Q. Is methylphenidate addictive?

A. No. You only have to see how easily children stop and start treatment to realise that they are not addicted in any way. Indeed, the usual problem is getting children to take their medication.

Q. What about suggestions that children taking drugs for ADHD become zombies?

A. If a child loses their spark or personality on ADHD stimulant medication treatment they are receiving the wrong treatment. The medication is either unsuitable for them or they are receiving too high a dose for their needs.

Taken from Booklet: Expert Opinions in ADHD Issue 2 Assessment

Authors: Professor Peter Hill, Professor of Child Psychiatry, Great Ormond Street Hospital Jane Gilmour PhD DclinPsy, Lecturer in Clinical Psychology, Great Ormond Street Hospital, London Published by AC publications Ltd Dec 2002

Q. How long does an ADHD assessment take?

A. A complete assessment for ADHD by a child psychiatrist or paediatrician is likely to take about 1.5 hours or more and is quite likely to require more than one appointment if the school is to be contacted.

Q. Are GPs; the only people who can make referrals by assessment?

A. Most referrals for assessment are made by GPs in response to requests by parents, though teachers, educational psychologists or community paediatricians may set the ball rolling. A referral cannot normally take place without the knowledge and cooperation of the parents and the child.

Q. Will the child psychiatrist, paediatrician or child psychologist visit the child's school?

A. This is most likely if there is conflicting information from the parental and school reports. Such visits are an opportunity to see the child in class and in social situations. The child will be told about the visit but can choose whether or not to tell other pupils.

Q. Which questionnaires are recommended for ADHD assessment?

A. The revised Conners Rating Scales (CRS-R) are widely used for parent and teachers assessments as they are reliable and sensitive to changes in behaviour in response to treatment.

Q. Will the child be asked to complete a questionnaire as part of the assessment?

A. Children with attention problems find it hard to complete questionnaires, so assessment is carried out through verbal questioning and practical tests.

Q. Should children be tested for food intolerance?

A. Some children with ADHD may be sensitive to certain foods and many parents will report this accurately. Patch testing for food intolerance or hair analysis for mineral deficiencies are not advisable as results are inconclusive and may suggest such wide ranging dietary changes that they are impractical for the child and his family.

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