routine causes a lot of tremendous
anxiety and she compares it to a
fear of the unknown. He needs to
know what’s going to happen and
exactly how things are going to go.
“It really causes a lot of anxiety
for him when what he expects to
happen doesn’t happen,” Amy said.
At suppertime Sam always asks
how many bites he has to take or
exactly what time his friends are
coming. Amy believes it’s his way
to have some measure of control in,
what is for him, an uncontrollable
world filled with chaos. His little
brain is moving six different
directions all the time, thinking of
anything and everything all at one
time.
Sam is never out of control and he is on medication albeit a pretty
low dose with good success Amy said. Most children with these issues
are on some type of medication. For Sam, it gives him a little relief and
settles his brain, so he can focus better.
Sam’s lack of attention is one of the first things Amy and dad Jeff
recognized about him when he was little and one of the first markers
for ADHD children. Amy laughs when she describes how fidgety he
is, realizing he moves constantly to expend all the energy he seems to
have.
Sam will be starting fifth grade this fall, looking forward to seeing
his friends. Amy said he does have an Individual Education Program
plan through the school district
and one of the directives is he goes
to the Resource Room every day
for additional classroom help. The
school district is very helpful and
involved in meeting Sam’s needs.
One of Sam’s special nuances
is he is very literal. He has
no imagination and doesn’t
understand jokes. He struggles to
visualize for instance, a fictional
book. He can’t picture what is
happening on the pages, so the
Resource teachers help him with
reading and he also has difficulties
with math.
Another resource for Sam is a
Speech Therapy individual who
Photo courtesy of DeAnn McClure Photography
works with him on how to use
his socialization skills correctly. The resource person works with him
on his skills depending on his maturity level and developing social
skills was only introduced to him this last year in fourth grade. In his
early years they focused on scholastic skills and helping him make
adjustments in the classroom.
As Sam looks to the future and Middle School next year, the
resource staff wants to help him make the transition to the active class
schedule he will be faced with as easily as possible. Socialization will be
an important skill needed to maneuver the halls with more classmates
and a greater variety of teaching styles.
vSAM continued on page 19
Expert health care FOR ALL AGES
Amanda Duxbury, MD, Heather Kleeman, DO, Mary Jo Olson, MD, and Anastasia Searcy, DO, Family Medicine
Make a personal, lifelong connection with the physicians at Sanford
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Call (605) 677-3700 to schedule an appointment.
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