<p>xposted in the learning disability forum
I'm having an IEP meeting in a few days to discuss my son's plan. Does anyone know where I can find a comprehensive list of learning strategies for students with problems in executive function?
Also, I'm debating whether or not to try medication to improve his focus and concentration. He has no diagnosis of adhd though. He has asperger's and mild tourette's that he seems to have "outgrown". Does anyone have any experience with typical adhd meds being used to help with executive functioning outside of an adhd diagnosis?
Thanks</p>
<p>First, I just want to say that I have a college-age S with what I would now call “mild” Asperger’s/EDF issues; he has never used any medications and does not have any diagnosed LDs. He was diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder during his pre-school years, and many of his attention deficit/executive function issues seemed to stem from a sensory integration dysfunction, which he began receiving therapy for before he even began school. In his case, a good “sensory” diet and environmental accommodations have seemed to control many of his attention/executive function issues throughout his school years. Although he had an IEP throughout school, he never required any academic accommodations per se and - for better or for worse - we eventually closed his IEP in high school. I am therefore in no way an expert on IEPs or ADHD and hopefully others can provide you with additional guidance. At the same time, autism runs in our family (one brother has 2 high functioning children on the spectrum, with and without ADHD), and I also have a sister who has worked with autistic children for several years and has served as the family advisor, and as a result I have participated in several family IEP-planning sessions </p>
<p>Here are a couple of things I came across that might give you some general guidance with the IEP. The first is a general overview dealing with planning IEPs for students on the spectrum; the second is a summary on executive function which includes a chart that breaks down and describes many of the specific EDF issues that you may want to address in your S’s IEP. Good luck to you!</p>
<p><a href=“http://melvinmorse.com/docs/clinic_iep_handout.pdf[/url]”>http://melvinmorse.com/docs/clinic_iep_handout.pdf</a></p>
<p>[Overview</a> of Executive Dysfunction : Tourette Syndrome “Plus” – Leslie E. Packer, PhD](<a href=“http://www.tourettesyndrome.net/disorders/executive-dysfunction/overview-of-executive-dysfunction]Overview”>http://www.tourettesyndrome.net/disorders/executive-dysfunction/overview-of-executive-dysfunction)</p>
<p>Thanks so much for the links.</p>
<p>The professional who diagnosed your son should be providing a list of recommended accommodations for you to bring to the school–you’re a mother, not an expert in executive functioning disorders, and you can’t be expected to come up with this stuff yourself.</p>
<p>Similar situation, mild aspergers and mild tourettes, but my son has amazing focus and concentration. This may not be helpful to you, but for someone else that reads this…one of the top children’s neurologists in the country has done some experimentation with the medication Topomax to control tourettes. My kid takes a very low dosage, in that dosage there are few side effects…and it does an excellent job controlling the tics. He could probably control them completely if he upped the dosage a bit. Far less side effects than the medications they generally use to control it.</p>
<p>I suggest you bring the doctor who dx’d your son to the meeting. It’s always good to have an advocate and school personnel respect doctors.</p>
<p>The school will do nothing regarding the meds issue so (at this meeting) don’t use that as the answer to what he needs. Pay attention to what the school can do to help, all of which strictly relate to learning (such as extra time, an aide, help with note-taking, scheduled visits to the nurse, help w/ note taking, extra tutorials, someone to help w/ time management, etc.)</p>
<p>Now that S3 (dyslexic) is in high school he also comes to the IEPs. Really, for us, they are more exploratory in nature and a good opportunity for us, him and the teachers to talk once a year. Looking at what is available to him and together figuring out how to write the IEP to cover possible resources that he can tap into if he needs to is the primary focus. He rarely taps into everything available but it’s important to get everything into the IEP so that it’s available if needed and to pre-plan for that particular year’s standardized testing. It’s been very helpful to have S3 hear the discussion and what’s available as I think it’s helped him self advocate. He knows these things are available and if he gets jammed he knows who to talk to and how to make it happen. </p>
<p>I’m not sure what executive functioning disorder is, but regardless I’m a believer in having more, not less, resources written into the IEP, even if the services ultimately aren’t tapped. It’s empowered my son I think to take rigorous classes with heavy reading because he knows he has some escape hatches if he gets behind.</p>
<p>Thanks. The doctor who diagnosed him did give a list of recommendations, but since I see what he actually struggles with, not just what his scores indicate weaknesses in, I would also like some input based on what both my son and I think might be beneficial.</p>
<p>The medication issue was completely separate from the IEP discussion. I just wanted to hear whether people without an ADHD diagnosis really noticed a difference when it came to executive function issues. No one has pushed an issue of meds and I’m not sure I want to go that route at this point. But it’s just something I’d like to keep in the back of my mind.</p>