shrink or no shrink is the Question

Scott, I dont know if you recall HS but the kids are ruthless. If your daughter has suffered a seizure during school or it the other kids are giving her a hard time about it, she may be becoming depressed. On the other hand if this has been a sudden change something may have happened to cause it. Either way you go try to sit down and talk to her about what is going on. (not the school work or any reprocutions for her not getting it done) talk to her about her friends and how the other kids at school are treating her. If she wont open up to you try a therpy before you jump to a physcoligist. Lorna

As the other person said, kids are ruthless in highschool - this is true. However, some questions for you. First, what meds is your daughter on? Some of them do impact focus and concentration. I'm 32, just started Keppra and it has forced me to put in O/T to get my job done some days. Second, when was your daughter diagnosed? It's one thing to deal with seizures since age 5 like me, it's another if this is all new to her, don't be so tough on her if it is all new to her? Third, what classes is she taking? Is she taking classes that you and your wife selected, or did she get some say in the matter? Personally, I suck in math, just about any science and I barely got buy in english (advanced level) - doesn't mean I didn't do well in sociology (my university major), economics, geography, history, and other subjects. Everyone has their strengths and weakenesses in school. Maybe your daughter just is really strugging with the core subjects. You and your wife are giving her a hard time, teachers are as well, and she feels like she'll never do any better. Perhaps if she's taking all the core stuff as "advanced" drop one down to general next time, or ask her what she likes to do and wants to take. Give her a class to excel in. My boyfriend and I both kinda suck in chemistry. Due to his interest in fitness & weight training though he is way better at bio. than me (naming bone structures, etc.). He's also way better at english than me because his hobby that he hopes to turn into a career is writing, he's published some short stories and working up. I'd say instead of a shrink, talk to your kid. Find out what she's interested in, find out what's really going on at school. Find out why it is so hard. Maybe consider a tutor, but more important, each semester give her a class she will enjoy, it makes the ones that suck a little more bearable. And listen to her, if she thinks she can only take general math, don't force advanced on her. Don't force chem. on a kid that hates it. School is about learning, but you have to at least enjoy the class your in a little to learn. Still remember getting screwed in university & the only 2 classes left that would work with my "requireds" were atmosphere & climate, or world religion. Went with world religon...2 weeks in I went, should've taken atmosphere. Barely passed world religon. No interest in it. Ironically enough, ended up taking atmosphere in my 4th year, just to fill in the blanks for my minor - did way better!! Good Luck. Erin