Firstly, thankyou for your support everyone.

The whole plan was never to be in the class or glued to my son's side, but more to be available at the times that he was most vulnerable and likely to get into trouble, ie. recess and lunch. My idea was just to keep him in sight, and me in his, to give him the pause to think of what he wants to do, whether it was a good idea. No more than the school asks of the overworked teaching staff.

I can understand their perspective, and can appreciate. My situation is that I have a child who doesn't fit into the neat little box a majority of students do, so what would work for them doesn't work for him. Suspension is no solution for him. Kids with his problems learn only when radical outcomes affect them - radical problems that require radical solutions.

I just want to help my son learn that he needs to stop, think and make good decisions that will impact him in a positive way. Expulsion from school will only teach him that the system gives up when it gets too hard. I don't want him to think his parents do.

While I respect that the Victorian education system must consider what is in the best interests of the child, is it in the best interests of this child to give up on him and throw him on the rubbish heap?

Once again, I so greatly appreciate the support of all of you and respect all of your points of view.

Opinionated2, mostly agreed. I tend to think that litigation is part of the problem rather than a solution. Sometimes life if hard, things are not perfect and that's just the way it is. Lawsuits just seem to result in yet more rules to minimise exposure to potential lawsuits. Possibly one of the reasons Kathee is being stopped from doing what she wants to do to help is that the school would be placing itself at risk of legal action if they allowed her to do so.

The lawyers get richer and the rest of us don't seem to have better lives as a result. There must be a balance somewhere in that where seriously negligent people are not protected but real people can do the best they can with what they have.

From my understanding Education Queensland has provided some resouces to help and seem to be doing some good work in this area. I guess like everything there are only so many resources and they have to determine how much is aportioned to different needs. Maybe not perfect but I've been impressed with what I've seen so far.

R0bert

Kathee,

I’m not sure I have much to offer here except my support, and to back RObert’s suggestions.

One other thing: diagnostic labels are only useful when they result in helpful strategies. Your son appears to have accumulated at least four of these labels. Don’t be afraid to peel these off him if they’re not helping.

RObert,

Litigation is always part of the problem unless you make it part of the solution. I don't want Education Departments to be sued... I want money spent on the kids, not lawyers ... but I also don't want kids to be discriminated against based on illnesses.

It seems to me its the obligation of us whose children do not have these illnesses, to stand with our fellow parents whose kids do have these problems, and to solve it the best way for all children. If it takes a court case to do it - so be it.

Govts and bureaucrats will bring up all manner of gobbildy goog to twist the solution and sometimes it needs legal documentation through a court to make them see reason. Surely there are lawyers who read these pages ... Is it legal to discriminate against a child in education due to illness?

Kathee is presenting a sensible well thought out solution to a problem. She is taking responsibility and yet she is still unable to get help. Should parents take responsibiliuty or not? Seems to me politicians want to have it both ways... Well I'm a voter and I say they can't.

Fund education properly so that kids with illnesses and disabilities are catered for properly, to benefit the entire school community. Pollies crow about huge surpluses and yet when a kid needs help they can't find the money.

It's in the surpluses... you forgot to spend it on the education of our children

Kathee, you certainly have a big problem, one that's growing in our world. In my work over the years, I've seen what it does to families and those suffering. Medication either suppresses the child or makes matters worse, when the child's system become used to medication. Few take into account the long term effect pharmaceuticals have on the biological system of humans. Giving young children medication, only increase problems later from side effects already documented in medical literature.

By dietary change and elimination of foods containing additives, preservatives and colour dyes, your son may get some relief. Children being more sensitive, have reactions to common additives in their food, dairies are one most people miss as they're in every processed and prepared foods. With increasing air and noise pollution, add a sensitive child and you have a toxic chemical combination.

I know diet doesn't cover every aspect of these problems, but with the right approach you can make dramatic change to your child's life and find out what's actually effecting their bodies making them react as they do.

Our brain works on chemical and electrical balances, when you add non biological chemicals, the make-up of the brain changes. Remove the chemical imbalance, by dietary change and you may have most of the problems solved. The amount of opposition they'll display when their diets are changed, can be quite traumatic for all involved, but the results at the end are always beneficial for all.

Pharmaceutical companies provide not only the drugs used for these problems, but also the additives that cause them. A win win situation for drug companies and a lose lose situation for consumers and children of the world.

I know of a lot of kids who've improved dramatically with this approach, and none who haven't.

Hi Kathee, I think that in Victoria students badly affected by ADHD can be allocated a teachers aide who sits beside them in the classroom.
The teachers aide helps explain the work and encourages them to keep at their work.
The student doesn't have a teachers aide for the whole school week.
I am not sure how funding is made available for the teachers aide's salary.