Complaint to BMA about misleading adhd info in their book
Mar 8, 2014 1:36:42 GMT
petra and purplepower like this
Post by JJ on Mar 8, 2014 1:36:42 GMT
In January, I wrote the post below on a thread called Nobody takes my diagnosis seriously. I then did send an email to the BMA (posted below this) and have just received their response along with that of the author of the book.
As you'll see, it's a completely rubbish response from the know-nothing author and a shoddy response from the BMA in that they've clearly not looked into it at all. So I've just mailed the BMA back (which again, is also on here).
I'm posting this firstly of course as an update but also to ask if anyone is able to help as my workload is such at the moment, I know in reality, it will be forever before I will get to doing all the things I'd ideally like done about this.
If I wasn't overloaded and didn't have adhd, I would contact Professor Colin Terrell to complain and to tell him that his idea of adhd is grossly flawed and his writing is harmful
-and I'd contact the University of Gloucester (where he's a professor of psychology) to make a complaint.
Colin Terrell - University of Gloucester
You can see from his pen picture that he is influential in shaping adhd understanding to many people - 40,000 members of the general public, teachers, GPs and so on with this book (as he says in his letter) but also sencos and other professionals dealing with ADHD in his practice.
You'll also see from his response to my complaint that the book is due to be reprinted soon
I'd also contact the British Psychological Society as they confer his 'Chartered Educational Psychologist' title.
If anyone is feeling so inclined and able, it wouldn't hurt to send an email to the BMA Board of Professional Activities...
Or to the book's publisher Family Doctor Books - contact us - who I wrote to at the time btw and they didn't even acknowledge me.... (That letter's on the original thread)
Or write a review of the book on Amazon - the first section of the book can be seen on 'look inside' - or 'like' the reviews that say it's factually flawed.
Here's the post and replies then - bear with me if anyone's reading this straight away, I'll need to edit a few times while I add the complaint and replies:
Initial post then:
As you'll see, it's a completely rubbish response from the know-nothing author and a shoddy response from the BMA in that they've clearly not looked into it at all. So I've just mailed the BMA back (which again, is also on here).
I'm posting this firstly of course as an update but also to ask if anyone is able to help as my workload is such at the moment, I know in reality, it will be forever before I will get to doing all the things I'd ideally like done about this.
If I wasn't overloaded and didn't have adhd, I would contact Professor Colin Terrell to complain and to tell him that his idea of adhd is grossly flawed and his writing is harmful
-and I'd contact the University of Gloucester (where he's a professor of psychology) to make a complaint.
Colin Terrell - University of Gloucester
You can see from his pen picture that he is influential in shaping adhd understanding to many people - 40,000 members of the general public, teachers, GPs and so on with this book (as he says in his letter) but also sencos and other professionals dealing with ADHD in his practice.
You'll also see from his response to my complaint that the book is due to be reprinted soon
I'd also contact the British Psychological Society as they confer his 'Chartered Educational Psychologist' title.
If anyone is feeling so inclined and able, it wouldn't hurt to send an email to the BMA Board of Professional Activities...
Or to the book's publisher Family Doctor Books - contact us - who I wrote to at the time btw and they didn't even acknowledge me.... (That letter's on the original thread)
Or write a review of the book on Amazon - the first section of the book can be seen on 'look inside' - or 'like' the reviews that say it's factually flawed.
Here's the post and replies then - bear with me if anyone's reading this straight away, I'll need to edit a few times while I add the complaint and replies:
Initial post then:
I was waiting for my prescription today and went to the 'Understanding....' Family Doctor Series book stand that they have in practically every pharmacy I've been in - they have loads of little books about different conditions. So I picked up this one
I'm unable to make my picture bigger, so just to make sure you can see, that blue banner across the top says
And of course it's 'The Family Doctor Series', in a pharmacy, and this one's written by 'Professor Colin Terrell and Dr Terri Passenger'
So it must be good then...
You can judge for yourself - the book.
That's it....
.....So automatically, the parent looking for answers or help for their unknown adhd PI child doesn't think this book is for them.
.....Neither does the disbelieving family member / friend, whose attention is caught by the title cos their lazy sister / brother / friend etc told them the other day they had adhd...
2). It then says:
So, this definitely isn't for the inattentive child, certainly not the inattentive adult...
3). Then, any concerns are finally dispelled because:
So even if it is adhd, it won't be a problem in adulthood - not even for the hyperactive....
Phew
Presumably those who don't keep their behaviours in check just have the lazy gene...
Or are in prison so don't matter....
Or drug addicts / alcoholics (see above)
4). Then there's a case study of 'John' - who would definitely meet the ICD-10 criteria for hyperkinetic disorder...
John's teacher told his mum about adhd, she took him to the doctor, he was immediately referred, and diagnosed by a specialist 6 weeks later.
The specialist gave mum some advice and sent someone to the school to advise the teachers.....
Mum says, " From that point whatever they did in school to handle John when he got excited we also did at home".
Bosh bash bosh, all sorted, and the story ends with 'even though it wasn't easy', 7 years later, John got all his GCSEs and is on course to take a teaching degree.
