The Beginnings of Diagnosis

Hi Everyone,
Nate started showing problems very early, but times were different back then. Even ADHD, which he also has, wasn't well known back then. In 2nd grade I took him to Children's Hospital for evaluation. At that time his IQ was very low average, in fact the doctor wasn't sure he wasn't mentally retarded. This doctor couldn't figure out how to fill out the paperwork because Nate's extreme's were vast. He was finally diagnosed as ADHD & was put on Ritalin & I started reading every book in the library on ADHD. It was the only way I could help him. The schools didn't know how to help much back then. My family was very much against using Ritalin, but it worked for him, along with the counseling that I started taking him to.

I think Nate was on Ritalin for a yr, when it stopped working, so we started evaluating other meds & other methods to help him. I tried diet, but for him, that didn't work. I can't even remember which medication we decided on, because he has been on others since. I was tutoring him after school on his homework, little did I know this would be my life for many yrs to come. Being a teacher myself, this wasn't so bad, except that he didn't like learning from me.

I taught 2nd grade for a few yrs & then became a special education tutor for a few yrs, but I finally had to stop teaching as I just didn't have the energy to teach all day & then come home & work with Nate also.

Now I have to wrack my brain to try & remember the rest of what took place 15 yrs ago.