[senco-forum] CAMHS and "uncooperative" parents

If a child had behavioural or emotional issues wouldn't a psychologist be

And of course 'medicating' our children into submission so they'll sit still
for 'teaching' is controversial. :-)

> If a child  had behavioural or emotional issues wouldn't a psychologist be
> more suitable  than a psychiatrist or do they provide those services too?

As you say, it's a neurological disorder.  Behaviour which is
biologically-based cannot be changed by counselling so a psychologist is
irrelevant (except for cause and effect eg depression and low self-esteem as
a result of being undermined by those who, as yet, know no better). Thus we
ask children with autism and ADD to be organised and have a good short term
memory (pick up a sheet of paper from the teacher's desk at the end of the
class) and expect them to do it - which is on a par to asking a blind child
to read out loud to the class from the whiteboard.

>Also why  cannot the UK develop its own labelling  critetia

The NHS uses the OCD-10 which is less 'famous' but leads the way for autism
at least.  http://www.who.int/classifications/icd/en/

There are also several home grown diagnostic tools in use here in the UK.
They are still being researched and improved but because there is no way of
'seeing' neurobiological disorders in clinical terms - you can't take an x
ray or a blood test - we only know these disorders via past and current
behaviour.  It's experience and, as Brendan has said, by living with it,
that you begin to recognise it from the behaviours.  Until we have enough
truly experienced people doing the diagnosing, we are at risk of over and
under diagnosis, particularly with the very high functioning child who
blends in and has learnt to hide his disabilities.

However, as many paediatricians and most parents are discomforted by the
concept of autism et al, there's much more 'under' diagnosis.  Not least
because of the implications for the wider family,as David point out.  When
parents reach the point when they start to say 'autism', it's definitely
time to listen!!!

On 26/03/07, David Bowles <bowles.d at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > "ADHD would surely not come under mental health problems under anyone's
> > definition?"
>
> Yes it does, after all ADHD is principally a neurobehavioral disorder.
> Also doctors who specialise in child mental health issues are usually
> best equipped to both diagnose and treat this disorder.
>
> By the way, any doctor who is doing their job properly will do far
> more than simply fill out a single checklist. Remember the DSM-IV
> criteria were principally designed for the purpose of delineating
> consistent cohorts of research subjects and it's proven to be far less
> useful as a diagnostic tool for use within clinical practice.
>
> > If a child  had behavioural or emotional issues wouldn't a psychologist
> be
> > more suitable  than a psychiatrist or do they provide those services
> too?
>
> There is one insurmountable problem with this reasoning: The principal
> treatment for ADHD is stimulant medication. Only problem is
> psychologists are not doctors and are therefore not permitted to
> prescribe any medications, let alone stimulants.
>
> Lets also look at this from another point of view: ADHD can so easily
> have devastating consequences for a child's mental wellbeing if this
> remains undiagnosed and untreated.
>
> David Bowles
>
>
>