Hurray . All's well that ends well
5). It goes on to the next section: What is it like to have ADHD?" And the first (of only 4) headings says:
6). It then has a screening questionnaire for parents (with only hyperactive and impulsive symptoms)
(And the whole,book refers to 'him' and 'he' - even in this screen)
BUT
it's not that they're deliberately only focussing on childhood ADHD PH - because they say
(And for those that don't know, those figures are for all 3 types of ADHD, not just primarily hyperactive - ICD-10 hyperkinetic disorder affects 1-2%)
7). And the main thing I can remember from the rest of it (past where you can get an excerpt online) is a disproportionately large section on making it all better by looking at the child's diet.
An opening paragraph (from memory) said 'even though there's no conclusive evidence, there are many media case studies that suggest adhd can be treated by changing your child's diet.'
What's a 'media case study' other than a Daily Mail article or Katie Hopkins spouting off on the Huffington Post...
An entire section written on this basis alone...
8). I didn't get as far as the ASD section... But was fully expecting to read a reference to Rain Man in their 'Symptoms Checklist'....
And that, my friends, is one of the reasons no one takes this seriously and why it's all so bloody hard .....
I have been on the BMA website, and various of those for Prof and Dr Ignorant.....
At some stage I'm going to write to them.
I'm unable to make my picture bigger, so just to make sure you can see, that blue banner across the top says
Published in association with
The British Medical Association BMA
The British Medical Association BMA
And of course it's 'The Family Doctor Series', in a pharmacy, and this one's written by 'Professor Colin Terrell and Dr Terri Passenger'
So it must be good then...
You can judge for yourself - the book.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
Children with this condition have difficulty focusing their attention on an activity even for short periods, and often become overexcited and seemingly unable to control themselves.
Children with this condition have difficulty focusing their attention on an activity even for short periods, and often become overexcited and seemingly unable to control themselves.
That's it....
.....So automatically, the parent looking for answers or help for their unknown adhd PI child doesn't think this book is for them.
.....Neither does the disbelieving family member / friend, whose attention is caught by the title cos their lazy sister / brother / friend etc told them the other day they had adhd...
2). It then says:
There are a number of definitions but the following characteristics, generally accepted as the most common, are acknowledged in most definitions.
Children with ADHD are always ‘on the go’; they:
- often talk incessantly
- frequently blurt out inappropriate comments
- often act impulsively
- rarely pause to think before they act
- sometimes endanger themselves by taking unnecessary risks.
Children with ADHD are always ‘on the go’; they:
- often talk incessantly
- frequently blurt out inappropriate comments
- often act impulsively
- rarely pause to think before they act
- sometimes endanger themselves by taking unnecessary risks.
3). Then, any concerns are finally dispelled because:
The behaviours associated with ADHD become apparent during early childhood, before the age of five years.
ADHD is considered a lifelong condition but autobiographies of adults who were diagnosed with ADHD in childhood tend to agree that, although the ‘symptoms’ never go away, increasing maturity enables the individual to develop effective strategies that keep the behaviours in check.
ADHD is considered a lifelong condition but autobiographies of adults who were diagnosed with ADHD in childhood tend to agree that, although the ‘symptoms’ never go away, increasing maturity enables the individual to develop effective strategies that keep the behaviours in check.
So even if it is adhd, it won't be a problem in adulthood - not even for the hyperactive....
Phew
Presumably those who don't keep their behaviours in check just have the lazy gene...
Or are in prison so don't matter....
Or drug addicts / alcoholics (see above)
4). Then there's a case study of 'John' - who would definitely meet the ICD-10 criteria for hyperkinetic disorder...
John's teacher told his mum about adhd, she took him to the doctor, he was immediately referred, and diagnosed by a specialist 6 weeks later.
The specialist gave mum some advice and sent someone to the school to advise the teachers.....
Mum says, " From that point whatever they did in school to handle John when he got excited we also did at home".
Bosh bash bosh, all sorted, and the story ends with 'even though it wasn't easy', 7 years later, John got all his GCSEs and is on course to take a teaching degree.
Hurray . All's well that ends well
5). It goes on to the next section: What is it like to have ADHD?" And the first (of only 4) headings says:
Overexcitement
Activities that, for other children, have relatively low levels of excitement are likely to overexcite a child with ADHD.
Activities that, for other children, have relatively low levels of excitement are likely to overexcite a child with ADHD.
6). It then has a screening questionnaire for parents (with only hyperactive and impulsive symptoms)
(And the whole,book refers to 'him' and 'he' - even in this screen)
BUT
it's not that they're deliberately only focussing on childhood ADHD PH - because they say
The most recent NICE guidelines estimated that ADHD affects about three to nine per cent of school-age children and young people in the UK, and about two per cent of adults worldwide.
(And for those that don't know, those figures are for all 3 types of ADHD, not just primarily hyperactive - ICD-10 hyperkinetic disorder affects 1-2%)
7). And the main thing I can remember from the rest of it (past where you can get an excerpt online) is a disproportionately large section on making it all better by looking at the child's diet.
An opening paragraph (from memory) said 'even though there's no conclusive evidence, there are many media case studies that suggest adhd can be treated by changing your child's diet.'
What's a 'media case study' other than a Daily Mail article or Katie Hopkins spouting off on the Huffington Post...
An entire section written on this basis alone...
8). I didn't get as far as the ASD section... But was fully expecting to read a reference to Rain Man in their 'Symptoms Checklist'....
And that, my friends, is one of the reasons no one takes this seriously and why it's all so bloody hard .....
I have been on the BMA website, and various of those for Prof and Dr Ignorant.....
At some stage I'm going to write to them.