....very impulsive!

>

> Thanks for your advice!

>

[Guest guest]

Thank you Caroline! I went ahead and ordered a bottle to try.....I am willing

to try anything, especially if it worked for someone else! I think I will give

up on the omega 3...funny thing is, those are the vitamins he actually likes,

lol. I also give him vitamin D...figure it can't hurt and he likes those too.

Amazon did not give a good description...can he swallow the pills? Also, how

many does he take? Any suggestion on what time of day to give them? He takes

his vitamins with breakfast now.

Also, if anyone has a suggestion on a good multi-vitamin with iron....I would

love to know. My son eats very little meat and the ped suggested adding iron.

He is just not a fan of the Flinstone vitamins....

Thanks again!

> >

> > I have had such issues with the teacher this year!!! My son is in 3rd grade

and has always brought home A's....until this year:( Maybe part of that is

getting older and things getting harder, but I feel a lot of it is this teacher.

She will mark a spelling word wrong because she thinks the word starting with

the letter S looks uppercase! Kind of hard to tell with 3rdgrade writing!

Anyway, I save all his papers and check his grades online daily. She updated

grades yesterday and my straight A student now has a 19% in health as well as a

C and 2 B's. The reason for the lower grades is mostly missing classwork and

quizzes (not homework). I was never notified this was an issue and it all

started after we stopped meds. I am really frustrated with the school for not

upholding his IEP!!

> >

> > What I am really wanting to know is this....is there anything that can help

him concentrate and stay focused outside of meds? We have tried almost

everything, but it seems like he gets all the side effects! The teacher says he

sits with his head down instead of working, unless she is on top of him. Prior

to this, he has been fine with this. I am not she is his add symptoms are

getting worse or if this teacher is just less accommodating! She says he

doesn't seem able to concentrate or focus and suggested we try the same meds he

had last year! Um, he is on them now....no meds, lol.

> >

> > We are trying some vitamins specifically for add, but I haven't seen a

difference. I also give him omega 3, but it is a pretty small dose. Can anyone

suggest anything other than meds. We are also using social atories and visual

aids in class. He just can't seem to control himself and talks out a

lot....very impulsive!

> >

> > Thanks for your advice!

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Caroline,

I'm going to Google it, too, but did you get the meds from a doc or at a health food store or what?

Robin

"Normal is just

a cycle

on a washing machine....."

From: Catcelia <c2cats@...>Subject: ( ) Re: Not Focusing or Getting Work Done At School Date: Thursday, January 13, 2011, 10:00 AM

Starting in 4th grade we used a natural supplement because my son couldn't take the ADHD meds due to the side effects. We used brightspark from Nativeremedies. It wasn't as effective as the ADHD meds but it did help and there were no side effects. He stopped taking it when he started high school by his choice. We tried Omega 3 supplement but it had an adverse effect on my son's behavior. For school, ask if you can observe the classroom (or have someone you know do it.) It would help you understand better what is happening in class and determine how to handle it. We had an educational consultant do this when my son was in 1st grade. It helped that it wasn't us observing because my son acted like he would normally and unfortunately so did the teacher. But the consultant's report made us realize that the teacher wasn't following the IEP at all and was probably making my son's behavior worse with her methods.Caroline>> I have had such issues with the teacher this year!!! My son is in 3rd grade and has always brought home A's....until this year:( Maybe part of that is getting older and things getting harder, but I feel a lot of it is this teacher. She will mark a spelling word wrong because she thinks the word starting with the letter S looks uppercase! Kind of hard to tell with 3rdgrade writing! Anyway, I save all his papers and check his grades online daily. She updated grades yesterday and my straight A student now has a 19% in health as well as a C and 2 B's. The reason for the lower grades is mostly missing classwork and quizzes (not homework). I was never notified this was an issue and it all started after we

stopped meds. I am really frustrated with the school for not upholding his IEP!!> > What I am really wanting to know is this....is there anything that can help him concentrate and stay focused outside of meds? We have tried almost everything, but it seems like he gets all the side effects! The teacher says he sits with his head down instead of working, unless she is on top of him. Prior to this, he has been fine with this. I am not she is his add symptoms are getting worse or if this teacher is just less accommodating! She says he doesn't seem able to concentrate or focus and suggested we try the same meds he had last year! Um, he is on them now....no meds, lol.> > We are trying some vitamins specifically for add, but I haven't seen a difference. I also give him omega 3, but it is a pretty small dose. Can anyone suggest anything other than meds. We are also using social atories and visual aids in class. He just can't seem to

control himself and talks out a lot....very impulsive! > > Thanks for your advice!>

[Guest guest]

Bought the supplement offline via http://www.nativeremedies.com/. Someone on

another listserv recommended it so we tried it. We were at a point that my son

needed help focusing but couldn't take ADHD meds for other health reasons.

We did try Adderall - very effective but too many potential side effects. And

Ritalin - made things worse so stopped taking it. Both meds were prescribed by

doc.

Caroline

> >

> > I have had such issues with the teacher this year!!! My son is in 3rd grade

and has always brought home A's....until this year:( Maybe part of that is

getting older and things getting harder, but I feel a lot of it is this teacher.

She will mark a spelling word wrong because she thinks the word starting with

the letter S looks uppercase! Kind of hard to tell with 3rdgrade writing!

Anyway, I save all his papers and check his grades online daily. She updated

grades yesterday and my straight A student now has a 19% in health as well as a

C and 2 B's. The reason for the lower grades is mostly missing classwork and

quizzes (not homework). I was never notified this was an issue and it all

started after we stopped meds. I am really frustrated with the school for not

upholding his IEP!!

