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