ADHD kids-How did they do their first semester/first year?

<p>Shoot4moon, ShawSon almost always gets his papers to profs a few days in advance for feedback. Works wonders for grades and sometimes for quality. We’re working on that with ShawD. She’s done it sometimes but still tries to get things done at the last minute. The freezer notion sounds interesting.</p>

<p>Only works if you do not even LOOK at it for 24 hours. No diddling!!!</p>

<p>Hi Swattie chick,
My D is accepted at Swat and a couple of Ivy’s. She wants to study engineering. Her major ADHD issue is that her writing takes so long! Possibly 3 x longer that average. Product is good but it takes days sometimes to produce a paragraph. I thought a school with more exams and less papers would be better.
Is what I think accurate, that Swat is VERY writing and paper oriented? How do you think would someone who takes as long as I decribed with wrinitng ( I.E. Disorder of written expression and ADHD) fare there?
She loves SWAT and thinks it would be less stressful that a bigger school…but I think she would do better with problem sets than papers.
Thanks. Anyone’s thoughts would be appreciated.</p>

<p>BorneoQueen, I don’t know Swarthmore,so others will have to step in there. I advised my son (who takes longer to read and write – in both cases product is excellent but takes time and is exhausting in large volumes) to attend a school with no or few meaningful distribution requirements. This has meant that he can choose a schedule that balances out problem sets with papers. It has worked very well. I’d imagine that an engineering curriculum will not have many papers in it, but again, you’ll have to check. </p>

<p>He’s at a small, highly ranked LAC and what’s nice is that the professors can quickly tell from class discussion how bright he is.</p>

<p>Something to try for the writing thing - it works for both of my daughters as well as for me when we are struggling with essay formulation. In our house, both kids can write well, but the first draft (and sometimes the draft down the road in a specific section) are the hardest parts. When they are stuck, I suggest they do a “free write.” We start with a free write on random, and I mean random, words. My daughter or I pick them from what my eye falls in on my desk, or what springs unbidden in my brain. Three words - unrelated. Example: wizard. Red. home. We set a timer for one minute before we pick the words, and then say “Go.” For one minute, the only rule is that we have to have our fingers moving on teh typewriter. The product is completely random, and often nonsensical. Surprisingly, when internal filters are turned off like this, there will often be a fascinating part - usually in teh middie - but that is not important. We read the best part to each other - or not. Immediately after finishing this free write, we both write to the “prompt” of the paper, attempting to preserve the same feeling of being unfiltered. I write too, which makes for hilarious results, as typically I have no earthly idea what I am talking about. We set the timer for perhaps two - three minutes - no more and sometimes less. It is absolutely shocking (at our house) how much of a rough draft will spring out of your brain if you suspend the judgement of the right brain! Plus, it is kind of fun. :)</p>

<p>Fascinating technique, shoot the moon. The internal filter is much of the problem. She will have to try this on her own though…she HATES for me to be involved with her work.</p>

<p>All her accepted schools do have requirements or modified core for engineers. Believe it or not, her physics course in HS now involves paper writing!
I am hoping as well she can balance writing based courses with problem/test evlauated ones.
Just was wondering if at Swat in particular is that possible?..or are they like her HS likely to assign papers in physics, chem and engineering courses too.</p>

<p>I learned it when I took an extension course called “The Inner Game of Writing.” It was all about writing creatively, and included people from all different types of jobs. We had so much fun with it!</p>

<p>I was diagnosed with ADHD and Bi polar when I was 8 years old. Was put on a bunch of meds that had horrible side effects. I was able to successfully get off of all those meds and treat my symptoms naturally with Neurofeedback.</p>

<p>would highly recommend taking neurofeedback if your child has ADHD</p>

<p>Update on Penn State student with ADHD:
My daughter took 6 credits through the LEAP program, got a 3.7. This was a godsend. She is in DUS (undeclared major), started out in business, had to drop business calculus. Had 13 credits first semester, which was just about the right load for her. Was disappointed in her Microeconomics grade (B), thought she would never make it into Smeal (undergrad B-school), so she switched major to Bio. Had to drop Science major Calculus early on, and Chem at the very end because she had a “D”. Finished with 12 credits. Switched back to business, which is a good move. Is taking a 4 credit Statistics course at our local community college over the summer. Is taking a Penn State online course in Accounting I over the summer (warning: $4750 for out of state students). The PSU course has to be taken through Univ Park to be calculated into her GPA. She will receive credit for Stat, but the grade doesn’t go into the GPA, which is probably better. Not sure of her final GPA for the year, but probably will be around a 3.5.</p>

<p>Update on ShawD in her second semester (transferred after the first semester to study nursing instead of biology). She has a 4.0 average in the second semester. She has a three quizzes (so pretty much guaranteed an A in each course) and has two finals left but doesn’t have to take on of them (the professor said that the three or four kids who have 98 or more averages in Anatomy & Physiology don’t have to take the final). So, the only exam she’ll have to take is in French, which she’s taking Pass-Fail (although she has the highest grade in the class). She is really happy academically.</p>

<p>NancyE: Congrats! Sounds like D was able to successfully navigate some issues and end with a great GPA! That’s wonderful and thanks for sharing your great story. It gives me great hope to have a good story next year.</p>

