Expert: Dr Billy Levin - 5/15/2006

Question
My 13 year old son was first diagnosed with ADHD in first grade.  He has been participating in the Special Ed. Program in what we thought was a progressive school system.   At about grade 3 he was allowed to participate in the talented child programs for Math and Science, and was being helped with reading and writing.  This improved his grades from C+ to A-.  On entering Middle school at grade 6 the difficulties started.   He began to express feelings of being over worked and that the advanced classes were,”Too hard”.   This year, 7th grade,we began receiving letters from his math teacher stating that if he didn't raise his average that he would be removed from the class. On the suggestion of his councilor and his math teacher we allowed him to drop the advanced classes and enter the regular ones.  His grades continued to drop.  He is also having difficulties with  loosing assignments, forgetting to turn in assignments and generally not doing well.  So much so that the school is considering  holding him back at the end of this year.    
The school system has a program where special ed. Children are evaluated at the end of the school year and a personalized  program is developed for the up coming year.  Their solution for his problems for 7th grade was to add and additional hour to his special hour of help.  We were not satisfied with this  and we took the problem to his pediatrician who suggested that we have him evaluated by a Behavioral Psychologist, which we did.  The evaluation  was dramatic.  In essence his IQ is in the top .03 percentile for all testing except language, where they cited a probable learning disability.  Since this test I have found out that the continued dropping math grade is largely due to his teacher refusing to pass him because he doesn't write down the problems on tests, even when he arrives at the correct answer.
I think that he needs to be motivated, and I would like to pursue  options at home but  I am unsure what the best direction would be..
We really need some help in finding good references on what we could be doing to help him with his scholastic progress.  We are also concerned about  his personality development.
Could you please suggest  some specific references or areas were could research on line.

Thank You

James McNitt  

Answer
I would be very reluctant to suggest to parents, who might not be professionals in this complicated field to "do their own thing", with no disrespect. As you describe a typical high IQ ADHD in need of professional help my advice must be ,see an expert medical doctor, as ADHD is a medical and not a Psychological problem. Everything you have described fits the typical ADHD in need of professional help. Is he on any medical treatment? I reluctantly mention that on the website <adders.org> some of my articles could be dowmloaded but not instead of getting professional help.