Evaluating the Need for Separate ADHD
Schools and Knowing Your Child's Legal Rights
Tess Thompson
When a child has ADD ADHD, it is not uncommon for the first
person to recognize the symptoms to be the child's teacher.
Many of the symptoms of ADHD can seem more pronounced in a
structured classroom setting, when a child is forced to sit
still and focus on something specific. Of course, a
teacher's suspicion is not grounds for assumption that your
child has the condition. A diagnosis of ADHD should come
only after valid ADHD assessment tests and extensive
professional evaluation that includes such factors as his
or her behavior at school, at home and at play, and that
eliminates the possibility that your child is suffering
from other conditions, such as depression or anxiety, that
can produce similar symptoms.
If you do determine that your child has ADHD and needs
special child ADHD treatment, you should be aware of the
legal rights your child has to an education that
accomodates his or her needs. ADHD children can have
difficulty performing well in school and teachers can
become frustrated with students who have behavioral
problems or who require constant attention. Although you
can weigh the benefits of private tutors, homeschooling or
"ADHD schools" -- special schools for children with
learning disabilities (ADHD is not technically a learning
disability, but some schools have programs that include
instruction for ADHD children), there are laws which
mandate that your child receive specialized education
within the confines of the public school system as
well.
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a
federal statute that requires schools to identify children
who have ADHD or other learning disorders and to provide
special education or provide other services to qualifying
students. In order to qualify under IDEA, a child's ADHD
must be found to be severe enough to impair the child's
education. Children who suffer from ADHD may also qualify
under IDEA if they have simultaneously been diagnosed with
a learning disablity or with emotional problems.
Chidren who don't qualify for specialized education under
IDEA can still find help under Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which is an anti-discrimination
provision designed to protect people with disabilities. It
prohibits programs that are federally funded, such as
public schools, from discriminating against people with
disabilities, and requires schools to accomodate them.
Accomodations can include things such as altering
test-taking rules or providing help with note-taking.
The Americans with Disabilities Act also prohibits
discrimination on the basis of disability, but includes
organizations which recieve no federal funding. Under this
provision, children with ADHD qualify for special help at
public and at private schools.
Although these statutes must be legally upheld by schools,
some school systems do not accurately train teachers and
administrators to recognize the symptoms of ADHD, and they
are often unaware of their legal obligations to accomodate
children who suffer from it. Your child does have a legal
right to these provisions, and you have the right to
request them. In rare cases, when a school has been found
to lack in sufficient accomodation, the state has paid for
children to attend specialized private schools. Many public
schools, however, have excellent systems in place, and more
and more frequently, teachers are being trained to teach
all kinds of students, including those with ADHD.
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About the Author
Tess Thompson is a Homeopathic Practitioner, Reflexologist,
Certified Aromatherapist, and Herbalist who contributes to
Native Remedies - where you can find Guaranteed,
Homeopathic and Herbal Remedies for many health conditions
including the natural treatment of ADHD and child ADHD
treatment.
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