ADD/ADHD/Autistic Spectrum  - Services

If you are reading this, the chances are that you either know firsthand of the problems associated with ADHD/ADD or the Autistic Spectrum, or you know someone affected.

Or you may know someone who has "slipped through the net" because their symptoms aren't yet severe enough, and perhaps their symptoms overlap with several conditions.

With a diagnosis or not, even if parents have been lucky enough to have managed to get suitable educational provision in place for their child, they may be concerned about the future, perhaps seeing a time when they won't be able to continue their caring role. Or a parent may suddenly be finding that now that their child has reached young adulthood and they no longer have access to the education system, that their child is left at a crossroads with no path to take. Alternatively the young adult may now be looking for support, but would appreciate a family member's help in exploring untried options.

There is a lot of information available, from the very technical medical literature, to the books giving personal experiences, and everything in between. But the bottom line is that everyone's case is unique, and a personal account is just that - personal. There is a danger of unrealistic expectations, or unnecessary doom and gloom, unless the information fits the framework of another child or young adult's life.

Parents and carers.

Parents and carers are often left exhausted by either dealing with the education system, or the general day to day caring role. Many also have livings to earn, and other family members to consider. Yet, given the right information, they are the best asset to any ongoing provision. The earlier they are given the support the better, but late is better than not at all.

Think of it like peeling the layers of an onion - the older a child is, the more layers need to be peeled back, and the longer it may take. But by giving support to a parent or carer alongside support for the child or young adult, the situation can change dramatically.

Complementary therapy has a lot to offer, but meeting a succession of different therapists in different settings can be a cause of anxiety to a child or young adult, and may also prove expensive and time consuming to carers as they try out different options. However, with the right support and information that is directly relevant to their own family's circumstances, the parent or carer can be given the tools to deliver some services (such as simple massage) direct to the child or young adult. For those services where this is not appropriate, strategies can be implemented with a view to the chosen service being accessed further down the line when a few simpler layers of the onion have been peeled back.

Whether the support needed is nutritional advice, or what environmental toxins are implicated in ongoing day to day problems, or stress management techniques, the parent or carer is key to implementing any strategies, often for a family as a whole, rather than singling out an individual member.

What do we offer?

As our service relies on the parent or carer's participation, our procedure is for a practitioner to meet with the parent or carer without the child or young adult being present, to exchange information. The parent or carer can then make an informed decision about whether our service is what they are looking for, and we can also decide whether what we offer is appropriate.

A very informal meeting with either a child present, or directly with a young adult follows. Preliminary strategies are offered, and an appointment made for the carer to have a separate carer's assessment, where their own health issues are reviewed.
Based on this, services to support the family are arranged. This will be related to the carer's indirect needs as well as the child or young adult. The carer can be offered support and information to introduce strategies to the home environment, and direct services to the child or young adult arranged. In the event that the child or young adult is not able to access the services directly, a carer can be taught the basics of a therapy (such as head massage, or foot massage), so that they can deliver a stress management programme in an environment that the child or young adult feels safe in, and that takes into account individual sensory needs.

If you are affected by any of the conditions, a structured, holistic, multi disciplinary approach may be of benefit. For further information or to book an appointment please contact Sue Pash via her linked practitioner page.