[senco-forum] ADHD

Aly /Janice et al. Janice stated that a 'psychiatrist' not an EP made the diagnosis. You are correct that ADHD can only be diagnosed by a clinician as it is a medical, not an educational, condition (albeit it can be included as requiring educational provision in a statement). But, as a psychiatrist is a clinician and will have completed full medical training before specialising in psychiatry, is qualified to make this diagnosis.

I'm aware that Ritolin has been prescribed for ADHD for over a decade in the UK, and for longer in the US. It is a stimulant,as I understand, and designed to increase concentration. The traditional dosage of tablets provides very short-term effects and requires careful dispensing during the school day. Teacher representative org,s have advised against teachers dispensing this type of drug -- so a nurse would be required to do so.
However, a slow release version has been developed to avoid the need for dispensing during the school day. 

I'm being very careful here not to comment on efficacy of this drug and similar derivitaves, or the morals of stimulant drug administration to children for legal reasons -- I would never intervene in decisions about a clinical diagnosis or prescribed form of treatment by aqualified medic.

I would strongly advise that a professional on the staff of a child's school not to become involved in advisig about matters as advised by a GP or a medical professional whom the child has been referred to. I guess this child is under the wing of the local CAHMS team. My advise is to leave it to the child's GP /CAHMS team and the parents. Brendan King. 

-----Original Message-----
From: Olanys at aol.com
To: senco-forum at lists.becta.org.uk
Sent: Thu, 22 Feb 2007 9.49PM
Subject: Re: [senco-forum] ADHD

Has this lad had a full statutory assessment or just  an ADHD checklist and 
brief observation? Attention difficulties may have a  myriad of causes, many of 
which are invisible diusabilites. As there at  least 50 conditions that can 
be misdiagnosed as ADHD, including APD and  giftedness - being bright and bored 
makes a child fidgety, as does the need for  some children with sensory 
processing/integration problems to move when working  or processing (like my 
son). 
Unfortunately neither is seen to be acceptable  in a classroom. Also dietary 
allergies and additive intolerances can have  similar effects. My son used to 
become manic if he had eated strawbwerry  flavoured sweets the dabgers are well 
known about sunset yellow colouring and  caffeine etc.

I would be very wary to agree to medicate unless as a last resort, as  
prescribing Class A stimulants to children has to be done with the utmost  
caution 
and I have worked with some severely affected children for whom it was  not 
only necessary but a godsend, but these are few. 

In many cases compliance is the only benefit and in others the side effects  
(and additional medication/s to counter the side effects such as sleep  
disorders) can be very unpleasant. Some adults I know have found that  
medication 
even takes away their ability to concentrate, their focus, while  making them 
"calm"...they would rather be the way they are, if a little  "wired" and 
intense. But there are different types and if the right dosage is  found it can 
benefit some people.

And as far as  i know medication can only be legitimately suggested by a 
physician not an  EP that presumably saw this child for an hour or two...albeit 
therre are those  like the Community Physician who wrote in my son's case notes 
that he had ADHD  when this was never even considered by anyone else and 
laughed off by his  paediatric consultant.... 

Not a  decision to be taken lightly and without exploring all other avenues 
first, in  my humble opinion.

Best wishes,
Aly

Chair Auditory Processing Disorder in  the UK/APDUK
www.lacewingmultimedia.com/APD.htm 
www.apduk.org