January 19th 2000
As advised in our news item on 13th January, UK Meridian TV, ran a special report on thousands of Children who suffer from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder on their Tonight News Program on Friday 14th January 2000, at 6.00 p.m.
It did indeed include an interview with of adders.org and our ADHD son Richard. Also interviewed were Professor Peter Hill, and Zoe Law, the parent who contacted Meridian to bring attention to her plight in trying to get medication prescribed for her son.
It was a brief report but it did add further to raising awareness to the conditions and Caroline spoke mainly about the problems faced when children reach the age of 16 and technically leave paediatric care and move into adult services. A number of our local support group members have faced the problem of receiving medication up to age 16 whilst in paediatric care and then suddenly find it terminated and a new assessment needed to continue treatment under the Health Authority's adult provision. To add further to the problem, Ritalin is not licensed for adults in the UK, it can only be prescribed by a consultant using their own clinical judgement. This is why it is so difficult to receive a diagnosis of ADD or ADHD in adults under the NHS in this country. Caroline is fighting strongly for this issue which is being taken up by our Patron, Roger Gale MP.