Everyday Health is gathering the responses of several professionals of the top 5 questions they get regarding ADHD. They asked me to participate. The following are the questions and my answers. Check in with Everyday Health next week to see the compilation of responses.

1. Why are there so many theories about the causes of ADHD? What are the most common?

2. How can you explain the value of treatment to resistant parents? For example, “I survived my childhood with ADHD --and I was never diagnosed or treated. Why does my child need ADHD treatment?”

Often children with ADHD have gaps in their education. As they are in and out of focus each day, they miss key points in instruction. As new skills build upon old skills, it can be more and more difficult to learn new tasks where there are gaps in the foundation. This difficulty can make focusing even more difficult, further compounding the problem. Treatment can help reduce or prevent this cycle.

3. What role does a child’s school have in helping him or her with ADHD?

4. Are the medications recommended for ADHD safe for children? What are the potential dangers?

Confession time. I tend to write this blog with my professional hat on, keeping my personal life, personal. Today, I am writing as a mother of two very dear, but very spirited children. People tend to think since I am a School Psychologist, that I know exactly what to do in my own family, and that I should have it all together. The reality is that I have struggles just like everyone else. Sometimes, my kids just don't listen. Sometimes, I feel overwhelmed too. Sometimes, I don't respond in the most positive manner.

Sometimes it can be very difficult to be positive. I know this from experience. While I'm usually an optimistic person, who tends to find good in situations (at least eventually), I sometimes struggle in the heat of the moment. Especially, when I am running late or stressed about something, I have much less tolerance for resistance and disobedience from my children.

In the last few weeks I've really been having a difficult time with the morning routine. There are a lot of procedures that need to occur efficiently in order for everyone to get to work and school on time. I do not like that I have turned into a Drill Sargent with very little patience for any deviation from the schedule. There are mornings that I tell my children to get dressed multiple times and am ignored multiple times. As the clock ticks and it's time to rush out the door with two children (age 5 and 3) who haven't gotten dressed yet, I become more and more negative. By the time we get to the daily "Yes you are wearing a coat- it's 25 degrees outside!" argument with the second child, I have lost all patience. When they walk to the car, I'm behind carrying everything and making sure the door shuts, and have been known to yell "RUN!, RUN TO THE CAR, RUN!" and eventually pick up the meandering child and put her in the car at my own pace. How's that for a start to one's day? I don't feel very good about those days.

Thankfully, not every morning is like that. There are also days that everyone is calm and everyone got ready (although hurriedly), but we got to school/work on time and in good spirits. Specifically I think of a day earlier this week that I handed all the clothes to my five year old and asked him to get himself dressed and see if he could help his little sister a little bit. He helped her step by step, and was extremely proud of himself. I enthusiastically praised him for his help and everyone went to school and work happy that day.

So what is the difference between the crazy mornings and the relatively calm mornings? I want to say- "my kids." I want to say "some mornings they choose to focus on getting dressed and I don't have to argue with them, so we are happy." And while they do play a small part, the biggest factor is ME. I'm the difference. When I am more calm, I have the mindset to be more positive and encouraging, which the children actually respond to. When I am frantic, I think they retreat and are much more prone to act out or start throwing their own fits (about coats or shoes). Yes, there are days that my kids don't listen the first time. However, they are 3 and 5 years old. Also, they don't care if I am late, it means nothing to them. So, what is the main thing I can do to change our crazy mornings. It's not a magic cure to make my kids get ready in a hurried and frantic manner that will get everyone out the door on time. The answer is getting myself up earlier, so I am not stressing about my tardiness and I can focus on helping everyone else get ready.

So here's the challenge to all parents- Take a look at a part of your day that is prone to go poorly with your kids. Think about what you can do yourself to help change the situation. I don't mean what your children could or should do or what you need to do to change your child. Let's take a hard look at yourself first, and see what you can do to yourself to make a positive change in a situation. For my mornings- it's pretty obvious- like it or not, I need to wake up earlier. I'm always saying I should wake up earlier, but that snooze button is quite tempting every morning. Since I'm blogging about it, I now have many people out there to keep me accountable. I'm thinking that if I were not rushed and frantic, then I would be more patient with my kids and able to start using more positive methods for getting them to get ready. While there is an issue that I'm being ignored sometimes- right now I'm just going to focus on making a change to myself. I'm guessing it will spill into everyone else.

Let's all find one small thing we can do ourselves that will help be a blessing for our entire family.

Parents are asked to sign paperwork when services begin, when changes are made, and if services end. Let's not stop there. Parents must sign before any assessments begin. Parents must sign that they attended meetings. Parents sign that they received a copy of special education rights. The reasoning is to protect everyone involved. It gives documentation to show who attended the meetings, shows parental consent for what is outlined in the plan, and documents what has occurred at the meeting.

I spend most days of my life working with various students who are at different parts in the sped referral process. I attend Child Study Meetings where we decide if we are going to evaluate a student. I observe and screen children and talk with parents and teachers to help the committee make a good decision about whether we should do a special education evaluation.   I evaluate those students (this includes Psychological testing, observations, talking with student/teacher/parent, doing rating scales, etc.). I attend eligibility meetings where we determine if the student is eligible for for special education services. All of this is second nature to me and sometimes I need to stop and remember when a parent comes in, that this is NEW.

When I talk to parents, I find that many parents do not fully understand the special education referral process, even when they nod and act like they do. We as school staff need to do a better job of helping the parents understand the process. Parents also need to speak up and ask questions when there is not understanding.

This is a guide for parents to understand the process of special education testing, the testing components, and some of the test data. It is important to note that schools systems and states will vary to some degree. If you have any questions about the process in your school system, ask your school psychologist, teacher, or principal. Parents have every right to ask questions and usually school personnel are happy to help make this process less anxiety-provoking for you. It is important for parents to understand their rights during the special education process.


