Galway Advertiser 2004/2004_01_15/GA_1501_E1_005.pdf 

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January 15 2004

Galway Advertiser

N E W S 5

Plans to close Galway ADD centre a `crying shame'
BY MARY O'CONNOR A leading national campaigner for children with attention deficit disorder has hit out at plans to close down a specialist centre catering for their needs in Galway. Claregalway woman Rose Kavanagh, who is the chairperson of the Irish National Council for Attention Deficit Disorder support groups, says it is a "crying shame" that the facility which was set up as a pilot project three years ago by the Western Health Board and is based at the Child Guidance Department at UCHG is to go next month due to lack of funding. She says she was shocked when she learned of the decision recently. "A multi-disciplinary team, including psychologists, psychiatrists and nurses, was based in this unit and offered a series of services, such as assessment, to children with ADD. "These included a weekly clinic, parenting courses especially geared to the needs of these children and social skills for the children themselves. "Closing this centre, which was one of the first in the country, is a retrogade step and will be a huge loss to both parents and children in the west." Kavanagh, who has two grown up children with ADD, says up to five per cent of children aged five to 15 years have the condition. It is characterised by problems with attention, impulse control and hyperactivity. These can lead to difficulties in finishing tasks, not listening, being easily distracted, having concentration problems and being fidgety at home, school or play. As well as their core problems, children with ADD have difficulties in other areas, including learning, misconduct at school, stubbornness, frequent tantrums, and low frustration tolerance. She says due to heightened awareness about the condition more and more children are coming forward to be diagnosed. "The health service should be putting money into developing more facilities rather than cutting them back. It was wonderful to see a service like this in Galway, now it is going to close." Early diagnosis and treatment of ADD is the key to helping sufferers maximise their potential, she says. "ADD is a lifelong problem, it does not go away. Had one of my sons got the help he needed in earlier years he would be better able to cope. He would not be denied an education. He was expelled from four schools because they could not cope with his behaviour." She is urging concerned parents to lobby their local TDs in a bid to save this vital service. "We must fight for it, it's a crying shame to let it go. The condition is being recognised more and more, teachers are more aware. In the past, they thought these children were bold because they could not behave in school." At the time of going to press, there was noone available at the WHB to comment on the plans to close the ADD centre.

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