Collected Thoughts on ADHD, Asperger's, and my kid
Having been reading about Vivian lately, with the most interesting, relevant, and worthwhlie single item being Different Minds: Gifted Children with AD/HD, Asperger Syndrome, and Other Learning Deficits. The chapter on ADHD seemed particularly useful to me as it broke down ADHD by sub-deficit, compared behaviors to both non-LD gifted children and non-gifted ADHD children, and suggested useful accommodations. The Asperger's chapter was less well-organized and less useful, but highly interesting. I cannot figure out how Vivian hasn't been diagnosed with one or the other condition in the past (we saw a pediatric neurologist most recently in July, so it's not like it's been a huge long time since her last evaluation).
One interesting thing I ran into while reading about ADHD treatment: Working Memory Training. In 2005 a company came out with a computer program that supposedly can help improve working memory considerably, even in kids with ADHD, and which has shown to have long-lasting effects on behavior (improving working memory leads to improvement in impassivity problems because ADHD children are better able to juggle several thoughts at once, such as which behavior rule applies to the current situation Of course, the company who sells the software that was actually studied (research here, also related stuff here and here ) only offers it through their trained practitioners, and the whole thing is estimated to cost you at least $1500 out of pocket. Other software companies offer software that claims to also improve working memory, but without any research or evidence, how can you tell if it'll work in any comparable way?
Our insurance changed in November because Mike switched jobs, which sucks because we "get" to meet a new deductible through the new company for the last 2 months of the year, which pretty much means we're paying everything out-of-pocket for 2 months. And we get to do it again in January! (Medical insurance is my biggest beef with this new place: we are paying nearly $800 more per month now than before. Since they also offer no flexible spending and no dependent care, we are effectively making more taxable income and receiving less net income.)
So anyhow we really really need to get Vivian a comprehensive evaluation, only all the places the new insurance wants us to go have like 9-month waiting lists. I found one place at UW that does comprehensive evaluations including for ADHD and Asperger's and other things and has dealt with gifted children before (and important consideration in my mind since qualities like being freakin' bored in school can mimic problems like hyperactivity). I could get her in this month! Or, rather, I could've, except our insurance company doesn't want to pay for it. I petitioned to have them cover it but I'm not feeling hopeful about this, even though I'm pretty sure you could make a case based on the unreasonableness of having to wait 9 months!! for an appointment at their preferred provider. Of course, for $2000 up front, we could just pay for the evaluation ourselves, but, you know, that's $2000 I don't have. Unless I want to deplete our emergency savings account, but, really, that's for actual emergencies. Sooo frustrating.
I went to our semi-annual IEP update yesterday at the crack of dawn. Took 45 minutes. They're trying, they really are. Vivian's SpEd services have increased to 15 minutes per day, and OT to 20 minutes every other week. She also has a list of accommodations which are fairly reasonable although they've been doing the same things all year and I don't think they've gotten very far. She also goes to a Social Group and a Friendship Group and I don't know what else; between all her activities, recess, and snack time, I'm not sure how much time she actually spends in class. It's a good thing she doesn't really need to learn anything academic in Kindergarten. And of course, they don't have a copy of the working memory software which sounds so promising in actually being useful to her.
One interesting thing I ran into while reading about ADHD treatment: Working Memory Training. In 2005 a company came out with a computer program that supposedly can help improve working memory considerably, even in kids with ADHD, and which has shown to have long-lasting effects on behavior (improving working memory leads to improvement in impassivity problems because ADHD children are better able to juggle several thoughts at once, such as which behavior rule applies to the current situation Of course, the company who sells the software that was actually studied (research here, also related stuff here and here ) only offers it through their trained practitioners, and the whole thing is estimated to cost you at least $1500 out of pocket. Other software companies offer software that claims to also improve working memory, but without any research or evidence, how can you tell if it'll work in any comparable way?
Our insurance changed in November because Mike switched jobs, which sucks because we "get" to meet a new deductible through the new company for the last 2 months of the year, which pretty much means we're paying everything out-of-pocket for 2 months. And we get to do it again in January! (Medical insurance is my biggest beef with this new place: we are paying nearly $800 more per month now than before. Since they also offer no flexible spending and no dependent care, we are effectively making more taxable income and receiving less net income.)
So anyhow we really really need to get Vivian a comprehensive evaluation, only all the places the new insurance wants us to go have like 9-month waiting lists. I found one place at UW that does comprehensive evaluations including for ADHD and Asperger's and other things and has dealt with gifted children before (and important consideration in my mind since qualities like being freakin' bored in school can mimic problems like hyperactivity). I could get her in this month! Or, rather, I could've, except our insurance company doesn't want to pay for it. I petitioned to have them cover it but I'm not feeling hopeful about this, even though I'm pretty sure you could make a case based on the unreasonableness of having to wait 9 months!! for an appointment at their preferred provider. Of course, for $2000 up front, we could just pay for the evaluation ourselves, but, you know, that's $2000 I don't have. Unless I want to deplete our emergency savings account, but, really, that's for actual emergencies. Sooo frustrating.
I went to our semi-annual IEP update yesterday at the crack of dawn. Took 45 minutes. They're trying, they really are. Vivian's SpEd services have increased to 15 minutes per day, and OT to 20 minutes every other week. She also has a list of accommodations which are fairly reasonable although they've been doing the same things all year and I don't think they've gotten very far. She also goes to a Social Group and a Friendship Group and I don't know what else; between all her activities, recess, and snack time, I'm not sure how much time she actually spends in class. It's a good thing she doesn't really need to learn anything academic in Kindergarten. And of course, they don't have a copy of the working memory software which sounds so promising in actually being useful to her.