Special Education Process

After data shows that interventions have been attempted and if a student is suspected of having a disability, a referral is made to evaluate him or her for special education testing. Once the parents sign the Permission for Testing Forms, timelines begin and the schools have 65 business days to complete the assessments and hold the eligibility meeting. Some states may have a different timeline.

During these 65 days, several testing components will be completed with you and your child. The evaluators will write reports and a copy will be given to parents at the eligibility meeting. However, schools are required to have a copy available for parents to pick up two days before the eligibility meeting. It is advised, that parents take advantage of this and read reports before the meeting to help get familiar with the information and to formulate questions. The reports hold a lot of information that can be overwhelming if you are not familiar with this type of testing. Read Understanding Test Scores to understand the types of tests used and what the scores mean.

Additionally, the meeting is likely to bring forth strong emotions as your child’s difficulties are discussed openly. It can be overwhelming for parents, especially when not prepared. When parents do not read the reports prior to the eligibility meeting, they are the only people at the table who come to the meeting not knowing what to expect.


What if My Child is Found ELIGIBLE for Special Education Services?

Once a child is eligible for special education services, the schools have 30 days to develop an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) for the student. This will consist of accommodations, goals, and describe the services offered. Parents are part of a committee to help create this document. Once it is signed, schools are legally required to follow it. It is reviewed once a year, unless parents or teachers feel that changes are necessary. Every three years, the committee will determine if the student should be reevaluated. This is called a triennial evaluation. Sometimes another full evaluation will be conducted, other times a review of records and updated teacher information is used.


What if My Child is Found INELIGIBLE for Special Education Services?

If your child was found ineligible for special education services and you agree with the eligibility findings, then your child will not receive special education. He or she was evaluated because of a problem that still needs to be addressed within regular education. Ask for a separate meeting with your teacher or a team to determine what accommodations or strategies can be used to help.

If you believe that your child requires special education services and has a disability, but was found ineligible for services, make an appointment to meet with the special education director. If an agreement cannot be reached, you may be able to have an Independent Evaluation at the expense of the school. The results of that testing will be brought back to an eligibility meeting. A child MUST have 2 things before they can receive special education services: They must have a disability and there must be a documented educational impact that the student requires special education services to be successful.

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This Migration Policy Institute Europe webinar examines possible scenarios for how social, economic, and technological trends could affect jobs, labor market policy, education and social policies, and migrant integration. Speakers also explored the potential of coding schools for refugees to help alleviate skills shortages and provide a pathway to work.

Mexicans migrate to Canada in much smaller numbers than to the United States, yet over the last 30 years the country has become an increasingly attractive destination. Canada prioritizes highly skilled, educated Mexicans for permanent residency, but also attracts temporary workers from Mexico. This article examines Mexican migration to Canada and how it has been shaped by visa requirements, trade policy, and more.

A federal court on Thursday denied a motion to block an Arkansas directive preventing patients from receiving abortion care.

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MD pharmacology examination, question papers, Gujarat university, October 2012

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While migration once was a lower-priority topic for African governments, the last decade has seen a deepening in governance. Policymakers have integrated migration into their national development strategies and mainstreamed it across policy domains such as health and education. The actions are promising on paper, yet questions remain about the extent to which they will translate to more effective migration management.

This policy brief traces the successes and failures of the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act, which represented the first and most comprehensive legislation to take on the issue of illegal immigration to the United States. The brief makes the case that IRCA's major flaws were rooted in statutory design more than regulatory challenges and implementation by the administrative agencies.

This Transatlantic Council on Migration Statement assesses the continuum of policies needed to disrupt illegal migration-related activities and addresses the conditions that make them possible. It examines the role of migration "bad actors"—human traffickers and unscrupulous employers, among them—who operate and profit in this environment, and considers how governments can deploy resources to discourage their actions.

Looking back after one year in office, it is striking how just closely the Trump administration’s actions on immigration have hewed to priorities Donald Trump outlined in an uncommonly detailed policy speech in August 2016. This report revisits those pledges to assess where the administration has made the most and least headway, and what its policy agenda ahead might look like.

Hello, join me tomorrow, April 24th at 12pm EST for a live chat about the intersections of behavioral science and the coronavirus pandemic. There will be a live Q&A portion at the end! Here is the event link. See you there!

There are no major changes coming to Britain's current coronavirus lockdown orders anytime soon, a government official said Friday as health officials reported 626 more deaths from COVID-19.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo plans to travel to Israel next week to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in his first international trip since coronavirus-related restrictions were put in place.

The United States' bellwether stock index, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, climbed another 455 points Friday, posting its first weekly gain in three weeks.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday signed an executive order requiring mail-in ballots be sent to all eligible voters for the November election.

A federal judge on Friday declined to dismiss charges filed against Lori Loughlin and 13 others in a national college admissions case based in Massachusetts.

The USS Montgomery and the USNS Cesar Chavez sailed into the South China Sea this week in support of the West Capella drill ship, according to U.S. Indo-Pacific Command.

Ohio State University will pay more than $40 million to 162 former students who said a team doctor abused them over two decades, the school announced.

China's President XI jinping offered Saturday to help North Korean leader Kim Jong Un respond to the coronavirus pandemic.

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The Internal Revenue Service said Wednesday is the last day for Americans to provide their direct deposit information to receive their stimulus checks directly to their bank accounts.

Taylor Swift announced her City of Lover concert, which took place in Paris, will air on ABC on May 17 at 10 p.m.

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How many times have you thought, “When coronavirus ends, I will ______” — as if you’re putting off everything (or at least the things you most love) until then? They...