<p>And Shawbridge: WOW! Just WOW! Thanks for sharing the great story.</p>

<p>My son had more symptoms of ADHD in elementary school. He did very well in middle school with some meds. However at the same time he started swimming every day and also played percussion every day. Both rhythmic and I feel both uniquely quiet his brain giving him the benefit of a meditative state, particularly with the swimming. I say this because he did not take meds in high school and the grades were still pretty good. He developed some handy OCD habits regarding routine and organization while in ms which helped him also.
So, he is currently attending a top LAC and is doing pretty well. He is organized and has pretty good time management skills which were taught by one of his hs teachers.
So what I am saying is that I am attributing his overcoming the ADHD to the meditative effects of swimming. The constant tapping of drum rhythms also helps him with his fidgeting. He still talks quickly and struggles in the spelling (undisgnosed dyslexia?)and writing, but has learned to use his good auditory skills and memory to succeed in the other classes.
I’ve been doing a lot of reading on this because my other son suffers from the disorganization/procrastination effects of ADHD and wants to attend a big university. He used to swim and I would notice they could sit quietly after swimming to do homework when they would get distracted and frustrated before swimming. I’m trying to get the younger one to meditate but…
Any one had any experience with meditation and ADHD? It’s been documented to work.</p>

<p>Diagnosed Inattentive ADHD and GAD in February. Current GPA (first two terms. We’re on trimester): 3.78. Got one B, otherwise straight As and A-s.</p>

<p>Regarding the benefits of rhythm for ADHD I want to add to my original post that I just read that metronome therapy helps ADHD. Kids tap along to a beat. My son did that all day in school not knowing I guess it was helping him focus. I just found out that when he swims he thinks of nothing which has to clear the brain. Rhythm and training your brain to refocus away from scattered thoughts by meditating or swimming!! can work. Also looked up neurofeedback. There’s a smart brain product you use with video games is out there. Anyone know anything about it?</p>

<p>ShawD does yoga and sometimes meditates. We found that the yoga really helped with ADHD and anxiety (which seems to cause of ADHD and vice versa). So would meditation, but it wasn’t easy to get her to do it.</p>

<p>Shawbridge, I sent you a PM</p>

<p>Before treatment (though technically, I haven’t been medicated until a week ago), my best semester was my first, with its easy intro classes. I got a 3.1 - and then, my GPA fell to 2.something.</p>

<p>I thought I’d add my DS’ experiences to this thread. DS wouldn’t take meds in HS and had very inconsistent grades. I was very worried about how he’d perform in college.
So far, he’s doing very well with his first year. (trimester so he isn’t done until June.)
I think there are several factors that make his current program work for him.

  1. while he has some lectures, he has very small sessions with his teachers each week. They have weekly assignments and the students have to be prepared because they are on the spot, with nowhere to hide. That helps to keep him accountable and helps him to manage his time better.
  2. He doesn’t have gen-ed requirements. While he loves all kinds of subjects, too many things means too many distractions.<br>
  3. Definitely there’s some maturing going on, and he is recognizing his own issues more. He actually uses the library now, and he turned off his internet a week before exams because he knew that he couldn’t handle the distractions.</p>

<p>I am worried about the future - the further along he gets with his degree, the more he’ll be expected to do independently, and there will be a big project due his last year. Research/ longer term projects were nearly impossible for him to manage in high school. I am hoping that his teachers will keep him accountable and on track for that, and that, but we’ll have to see.</p>

<p>I personally have ADHD and when I saw: “major discrepancy between IQ and processing speed that enabled her to get extended time on tests.” I was personally insulted. We may work in different ways, but our curiosity, dedication and hard work is far superior to lots of people. You will hurt your child’s self-esteem if you continue to discriminate against her. I almost hate my mother for how she treats me, putting me in special education programs where everyone is treated differently. However, I am trying to make up with her.</p>

<p>I have accepted my issues, but the discrimination is annoying. WE ARE NO DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER STUDENT. I will say it again WE ARE NO DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER STUDENT. Give us the respect and treat us as normal students.</p>

<p>Why should we have our self esteem hurt due to your own ignorance. I realize parents are trying to help but it’s not helping, it hurts your self-esteem.</p>

<p>Leaders rule, followers follow.</p>

<p>For proof of creativity:
I have created a website and 5,000 members registered in about year and over 3,000,000 page views (page views are people who go to the site but do not register)
I am the leader of my entire computer club, before I became in charge no one knew about it and now everyone in the school does and the team changed from 20 students to around 100 students.</p>

<p>This is just a few of my accomplishments, don’t insult people with ADHD.</p>

<p>You may just write me off as not accepting myself, but I have accepted myself. Which is why I take pride in my weaknesses and turn them into strengths. Since I tend to block out things I don’t worry about what people think, which allows me to have better social skills and charisma. Which are important skills for leadership.</p>

<p>Yeah xraydog!,You are a star! I think That is what we all hope for… To identify our passions, and turn them into our strengths,and identify our weaknesses,and turn them into strengths and/or gifts we use to connect to others. u r AHEAD of the curve!!!</p>