Trying to figure out what tools to provide your child with ADD/ADHD can be such a difficult task. You are not sure what to ask for or what your child needs to be successful.

 

• If your child has ADD/ADHD you may not know he/she may be eligible for an IEP and not just a 504. Many times children with ADD/ADHD are left with only a 504 plan providing them with accommodations, but no goals. However, if your child’s behavior is negatively impacting his/her education, an IEP might be a better program for him/her.

 

• How do you know if your child is eligible under IDEA? An evaluation must be conducted first of course. This evaluation will determine whether your child has a disability and need services or not. This is where the line is drawn for 504 and IDEA eligibility. If your child is stated to have a disability, but does not require services, accommodations can be provided to aid your child. Yet, if your child has a disability and needs services, they are provided with an IEP.

 

• The best thing you can do is go back through teachers notes, report card comments, and anything you can find where his/her teacher or school personnel writes behavior impacting learning. Any comments related to behavior issues with education are gold!

 

• Goals can be drafted in order to help your child learn better executive functions, such as organization, turning in homework assignments, completing class assignments, better attending skills. These types of goals will help the AD/HD child be a more successful student. We all know all too well that homework for these kids has a tendency of not making it out of the backpack to the teacher.

 

• There are some children who do seem to benefit from medication, but that is a personal decision, and is based on an individual case.  For some, medication works, but not in all situations. AD/HD children need skills in the area of executive function, which can be offered on an IEP, where medication alone cannot deliver.