ADHD:

It was during this very difficult period of Emma’s life
that I met a ParentsCAN advocate,
and she and I talked often.
She had been through this kind of challenge herself
and was a positive influence on my outlook.

            My daughter, “Emma”, was always a very active and athletic child - the class clown, the first one picked for a team in any sport, AND the one with her name on the board every day.  Throughout elementary school her teachers were in tune with her behavior and personality and made the accommodations necessary for her to succeed. She usually had her desk next to, if not touching, the teacher’s desk and was given as many opportunities as possible to get out of her seat and move around.

            The transition to middle school was very difficult for Emma. She had to move to different classrooms for each subject and the teachers were not familiar with her challenges and did not have time to get to know her the way her elementary school teachers had. She was failing.

            We had her evaluated by a private psychiatrist and she was diagnosed with ADHD and prescribed medications accordingly. An Individual Education Plan (IEP) was developed which addressed specific learning disabilities but not her emotional issues. Interaction with her peers and teachers was very difficult for Emma. She was unable to ask for help when she needed it and typically, when facing a task she could not perform, she would “act out” and get sent to the office or be suspended.

            Emma was very athletic and excelled at all sports, but because of her issues with behavior and attendance, was often not able to play on the school teams.

            In October of her 8th grade year Emma was hospitalized in a psychiatric facility because of her extreme anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts. She stayed out of school for the remainder of that semester and in January she went to a middle school in the next town which had a “home base” classroom. She was too anxious to join the regular population of the school at recess and lunch. The teacher arranged for her to take all her classes in the morning and go home at lunch time.  It was during this very difficult period of Emma’s life that I met a ParentsCAN advocate, and she and I talked often.  She had been through this kind of challenge herself and was a positive influence on my outlook.      

         

            Because of Emma’s success at the middle school home base classroom, she started ninth grade in a similar classroom on a high school campus. This was not successful and during the next two years we worked with the Parents CAN advocate to find an appropriate setting for Emma. She was in residential treatment for 10 months and hospitalized two more times because of mental health issues. It was a long journey full of disappointment, but also hope and success, during which time Emma gained much insight about her disability and learned many tools for successfully managing her mood swings and anxiety. 

            At the beginning of 11th grade she returned to the non-public school. She rode the minivan every day to the next town and successfully completed all credits needed for graduation.

            She has worked for a local company for over a year and is successful on the job. Emma is about to embark on her college career and, with the continued help and support of ParentsCAN, we are learning to navigate the world of disabilities and post secondary education.

            Emma’s goal is to become a personal trainer, and we are confident that she will reach that goal.