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Here's the scoop
Topic Started: Oct 8 2008, 11:34 AM (93 Views)
Cabann
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on Steven. A couple of you already know but I figured since I have posting about it, I would update.


After his second evaluation with the psychiatrist he was diagnosed as being ADD. Apparently he has shown signs all along but it didn't become real noticable until last year. From my understanding his behavior would have gotten worse as the years went on without treatment. The doctor also told me that adults who have ADD and were never diagnosed as children were more likely to have a drug and/or alcohol problems.


I did chose not to medicate him. I felt deep down he didn't need it and with behavioral modification it could be controlled. Since Steven is so advance and tests high he is going to be left in all the advance classes. I am still not too sure how I feel with him being in the high reading group since that is where he struggles the most. His teacher and IEP coordinator want him to stay challenged. The doctor wrote a letter to the school for his teacher and also a copy for his file. This letter consists of a list of 23 things that his teacher should do or watch for when it comes to Steven. His placement in the classroom is very important. He can't be seated near any friends or windows..anything that will distract him. So as of now he sits in the front row right where the teacher lectures. She also has to ask him questions to make sure he is focused. A behavior and progress report is being sent home weekly.

As for home, the homework seems to be going more smoothly and he isn't getting so frustrated. I think he feels better knowing what is wrong and why his "head would feel empty" at times. Before, homework would take hours and hours. These past couple weeks we are averaging an hour or two for everything, that includes practicing his two instruments every day. A big difference.

The nighttime issue has gotten better and he is doing wonderful. I screwed up last night and overslept by an hour. So by the time I went into his room and woke him up, he was already wet. I felt so bad for him. He has tried hard and I blew his dry streak. It really is embarrasing for an almost 12 year old.


His diet has changed a bit too and I have to make sure he eats breakfast at home, before heading to school. He still buys breakfast at school (band ends at 8:30 and school doesn't start until 9, so anyone there at that times has to purchase breakfast) but since I can't monitor what he is eating there to start his day, I need to make sure he eats something healthy before leaving for band. I have found he loves granola, so a small bowl of that before band gets him going. This morning after he ate he had so much energy, he was bouncing off the walls..lol.

So all in all he has made some good progress. The school is working with me and understands why I don't want to medicate him. Shoot the principal was surprsised that Steven is even ADD. He is not a behavioral problem at all except for being a cut up and a clown. We did put a stop to the class clown thing in the classroom last year. However during lunch time, that is a different story, from what I have been told.
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Ravenlost
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Glad to hear things are working out for him. Hugs to both of you!
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psimer

Good to see he is making progress. I hope that this continues to improve. He's a good kid.
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Cabann
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psimer
Oct 8 2008, 01:41 PM
Good to see he is making progress. I hope that this continues to improve. He's a good kid.
I'll tell him you said that. He also wants to know if you listened to it yet. He wanted to call you but by the time he finished his homework and practiced his music it would have been too late for you.


He struggled a bit tonight with his work..sentence structure, finding the predicate, simple subject and ect... Not one of his strong subjects and he had four pages, front and back on this along with his other homework. He started to get upset. SO I took took the advice from the doctor and gave him a ten minute break to go outside to clear his head. He skateboarded on the ramp and came back in, ready too work.
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psimer

Yes I did and I was shocked to realize that these were grade school kids. I've heard high school bands that weren't that good. Very impressive.
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Cabann
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They really are good for a bunch of 10-12 year olds. We are lucky that Mr. Barnes is willing to put so much time and energy working with these kids. He can be demanding at times and does push them. But with that in mind he has them playing at such a high level. They are better than the high school bands around here. They also get asked to perform all over the place. Towards the end of the school year it seems like they have a performance once a week.


I think they both will stick with music since they enjoy it so much. I just hope we can keep those 4 instruments out of the shop for the rest of the school year. It gets costly.

Oh and thanks again Paula for the tip on fixing Destiny's flute. Now she knows what to do when that happens again.
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Ravenlost
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I'm glad to help!
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Cabann
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Ravenlost
Oct 9 2008, 07:52 PM
I'm glad to help!
Do you have a tip to help with this.....

These are Destiny's words as she tells them to me......


"The high "b" and low "b" are making really scratchy noises all the time".



I am just finding this out tonight. I am not sure if this could have caused it but last week during band she dropped her flute and did it again on Tuesday. Since she plays two instruments..when she switches from flute to clarinet, she places her flute on her lap. I guess twice so far it has rolled off and hit the ground.


Today as we were walking home from school, I knew something was bothering her..she was really quiet. Her brother on the other hand wouldn't stop talking...lol. Well she finally broke down and said her flute still isn't working right and today Mr. Barnes said he will speak with the repair shop to get their advice. Corky hasn't called me yet so I have left him a voice mail, wondering what I should do. I did tell Destiny to not worry about it, it will get fixed one way or another but quit setting it on her lap, maybe put it on the music stand instead.


Anyways, Do you have any ideas on what could be causing the "scratchy sound". I am so hoping she hasn't done damage to this instrument.


Edited to add: I spoke to Corky this morning and from speaking with the repair shop at the music store he was told it sounds like it just needs a minor repair. So now I need to get it to the reapir shop somehow and pray that it won't be to costly. If so I am going to see if they can add cost of the repair to the monthly payment I already make for Steven's trumpet. I am getting so tired of things breaking around here, if it isn't one thing its another. I am ready to pull my hair out!!!
Edited by Cabann, Oct 10 2008, 11:02 AM.
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