In my work with young adults, I’ve noticed a frustrating pattern: students with ADHD often know they’re struggling, but they don’t know where to turn for help.
The title of this surprised me. I know that all schools are different, but as a pediatrician I feel that if a college student goes through the school's process, it is easier to get accommodations than it is for high school students. I often help them find the right page on the school website and have them give me a list of what they struggle with and what accommodations they feel they need. I write a letter with their diagnosis and information about needs. Of course if they have accommodations from earlier, I encourage them to include that information with whatever they give to the school. One key accommodation needed is to take tests during the day -- many schools have evening tests, which is when medication wears off unless they change their dosing strategy or already have a booster for evenings. This also means they take tests in a quieter setting because the bulk of the class is taking the test separately.
The title of this surprised me. I know that all schools are different, but as a pediatrician I feel that if a college student goes through the school's process, it is easier to get accommodations than it is for high school students. I often help them find the right page on the school website and have them give me a list of what they struggle with and what accommodations they feel they need. I write a letter with their diagnosis and information about needs. Of course if they have accommodations from earlier, I encourage them to include that information with whatever they give to the school. One key accommodation needed is to take tests during the day -- many schools have evening tests, which is when medication wears off unless they change their dosing strategy or already have a booster for evenings. This also means they take tests in a quieter setting because the bulk of the class is taking the test separately.