Heather (HIU8) - how did it go at KKI?

[Gena]

Heather -

Did your son have his appointment at KKI today? How did it go?

I hope everything went well and you got some answers, or at least some ideas of where to go from here.

If you are not ready to talk about it yet, that's OK. I just wanted to let you know that I was thinking about you and your son today.

[HIU8]

Back from KKI. Appointment went well today. DS was diagnosed with ADHD Combined Type. He was also given a speech diagnosis of articulation issues (can't remembe r the medical term for it right now). Completely NOT a surprise to either myself of DH at all. We go back in 6 months for a follow up. Meanwhile I have work to do. We don't want to medicate (at least not at first if we don't have to). I have to figure out school for next year (his current situation won't work), whether to change his diet (I've read some about feingold diet), look into a behavioral therapist etc.... We will continue OT for now (It still seems to have some benefit for DS). We have to look into speech therapy sooner than later also. Not sure if we are going to attempt the public school system (DS did not qualify for an IEP, so it would be a 504 plan and I've not heard good things about the teachers and the principal and the use of 504's at my neighborhood school).

The one thing I'm doing is kicking myself for listening to the "experts" who told me to hold DS back. Not sure if it was the right thing to do (and each "expert" was telling us different diagnosese for DS's issues). Now I have a child turning 7 in the fall of K who probably could have handled K this year with help. Thinking of getting him tutoring over the summer to bump him back up to 1st for next year (not sure if that is a good idea or not).

I have my work cut out for me to advocate for DS and make sure he gets what he needs in order to succeed. I'm really happy we went to KKI though.

[WatchingThemGrow]

Glad you got a diagnosis that you can work with, that you have an action plan, and that your DS has an awesome mommy! Really, Heather, you care so much for your DC, they are blessed to have you! Now to get busy....!

[Gena]

I'm so glad the appointment went well. It's great that you got a diagnosis for your DS. Now you can figure out your game plan and determine what will help him the most!

Don't kick yourself for holding him back in school. You made the decision you believed to be right at the time. That's all any of us can do. You can't take it back, so there's no sense in second guessing yourself now. Just go forward from where you are now.

You are a great mom and you work hard to do what is right for your DC!Having this diagnosis is going to be a great tool in helping you figure out your next steps.

[egoldber]

I'm glad you got a diagnosis that you feel works for your DS.

And I agree, you can't kick yourself. You can only make the best decision that you feel you can at the time. Make a plan and move forward.

ETA: Also, you say he did not qualify for an IEP. That was before he had this diagnosis. An OT diagnosis by itself will not get you anything in the public school system, as you know. But an ADHD diagnosis combined with the speech diagnosis (especially from KKI) may well get you an IEP. I would try to meet with yuor local public and see what they say. I would also consider hiring an educational consultant (someone like the Weinfeld Group in MoCo) to see what they recommend/suggest.

[HIU8]

When we did the original testing for an IEP, right, they laughed at the OT "diagnosis". I may well go back to them with the diagnosis now. However, I still do not feel that it's a good idea to start DS in my neighborhood moco public school. I was already told of one K student this year that has issues and the parents of the "NT" kids complained and the child's parents removed him from the school (ie--school was not helping the child. But I have no idea what the childs issues are). I do not know if I am up to fighting the neighborhood parents so my kid can go to his assigned public school (and I'm not sure I want him in an environment where the kids may treat him badly b/c of it). In moco it's really really hard to get into a different public--and at this point who knows if DS will qualify for a magnet program or not (the only way he could really be placed elsewhere).

Right now we are looking at a specif private with small classes that caters more to kids like DS (unlike the school he is in now which he has done ok at, but it's not a great fit---they insist he isn't ADHD, but they gave us a report mid-year that clearly states issues that concur with the KKI diagnosis). Hope is to give him the tools he needs and move him into public in a few years when he is more mature and could better handle it.

Beth, thanks for the info on the ed consult. We used someone last year who we feel was not good and the $1,500 a waste (it was not the group you mentioned). I would be open to talking to another ed consultant. I am really unhappy with the person we chose.