Originally Posted by hwichlaz:
If they are under 3 they qualify for an evaluation with early intervention regardless of financial status. Some therapy organizations base their services on income, others do not. Easter Seals and the Elks give free early intervention and occupational therapy to any child that needs it. The problem....the resources aren’t generally known.
They wouldn't do an evaluation on her that young because she had ADHD and they said it could just be behavioral and to wait it out. When she was 4 I got her into Head Start where they referred her to the school phsycologist (it was on public school grounds so I was able to take advantage of the school district's resources) and was told the same thing ... that it was behavior. With the help of the teacher, we were able to at least get a behavioral therapist assigned to her during class. When she turned 5 I got another assessment done (independent) and that's when she got her diagnosis (ADHD, anxiety, depression, OCD, ODD).
ADHD isn't taken as seriously as someone who has a physical or other disability so it has been an uphill battle for us. There are lots of options and services available to kids with disabilities/special needs, if you have the right diagnosis.
In any case we've struggled but grew and she's 13 now, still in therapies but at least not on medication anymore. And she hasn't tried to kill me in 3 years so that's a plus
