Programme on ADHD this evening

GrannyGravy13

I am definitely in the adjust the class environment and teaching methods to suit the child over medication.

I am amazed that educational experts have not realised that not all children are the same, and therefore are unable to learn in the same circumstances.

The national curriculum is far too rigid, at primary and senior levels.

Do you think that schools do not already do that?
I can only speak from having observed hundreds of lessons, but I can assure you that differentiation, individual learning plans and tailored support are paramount in supporting individual children.
Why would you deny medication to children with severe ADHD?

Severe ADHD is hell to live with and devastating to the people close to them. I have been constantly shouted and sworn at in shops, pubs and on public transport, people get out of the way. If ever he hit me I wouldn't get up again, m he is twice my size, its getting worse. So far so good, you get no help after 18. Its a
struggle

No they are not teaching that worried well. They are saying some children are trying to explore whether some children are being misdiagnosed. But very difficult to do that obviously when even the slightest attempt at discussion is met with accusations of ablism, etc.

Sorry should say 'they are trying to explore if some children are being misdiagnosed'

Special units attached to mainstream schools might help, with properly trained teachers and assistants.

As well as conditions that have been dismissed wrongly we have also seen many scenarios where allowing people to raise difficult issues without being called names would have put a halt to some harmful practices. I am not saying that the diagnosis is harmful or even the medication is harmful ( although as someone who has seen some of the dreadful impacts of various medication on people who aren't neorotypical I have some concerns) but that allowing people to discuss these issues might be beneficial for some children.

Galaxy

Sorry should say 'they are trying to explore if some children are being misdiagnosed'

Did you read the response from the Science Media centre on the previous page Galaxy? It is very interesting with evidence from real experts. I do not say for one moment that every child with ADD/ ADHD will need medication, but I cannot understand wanting to deny it to those who do. As a SENCO back in the 80s it was heartbreaking when you could not do more to help.

Mamie

GrannyGravy13

I am definitely in the adjust the class environment and teaching methods to suit the child over medication.

I am amazed that educational experts have not realised that not all children are the same, and therefore are unable to learn in the same circumstances.

The national curriculum is far too rigid, at primary and senior levels.

Do you think that schools do not already do that?
I can only speak from having observed hundreds of lessons, but I can assure you that differentiation, individual learning plans and tailored support are paramount in supporting individual children.
Why would you deny medication to children with severe ADHD?

Differentiation and individual learning plans etc. sit in the context of a system that is bound by SATs and OfSted criteria - and the whims of such as Gove that give us the fronted adverbials debacle.

The child is still in school trying to adapt to something that they (and I think many teachers) find very hard. There is a good case for asking why it is so hard and if changes might not be in order. The methods of education in our schools should not be exempt from scrutiny when looking at the increase in ADHD diagnoses.

No child with a known problem that is responsive to medication should be denied that, but it should be the last resort and environmental changes should be the first line. If these can solve or ease the problem then that should be the starting point.

I actually think there were some signs of 'conversation' in that response mamie, just the beginnings. I have both personal and professional experience of the outsourced online assessments, I will just speak on the personal level and say the one I was involved in was poor.
I will say that I dont know many schools these days ( I am in a lot of different schools) that dont ensure movement breaks, and a range of adaptions.

Luckygirl3

*I am amazed that educational experts have not realised that not all children are the same, and therefore are unable to learn in the same circumstances.*

Teachers know this - hence the frustration of so many who are tied into a rigid curriculum and forced to teach to the tests and inspections.

Totally agree, we were fortunate enough to use the private sector for some of our children.

I am involved with one of our local primary schools and they do their best to accommodate children’s needs, but sometimes a statement is the only way forward.

Luckygirl3

Mamie

GrannyGravy13

I am definitely in the adjust the class environment and teaching methods to suit the child over medication.

I am amazed that educational experts have not realised that not all children are the same, and therefore are unable to learn in the same circumstances.

The national curriculum is far too rigid, at primary and senior levels.

Do you think that schools do not already do that?
I can only speak from having observed hundreds of lessons, but I can assure you that differentiation, individual learning plans and tailored support are paramount in supporting individual children.
Why would you deny medication to children with severe ADHD?

Differentiation and individual learning plans etc. sit in the context of a system that is bound by SATs and OfSted criteria - and the whims of such as Gove that give us the fronted adverbials debacle.

The child is still in school trying to adapt to something that they (and I think many teachers) find very hard. There is a good case for asking why it is so hard and if changes might not be in order. The methods of education in our schools should not be exempt from scrutiny when looking at the increase in ADHD diagnoses.

No child with a known problem that is responsive to medication should be denied that, but it should be the last resort and environmental changes should be the first line. If these can solve or ease the problem then that should be the starting point.

Actually differentiation and learning plans go back to before Ofsted and SATs, though we did benefit from a lot of peripatetic specialist teachers back then.

I agree Luckygirl13 medication should be the last resort.

We have a GC on the spectrum, they stopped their meds as they made them feel zombie like.

Galaxy

Yes I am really concerned about it, there is just beginning to be information relating to this being disseminated to professionals, mostly around trauma. So children who have experienced trauma in their lives often present in ways which can easily be interpreted as adhd or autism. It is quite possible that for some of these children this is an incorrect diagnosis. Thanks for bringing it up luckygirl.

this is the same with adults that are diagnosed too
including with personality disorders - trauma and attachment issues aren't considered

Mamie

Galaxy

Sorry should say 'they are trying to explore if some children are being misdiagnosed'

Did you read the response from the Science Media centre on the previous page Galaxy? It is very interesting with evidence from real experts. I do not say for one moment that every child with ADD/ ADHD will need medication, but I cannot understand wanting to deny it to those who do. As a SENCO back in the 80s it was heartbreaking when you could not do more to help.

