HI, this is late but I don’t come here very often. My DD has just finished Sec1 IP, and I must say I have been very impressed with the program- the girls are doing so many projects and the teaching is both stimulating and rigorous. She’s really grown up this year and the school has given her many opportunities to present, lead and organize. I think it would have been difficult for her to do so many things at more competitive schools. The girls also seem quite close and they’re fostering friendships that I hope they can carry for life. Feel grateful and blessed for a relatively smooth first year. Beware though that teenagers are difficult creatures and need to be handled with care!

The thing is, I’m not sure where we go from here. My son has improved noticably after taking Ritalin, but still he struggles with tasks that other children ( or most of us, for that matter) take for granted. Small tasks such as packing a bag require such very great effort ( and a lot of pointless walking around the house), he is emotionally immature and flares up and cries at the slightest provocation ( he’s in P5 now).

We haven’t formally informed the school nor asked for any special dispensation for him at school yet, although I have talked to some of his teachers and they know he has been taking meds, not sure whether I should ? - he’s sort of coping as it is, he’s able to pass his subjects though of course he’s not doing as well as I think he could. But in real life there will not be any special dispensations either…

jojowee:

Hi,anyone is giving your child with Adhd medications like Ritalin,concerta or strattera? kindly share the views of side effects after taking them thank you.

Hi, my son was reccently diagnosed with ADHD and has been taking both fish oils and ritalin since the beginning of the month, when the new term started.
The first week, he had frequent tummy ache in the mornings, and his appetite at lunch time was noticably affected. But by dinner time his appetite is back to normal.

The drugs are efficacious - teachers say he is noticably better able to concentrate in school , the unfortunate thing is that by the time it's evening the medicine has worn off and it's back to the same old problems when he's trying to finish his homework - a chronic inability to concnetrate (even when I'm sitting right beside him and breathing down his neck!), truly horrendous handwriting and great difficulty writing fast or being able to space his writing and answers, incessant fidgeting.

Thanks, that really helped. I agree that he’s probably is somewhat withdrawn, poor fellow gets scolded some days from dawn till dusk by parents/teachers/ grandparents/ parents again. I have tried hard to be his advocate, will continue to try…God bless you and thanks again for sharing.

Have been very frustrated with my son reccently - he’s very forgetful and has always been having problems concentrating in class, but with a lot of effort has been doing OK in school until this year. He’s in P5 this year, and managed to get into a "good" class but has been struggling a bit with the work.

What gets me though, is that he seems to have been marked out by his teachers as a problem child because he tends to forget to bring his work /do his corrections/daydream in class - all old problems, but which have been magnified tenfold this year by the intensity of work.
I’m at my wits’ end - am worn out by having to come home and yell at him almost daily. Going through his bag only helps so much because he leaves stuff at school…
I know he is trying hard though, and thought things were better until he forgot to bring some spelling home for me to sign today, he got punished at school and was told by his teacher that he was a "waste of space" in the good class and would surely drop out next year. AND forgot to bring his spelling home again after that scolding…Don’t know whether to be more angry with this hurtful teacher or with my son…
Wonder if there is anyone out there who can give me some words of wisdom?

ZacK:

ks2me:

HPB gives K1 students in my kid's kindy free checkup in the school itself and in K2 they will review the cases with eye problems.


Did his school inform you?

Actually we recently signed an authorisation form for my son to have his eyes checked when the HPB visits his school... I guess I should wait for their assessment then.

You should not bring young kids to Opticians. Some may have pseudo-myopia and may end up with unnecessary glasses that damage their eyesight. Proper assessment should be done by an Opthalmologist. They would need to administer special eyedrops to assess the child's eyes appropriately.

juz_me:

I am trying too - my son coming to 6 years old.


I told him that if he continuous no bed wetting for 7 days, I will buy him a Ben 10 toy (his favourite) for him.

I have washing bedsheets and mattress protectors for the past days..
Now, trying to reduce his milk intake at night... see whether it will works?

What you have described is Chronic bed-wetting or enuresis in medical terms.

It is actually quite common with 15% of kids over 5 keys old still having this problem

Got this from another website:
\"Chronic bed-wetting is thought to be related to (1) a physically and/or neurologically immature bladder and/or (2) a deep sleeping pattern. Apparently these children often sleep so deeply that they are not aware of the message the bladder sends to the brain saying it is full. It is presumed that bed-wetting is an inherited condition. Usually a parent, aunt, uncle, grandparent or other family member(s) will have had the condition. Also, children with attention deficit disorder, learning disabilities or allergies seem to be more likely to be bed-wetters than children in the general population.

Effect of Bed-wetting on the Child and Family: By the first grade, most children are embarrassed by their bed-wetting condition. They tend to withdraw from social activities that require sleeping outside their home. They also often suffer from low self-image. These children's feelings can be greatly affected by the attitudes of their parents, who may feel that their efforts to end the bed-wetting have failed. Parents may also feel frustrated, angry and embarrassed about their children's bed-wetting condition. Parents can help their children reduce negative feelings about their bed-wetting condition and speed up the process of overcoming it, by offering positive support, understanding and encouragement.

Treatment:

First of all, almost all children outgrow their bed-wetting habit. As children mature, their muscles become stronger and their bladder capacity increases. They tend to sleep less deeply and to become more sensitive to messages the bladder sends to the brain.

There are two approaches to treatment:

Medical or Behavioral.

The medical treatment usually consists of the use of one of two drugs:

1. Imipramine

2. Desmopressin acetate

Behavioral treatment is often more effective and certainly is safer than medical treatment. While behavioral treatment may take somewhat longer to show results, the improvement usually continues indefinitely. There are several methods that may be helpful:

Retention Control Training: The child is asked to control urinating during the day by postponing it, first by a few minutes and then by gradually increased amounts of time. This exercise can extend the capacity of the bladder and strengthen the muscle that holds back urination. Parents should always check with a doctor before asking their child to practice retention control.


Night-lifting: This procedure involves waking your child periodically throughout the night, walking your child to the bathroom to urinate, and then returning your child to bed. By teaching your child to awaken and to empty his or her bladder many times during the night, it is hoped that he or she will eventually stay dry.


Moisture alarm: Moisture alarms are considered a useful and successful way to treat bed-wetting. Medical research has shown that moisture alarms have helped many children stay dry. This treatment requires a supportive and helpful family and may take many weeks or even several months to work. Moisture alarms have good long-term success and fewer relapses than medications.


An alarm consists of a clip-on sensor probe that attaches to the outside of bed-clothing. An alarm is set off when the child begins to wet the bed. The alarm wakes the child, who will then go to the bathroom to finish and then go back to sleep. This slowly conditions the brain to respond appropriately during sleep to messages from the bladder.\"

I would suggest that you try the behavioral approach 1st b4 considering drug therapy (which you have to see a doctor). All medications have possible side effects. should consider only if all else fails.

Hope this helps.

jedamum:

phantom:

I though kids now wear more classes because they watch too much TV or play too much computers

not to forget, rich parents buy their kids PSP as young as P1.

I have seen PSP with kids as young as 3!

Hi everyone


Just found this excellent forum while registering my child. Managed to get a place for her through balloting at phase 2B. Really stressful experience......
I wouldn't want to go through this again :shock: