The meeting on Wednesday was a total waste of time except for the fact that he has a certain diagnosis of ADHD but things didn't go as I had hoped and I feel as though we're only up to step 1 1/2, maybe. The psychiatrist's attitude was sort of, "Let's get this over with so I can get out of this hellhole." She met with Zach for 15 minutes or so, met with Jami and Zach for 10 minutes, then sent them out with a prescription for Welbutrin. I was not given a chance to even talk to her, much less, be able to ask my questions and voice my concerns. I gave the prescription to the receptionist and told her we wouldn't be needing further appointments and I'd sign forms to have his records sent to our family doctor.
The place was more or less another one of the assembly line care centers that we're so graced with here in the delta and it pisses me right OFF!
To round out the day of disappointments, we got Zach's 9 week grades. He had A's and B's in every subject except for Math, and that was a big fat F. I've known for 9 weeks that he's been stuggling the most with 4th grade math, why else would I be spending hours, upon hours making him worksheets for practice, going over and over the areas where I see he's having the most problems? His teacher also knows that he's struggling with math (not with the basic problems, but those that take more than 1 or 2 steps to solve) and in order to let me know that she knows I get this little, short, report that says he's enrolled in a computer assisted course called Math Concepts and Skills for 10 whole minutes each day!
Now I could be wrong, but I am thinking that if I spend 4 to 5 hours working with him each day, this 10 minutes of computer assisted instruction isn't going to do the trick. Ya think? I'm getting all fired up here folks. I feel like a momma bear with a cub who's in danger and I'm about ready to bite some heads off.
Anyway, I'm taking Zach to see the family doctor again as soon as we can get an appointment next week. I'm going to gather up all my research and get ready to get down to business to see if there's not something that can be done to help this child and I'm not going be afraid to step on as many toes, or heads, as it takes!
Oh, and before I forget,
Happy Halloween Ya'll!!
8 comments:
The medical culture on this continent pisses me off. There's always such a rush to label someone and then promptly medicate them. A kid doesn't sit still in class or do well in math? Of course, he must have ADHD, so let's put him on a powerful psychotropic drug. Never mind that some people just aren't good at math, no matter what, or maybe some kids don't respond to the type of teaching most kids respond to, and so might require a different approach, whatever that is.
I would be right growly, too, babe.
With HBO's and every other medical association controlling our health care it's a wonder we are healthy at all. It's all so much crap, with insurance companies telling the doctors what they can and can't do!!!!!
I know this may sound like something you have heard before but maybe he is just bored.
My 15 year old was "borderline" ADHD but when we took him to a counselor, etc... What we really discovered was that he has all this natural pent up energy. Even the counselor stated unequivically that is is rediculous to keep healthy normal children look up all day. I mean, they should be running around, expending all this energy but instead we make them sit hour after hour and they are bored.
Joey just wanted some excitement in his life, even if it meant walking out of class on a dare to get a drink.
It is amazing what we put our kids though.
Sorry to hear the meeting didn't go well. Hope you have more luck with your own doctor.
Sorry Brenda. I used to work in one of those places and yeah it pretty much stinks. Hopefully you can get in with the Doc and maybe they have another recommendation.
What does Jami have to say about all of this? and is Zach maybe starting to react with not living with the rest of his family? Might go much deeper than you think.
Wow. He sounds like he has the same problems I had!! I did great in school until I got to English and math! I can balance my checkbook, and run a cash register bringing in thousands of dollars a day and balance to the penny, but I cannot figure out a math problem unless it is common sense.
I love to read but I cannot retain what I read especially if I don't like the story!
I have a short attention span, but I have done pretty good in life I think, witthout wellbutrin, too! (But I am now on Zoloft, after menopause)
He just needs a different teacher to teach him in a "fun" way. Something that will keep his attention!
Okay, Miz Brenda, now that he has a diagnosis, the school has to sit up and pay attention.
Here's a link to the CHADD page on educational rights. http://www.help4adhd.org/en/education/rights
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