I think anybody who watched Channel 4's programme should read the response from the Science Media for balance.
By the time children are formally assessed, they have normally been struggling at school in behaviour, concentration or both, parents have been pointed to parent classes, all the normal strategies put in place and a history of parental concerns which have been dismissed by the education system and doctors until parents either need to pay for help or the powers that be get fed up with parental concerns.
I can go back several generations where there is obvious neurodiversity coupled with a complete failure of their educational days to teach them to read or write. The difference between them and today's kids is that parents are more aware so are pushing for help. Previous generations accepted their children would be punished for their failings and would cover up where they could. My Grandmother was 1 of 13 but most died before they had children so their genes disappeared. My grandparents had 8 children, most of those went on to marry similar people to themselves and most had 4 children. Those children have had their own children and now their parents are looking for answers. Put all my generation in a room with our children and grandchildren and it pretty obvious that so many of us are ND. With a strong genetic component and more awareness, it is hardly surprising there is an explosion of diagnoses.

Where can I watch this?

In the same way someone labelled as ADHD might show distinctive brain patterns. We choose to label these in a negative way because in the context of what we choose to value they are seen not to be assets.

That is not what the specialists think. They are very quick to point out the positives. Many people with ADHD are able to do many things at once or can think quickly in a changing environment. Their obsessive traits can make them experts, accomplished musicians, etc as they can focus single mindedly on things. It is the things the ADHD brain doesn't do well that makes up the negative side of things. Those are the things that medication assists with.

Desdemona

Where can I watch this?

Channel 4 catch up

It is the things the ADHD brain doesn't do well that makes up the negative side of things. Those are the things that medication assists with.

How does the medication selectively deal with the negatives whilst retaining the positives?

Luckygirl3

*It is the things the ADHD brain doesn't do well that makes up the negative side of things. Those are the things that medication assists with.*

How does the medication selectively deal with the negatives whilst retaining the positives?

The stimulants don't damp down the things you are good at but they do help with your brain where you need stimulation to do things you find harder. Somebody once described it to me as one of those snow globes. The snow globe when shaken has snow leaping about everywhere and doesn't settle. ADHD people have the sort of brain where their thoughts are everywhere. Neurotypical people have the type of snow that gets shaken but settles. The medication helps settle the swirling snow.
So a positive attribute of ADHDers is that they can be obsessive about a subject but can't necessarily put everything they know into a coherent narrative. Give them the medication and they are more easily able to do that because they don't lose the interest in the subject just because they are taking the medication. Bright non-achievers stand a chance of being bright achievers. It may be that in order to complete a task, having lots of thoughts going in all different directions means you don't do anything because you get overwhelmed but the medication quietens those thoughts so you can.
I was very anti being medicated but although stimulants make me feel tense and aggressive, I was much more productive. I am hoping the non-stimulants will have a similar effect but without the tension.

I have had a great interest in ADHD for many years as it runs through the males in my family. Call it what you want but the symptoms are very real and cause utter devastation for them and the whole family, it's heartbreaking.
Medication can help get them through school and exams but makes them feel horrible, zombiefied and unable to eat. Usually they refuse medication as they get older.
Physical exercise and lots of it does help.
The department of education needs to step up and put things in place for these children and young adults.
Unfortunately it can and does continue into adulthood with impulsivity and raging outbursts.
Very very sad.

I do not feel competent to comment on whether those who have ADHD should or should not be taking medication.

As a retired teacher, I can and will say, that many of the children, I suddenly was told had ADHD probably did not, others did of course.

BUT and this is a big but, both groups of children benefited greatly when my colleages and I took a couple of minutes to check that these children understood what they where supposed to be doing in class or for homework. It was no use just writing the homework up on the board - you had to make certain that the individual child had written it down in their notebook. Likewise, when telling the class en bloc to do such and such, please, you then had to say, "Annie, are you with me?"
No, she wasn't, as a collective direction just went over her head, but she knew perfectly well what to do, when I quietly drew her attention to what we were doing.

Teaching, irrespective of whether children or adults, you HAVE to make sure that everyone knows and understands what you are talking about, what they should be doing, all the time.

ADHD children need clear guide-lines, and once you have found what works with each of these children: stick to it - don't vary the wording, as this confuses the child.

I was a secretary to a Child Psychiatrist when ADHD was becoming a thing. He didn't accept it, refused to prescribe medication and believed that everyone has, to a greater or lesser degree, some aspects of ADHD, ADD, ASD and OCD, and always has had.

Hear hear ,we are medicalising normal behaviour, it’s a crime to use pharmaceutical coshes , on our children,
Has any one looked into the payments made via benefits for the diagnosis of ADHD ?

I did read, many years ago that the Americans had created new illnesses, in order to create drugs to deal with the problem. Berevement was one of them. Something that is so normal should not be treated with drugs in order to make money for the drug companies. So how do we know that ADHD, Autism ect are not man made illnesses in order to make money for the drug companies?. We are all different and e veryones brain works in it's own way, there is no one size fits all brain.

Autism is certainly not man made and there are no drugs for autism.