IDEA is the Individual with Disabilities Act, which was originally enacted by Congress in 1975 to make sure children with disabilities had the opportunity to  receive a free appropriate public education. There were new regulations in Dec. 2004 and the final regulations were published in August of 2006. They can be found on the ED.gov website.

Your child should have a complete medical examination by your pediatrician or family physician. You should also contact a professional that can conduct tests to evaluate your child's abilities and learning style to determine if the symptoms you are seeing might be the result of an undetected learning disability.

There is no single treatment for ADD/ADHD. The treatment plan must be individualized for each child. A comprehensive approach is the key to success. Medication is helpful for many individuals diagnosed with ADD/ADHD, but is best managed by a specialist in this area, such as a physician or child psychiatrist who has training and expertise in treating attention disorders. Proper medication therapy improves attention span, controls impulsivity, dampens restlessness, improves school performance, decreases aggression and enhances the quality of family life. Behavior modification techniques have also been effective, as have individual and family counseling. Whatever treatment a family chooses, it must be one which touches all aspects of the child's life -- his/her self-perception, school, and home life. Children with ADD/ADHD are particularly in need of support and encouragement. Since academics are frequently difficult for them, they must find other avenues to build self-esteem, such as sports, art, music or other special interests.

504 is a program available to children who do not qualify for special education but who may need assistance or accommodations. This includes children who have dyslexia. It is similar to an IEP in the following areas: evaluation, accommodations on standardized testing, and related services to assist in accessing regular education. It is different from an IEP in that there are no progress reports and there is limited discipline protection.

ARD stands for an Admission, Review, and Dismissal meeting. An ARD meeting is called either by the school or parent at any time. However, an annual meeting must be held to discuss the IEP (Individual Education Plan). An ARD meeting must be held after an FIE (Full Individual Evaluation) is done to discuss whether a student qualifies for Special Education services.