> >

> > What I am really wanting to know is this....is there anything that can help

him concentrate and stay focused outside of meds? We have tried almost

everything, but it seems like he gets all the side effects! The teacher says he

sits with his head down instead of working, unless she is on top of him. Prior

to this, he has been fine with this. I am not she is his add symptoms are

getting worse or if this teacher is just less accommodating! She says he doesn't

seem able to concentrate or focus and suggested we try the same meds he had last

year! Um, he is on them now....no meds, lol.

> >

> > We are trying some vitamins specifically for add, but I haven't seen a

difference. I also give him omega 3, but it is a pretty small dose. Can anyone

suggest anything other than meds. We are also using social atories and visual

aids in class. He just can't seem to control himself and talks out a lot....very

impulsive!

> >

> > Thanks for your advice!

> >

>

[Guest guest]

With the supplement you are supposed to take 2 pills 3x/day every day. I think

the first day schedule may be different. So my son took it before breakfast,

when he came home from school and before bed. They are tiny pills. He chewed

them because he had not learned how to swallow pills without chewing. I could

always tell when he had skipped his dose. But just before he chose to go off of

them I noticed that they were not as effective. He really should have switched

to the adult version which is a liquid tonic but he didn't like the taste.

For vitamins, my son likes the Lil Critter Gummy vites which are like gummy

bears. We buy the name brand rather than some similar store brands because there

are no artificial dyes. My son does react (gets hyper) if he has artificial

dyes, especially red dye. Can't help but notice that there are now adult

versions of the gummy vitamins.

> > >

> > > I have had such issues with the teacher this year!!! My son is in 3rd

grade and has always brought home A's....until this year:( Maybe part of that

is getting older and things getting harder, but I feel a lot of it is this

teacher. She will mark a spelling word wrong because she thinks the word

starting with the letter S looks uppercase! Kind of hard to tell with 3rdgrade

writing! Anyway, I save all his papers and check his grades online daily. She

updated grades yesterday and my straight A student now has a 19% in health as

well as a C and 2 B's. The reason for the lower grades is mostly missing

classwork and quizzes (not homework). I was never notified this was an issue

and it all started after we stopped meds. I am really frustrated with the

school for not upholding his IEP!!

> > >

> > > What I am really wanting to know is this....is there anything that can

help him concentrate and stay focused outside of meds? We have tried almost

everything, but it seems like he gets all the side effects! The teacher says he

sits with his head down instead of working, unless she is on top of him. Prior

to this, he has been fine with this. I am not she is his add symptoms are

getting worse or if this teacher is just less accommodating! She says he

doesn't seem able to concentrate or focus and suggested we try the same meds he

had last year! Um, he is on them now....no meds, lol.

> > >

> > > We are trying some vitamins specifically for add, but I haven't seen a

difference. I also give him omega 3, but it is a pretty small dose. Can anyone

suggest anything other than meds. We are also using social atories and visual

aids in class. He just can't seem to control himself and talks out a

lot....very impulsive!

> > >

> > > Thanks for your advice!

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

You should really talk to his doc about what meds might help and what OTC stuff might help. Sometimes it is not the attention that is the problem but the attention deficit is the symptom of the problem. For instance, when things get too hard for my ds, he shuts down and just refuses to do the work. Then the teacher would say he wasn't paying attention. But that was not the actual problem. It was just the obvious result of the problem.

I'd call a meeting pretty quickly and go over the IEP and his performance/problems. Obviously he needs more supports in place! Also, observing him in class is usually helpful to see what is going on. Sometimes you find out interesting things. One example I had with my ds was that he was failing a current events class one year. After an FBA was done, they noted that the entire class was done on a tv screen - watching clips of current events while writing down what was going on at the same time. My ds could not focus on the screen and write at the same time. He couldn't process what he was seeing that quickly. So he was failing. He might have been "not paying attention" then too but it wasn't due to ADHD/ADD - it was due to not being able to keep up or do the work. You are so right when you realize that sometimes it is HOW the teacher is teaching that causes problems. Sometimes it is just a bad fit.

Another good thing might be to talk to the previous year's teacher about what she did differently. But sometimes they won't share information that may criticize a fellow teacher.

Roxanna

"I

predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them." - Jefferson

( ) Not Focusing or Getting Work Done At School

I have had such issues with the teacher this year!!! My son is in 3rd grade and has always brought home A's....until this year:( Maybe part of that is getting older and things getting harder, but I feel a lot of it is this teacher. She will mark a spelling word wrong because she thinks the word starting with the letter S looks uppercase! Kind of hard to tell with 3rdgrade writing! Anyway, I save all his papers and check his grades online daily. She updated grades yesterday and my straight A student now has a 19% in health as well as a C and 2 B's. The reason for the lower grades is mostly missing classwork and quizzes (not homework). I was never notified this was an issue and it all started after we stopped meds. I am really frustrated with the school for not upholding his IEP!!

What I am really wanting to know is this....is there anything that can help him concentrate and stay focused outside of meds? We have tried almost everything, but it seems like he gets all the side effects! The teacher says he sits with his head down instead of working, unless she is on top of him. Prior to this, he has been fine with this. I am not she is his add symptoms are getting worse or if this teacher is just less accommodating! She says he doesn't seem able to concentrate or focus and suggested we try the same meds he had last year! Um, he is on them now....no meds, lol.

We are trying some vitamins specifically for add, but I haven't seen a difference. I also give him omega 3, but it is a pretty small dose. Can anyone suggest anything other than meds. We are also using social atories and visual aids in class. He just can't seem to control himself and talks out a lot....very impulsive!

Thanks for your advice!