Sam Finds Acceptance
"Sam" (not his real name) is profoundly deaf and has been diagnosed with ADHD (Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder). He attends a school for the deaf where he has become fluent in American Sign Language (ASL).
During his first two years of elementary school, most of the kids preferred to keep their distance from Sam. Social interactions were difficult and he simply didn't understand how to make and keep friends. Sam would try to interact with the other children, but behaved aggressively. Lunchtime and playground time were the worst. Sam was typically overbearing, got into frequent scuffles, and was often labeled a "tattletale." Before long, his self-esteem began deteriorating along with his academic performance. Sam was frustrated and had no one to turn to at school or at home.
Sam's family never learned ASL and his mom and dad had difficulty providing the needed parental support due to communication difficulties. His basic needs were met through gestures and short notes, but in-depth talks never occurred. Making the situation worse, Sam's older brothers were often not sympathetic to Sam's struggles and often deceived and teased him. Sam's deafness made him an easy target because he could not readily report his brothers' behavior to his parents because of the communication barrier.
When he entered the third grade, Sam was referred to Volunteers of America of Minnesota Mental Health Clinics' Deaf and Hard of Hearing School-Based program. The program offers culturally and language specific mental health services for deaf children in a school-based setting. Sam's parents were not involved in his therapy because they were overwhelmed with work-related issues and marital problems. However, the Volunteers of America multidisciplinary mental health team actively collaborated with the teachers, administrators and staff at his school to effectively make a lasting positive difference in Sam's life.
Over the next 18 months, Volunteers of America's staff helped Sam with a combination of medication management (for ADHD) and cognitive-behavioral therapy techniques. Therapists, fluent in ASL, used role-playing to help Sam learn to be gentle, interact with others appropriately and build positive relationships. Additionally, they used play therapy to communicate with Sam and to help him learn to solve problems and change his negative behaviors. When words were not enough, the team used art therapy to help Sam share his insights and frustrations. The team discovered Sam had indisputable artistic talent and encouraged him to build on these abilities.
Now, almost eleven, Sam's self-confidence has improved greatly. He's happier, less frustrated and finally feels accepted. Sam has three friends at school - plus one best friend. His grades have improved and his teachers are thrilled. Sam participates in a variety of after-school activities including art and soccer.
If you asked Sam why he's happier now, he'd probably say, "I like having a best friend who I can talk to when things get tough. Plus, I'm getting more out of school and my teachers like me better."