TravelingChris Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 I have a depressed freshman. In my beliefs, it is a physical disease with heriditary causes so basically a disability. We are addressing the problem with doctors but it takes time for the right medication at the right dose. If I wasn't in a state with people looking over me, I wouldn't worry. This would be a hiccup where it may take a few months to get it right (hopefuly no longer) but then we would be good to go for the rest of high school. Now, I am supposed to be reporting grades to the church school. I don't want to give her grades in anything except classes she took with others. She hasn't managed a true semester's work yet this year although she is almost done with a number of credits from last year- when she basically started ninth grade early but because of other issues, decided to continue as a ninth grader this year. I had a glimpse of how she will be with proper medication at a proper dose and I have no doubts that once we get it right, she will work hard and do better. But now, she sleeps, can't concentrate, is totally unable to really work. Advice? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Lilac Studio Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 We experienced this last year with my then 8th grader. Are there any subjects or activities that she is able to handle? I would concentrate on those, and know that as she spirals out of the depression, she'll be able to gradually tackle more. My daughter was able to focus on literature, so we did a lot of that and as much P/E as I could get her to do. We worked on the rest in 10-15 min. increments spread throughout the day, since my daughter was able to concentrate for that long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrulySusan Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 Have you considered changing cover schools? Alabama doesn't require grade reporting-that is your cover school. Our cover school is state-wide and I don't have to report grades (My oldest is in middle school so if 9th is different, feel free to ignore.) Maybe you could go with different school until she is feeling better and then switch back? Feel free to PM me if you want the name of our school.:grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 I'm so sorry about your daughter; I hope the meds help! My daughter has suffered from severe migraines, so I finally had to accept that we could not keep her at the pace I was originally hoping. We lightened up a lot for a year while we were trying to get her headaches under control. I pushed classes that I knew she COULD handle more easily, such as literature and music. History became a lot of interesting books and movies rather than tough assignments. Algebra II was stretched out over two years. It's just the way we had to do things for awhile. She's a senior now, graduating with a load that is a little lighter than my others, but she'll do fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pjssully Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 my daughter has suffered from anxiety disorder, depression and headaches. We are currently going through a bad stretch and changing meds once again. I have decided to puch her graduation from high school back a year, so she will be graduating the same month that she turns 19-her birthday is may 24. Is there a possibility of graduating a semester later? For me, it has taken some of the stress off and allowed her the time she needs to "recover" from bouts that she has. It is just a thought. pjan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PollyOR Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 :grouphug: I have no advice as my daughter is unschooling. I just wanted to let you know that you aren't alone. BTW, I heard some very interesting reports on NPR about depression medications. Personally I don't think dd's medication helps much but I'm tired of butting heads with the doctors. These reports give me hope that the future will be better. "When It Comes to Depression, Serotonin Isn't the Whole Story" "Could a Club Drug Offer 'Almost Immediate' Relief From Depression?" "' I Wanted to Live' : New Depression Drugs Offer Hope for Toughest Cases" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan C. Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 Do check her B12 and Vitamin D levels. If they are low, supplementing will most likely help (make sure B12 is sublingual and D3 is used). One of my dc ended up with those being low, and by trial and error, we are using supplements and they help a lot. I would put 9th grade down to bare bones, get 'er done. Lifepac, watch Teaching Co. lessons (our library has a ton of them), that sort of thing. Or maybe you can read the material and discuss it with her. Her grade can be her understanding and contribution toward the discussion once she understands and only if its a good day for her. Do check other options to homeschool under, our state's associations vary greatly as well. HSLDA would be helpful to tell you what the true requirements are for your state. Associations are allowed to come up with their own requirements. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravelingChris Posted February 7, 2012 Author Share Posted February 7, 2012 She had low D levels before (she even had juvenile osteoporosis). And actually I think there is a strong possibility she may have thyroid issues. She was stopped with the medication today (last dose today) and we are going to find a psychiatrist and a psychologist or counselor to do both things. I am definitely going to a psychiatrist to go over all medical issues since the first medication made her go flat and she really hated that. Yes, I heard that report on NPR about ketamine and I was thinking I have to find out about that for my son, who is considered a medication resistant depression case and won't go to doctors anymore. I am not a depressive but boy, is this getting me down. Number two child with this. Can I relate that I like anxiety issues so much better? That is child #2. Number #1 and number #3 are depressives. Well only two more days till #2 comes home for a visit and she is actually fun to be around. Neither dh nor I are depressives and dh gets to escape (either by working or by traveling for work which he has been doing a lot). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan C. Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 Low thyroid can definitely cause depression. But, other issues can make your body's thyroid hormone unavailable and cause low thyroid symptoms as well. You might do well with an alternative medicine/MD combination. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenbrdsly Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 Sending love your way! I was just thinking about depression today, because I found out a few months ago that LM Montgomery, the author of Anne of Green Gables, committed suicide. Her family kept it secret until a few years ago when Canada television ran a series about depression and how it needs to not be stigmatized and recognized as a disease that can be treated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alphabetika Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 I don't have any solutions, really, but I wanted to send commiseration and :grouphug:. This issue was a big reason my dd17 took an equivalency test to technically graduate even though she had not completed my personal requirements. It's a longer story, but I want to tell you that there's so much hope. She's doing much better now due to a combination of factors and plans to go to cc in the fall. It's hard to have to adjust your expectations - and as someone who deals with depression myself, I believe I should sympathize more than I do - but sometimes it's necessary. Hang in there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperDad Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 BTDT (though with different mental issues). :grouphug::grouphug: The only advice I can offer right now is to just focus on her health as the number 1 priority. School work should be done as she is capable, but health is the most important thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyfaithe Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 Low thyroid can definitely cause depression. But, other issues can make your body's thyroid hormone unavailable and cause low thyroid symptoms as well. You might do well with an alternative medicine/MD combination. :iagree: My thyroid levels were great ....until they totally tanked. I have had Hashimoto's with symptoms since I was 15...and went undiagnosed until 29! My dd's were both diagnosed at 19 & 16 respectively. Their thyroid levels were normal, but they were positive for the antigen and symptomatic....acne, depression, weird cycles, eczema etc. :grouphug::grouphug: Depression s*cks!! Faithe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 BTDT (though with different mental issues). :grouphug::grouphug: The only advice I can offer right now is to just focus on her health as the number 1 priority. School work should be done as she is capable, but health is the most important thing. I agree with this. One of the advantages of homeschooling! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alphabetika Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 BTDT (though with different mental issues). :grouphug::grouphug: The only advice I can offer right now is to just focus on her health as the number 1 priority. School work should be done as she is capable, but health is the most important thing. :iagree::iagree:A thousand times. If I had listened to my gut and done the above, life would've been better, sooner, especially for my dd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravelingChris Posted February 8, 2012 Author Share Posted February 8, 2012 I have written to the school administrators to ask what they want me to do. If they want me to give her grades, I will withdraw her from that school and find another. If it wasn't a bad enough day, she got a near anaphalactic reaction this evening. We went shopping and at the checkout counter of the PX< she begged me to buy her peach gummy type candy. Well she isn't allergic to peach, right? She eats two on our way to the commissary and turns bright red on her face and ears, and her skin is itchy. She claims that is all because I am ready to go buy some benadryl and give it to her. We continue shopping. When we get home, she then tells me she did have some breathing issue but didn't want to use her inhaler since it tastes bad and she had nothing to drink. Never mind that we are at a commissary filled with drinks and I could have gotten her one to go along with the inhaler and benadryl I could give her too. SO I insist on giving her benadryl and she barely gets through eating dinner before falling asleep. NOw I have to check on her several times through the night and make sure it isn't coming back. She has an allergy to citrus and the candy did not have that. But it did have citric acid which usually is made from non citrus sources, since they are cheaper. But I guess this candy, coming from Germany, was actually made with citric acid that came from a citrus plant and therefore had the protein that she is allergic too. I already had to go through adjusting high school once before with my middle girl who developed a seven month migraine. Once we finally found the antidote and then after another issue happened, she totally got down to work, and working very hard and ended up with a very good high school record. That high school record is proven right by the fact that her first semester in college got her over a 4.o and so far this semester it looks like that might be repeated. That is still while she suffers from neurally mediated hypotension, occasional migraines, ADHD, learning disability, and anxiety. So I can deal with this but just how to deal with the school is the issue. Well I await a response. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravelingChris Posted February 8, 2012 Author Share Posted February 8, 2012 Got a great response from the church school co-ordinator. No problem at all with me adjusting her schedule. She said even without medical issues, some of her kids took two years sometimes to complete one credit. She said it is the beauty of homeschooling and I agree. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tex-mex Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 BTDT (though with different mental issues). :grouphug::grouphug: The only advice I can offer right now is to just focus on her health as the number 1 priority. School work should be done as she is capable, but health is the most important thing. :iagree: The worst thing you can do is to push schooling and lead up to a crisis. I would take a break. Focus on her health. This is one of the luxuries of being a homeschooler -- you can tailor the schooling to the child's needs. Hang in there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teachin'Mine Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 Got a great response from the church school co-ordinator. No problem at all with me adjusting her schedule. She said even without medical issues, some of her kids took two years sometimes to complete one credit. She said it is the beauty of homeschooling and I agree. It's so good to hear that you got such a positive response! Might be a good time for some fun extracurricular activities or elective courses in art or whatever she might want to do just for fun. A trip to Michael's, or another art store, is great for inspiration! I hope you can both relax a bit and just concentrate on getting her healthy. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie in Ma Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 I have a depressed freshman. In my beliefs, it is a physical disease with heriditary causes so basically a disability. We are addressing the problem with doctors but it takes time for the right medication at the right dose. If I wasn't in a state with people looking over me, I wouldn't worry. This would be a hiccup where it may take a few months to get it right (hopefuly no longer) but then we would be good to go for the rest of high school. Now, I am supposed to be reporting grades to the church school. I don't want to give her grades in anything except classes she took with others. She hasn't managed a true semester's work yet this year although she is almost done with a number of credits from last year- when she basically started ninth grade early but because of other issues, decided to continue as a ninth grader this year. I had a glimpse of how she will be with proper medication at a proper dose and I have no doubts that once we get it right, she will work hard and do better. But now, she sleeps, can't concentrate, is totally unable to really work. Advice? We are in a very similar boat for 10th. I reported the work she had done with incompletes and a cover letter as to what was going on. I added that we expect to catch up over the summer and be on track for 11th. The ps was really kind about it, surprisingly so. I hope your daughter is on the right med dose and feels better soon. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam L in Mid Tenn Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 :grouphug::grouphug: My oldest was sick her entire senior year. I had to turn in grades too. We use an umbrealla probram. I met with the school headmaster and explained the situation. She suggested having 4 or 5 written things to "grade" per semester for the "grade" and using my judgement on determining the credit. The umbrella program accepts 150 hours worth of "work" as a credit. My dd watched documentaries and we discussed them. She checked a lot of books out of the library. She read, she looked a pictures, we discussed. I did not keep a strict record of the hours spent but could pretty well determine an average per week and we extrapolated from there. Was it a rigorous finish to our home school years? No. Did my dd "earn" the credits and graduate? Yes. And, she has completed 3 semesters successfully in college! (She is taking this semester off because she is not well again.) Learning and earning credits may look different while your child is ill. But it can be done! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.