Psychiatric Bulletin (2006) 30: 406-409. doi: 10.1192/pb.30.11.406
© 2006 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit an eLetter
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Right arrow Citing Articles via Scopus
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Foreman, D. M.
Right arrow Articles by Kapuge, R.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow Articles by Foreman, D. M.
Right arrow Articles by Kapuge, R.
Psychiatric Bulletin (2006) 30: 406-409
© 2006 The Royal College of Psychiatrists

Clinic assessment for methylphenidate maintenance therapy in secondary care: are parental questionnaires useful?

David M. Foreman, Consultant in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Skimped Hill Health Centre, Skimped Hill, Bracknell RG12 1LH, email: david_foreman{at}doctors.net.uk and Honorary Senior Lecturer, Maudsley Hospital, Institute of Psychiatry, London

Alexis Beedie

Harris Manchester College, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3TD

Ranjit Kapuge, Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist

Rattanapitiya, Borelasgamuwa, Sri Lanka

Declaration of interest

D.M.F. has received £20 000 from Lilly Pharmaceuticals to assess a nurse-led hyperactivity follow-up clinic.

AIMS AND METHOD

There is poorer control of hyperactivity symptoms in community clinics than research settings, and difficulty in detecting such symptoms without standardised measures. Hyperkinetic children (n=29) were evaluated at follow-up using the parental version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and, independently, routine clinic reports to test the value of a parental questionnaire.

RESULTS

The parental SDQ identified symptoms in more patients (25, 86% v. 13, 45%), but high levels of symptoms did not necessarily imply impairment. Even clinically identified hyperactivity provoked no change in treatment.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

Parental questionnaires alone are unlikely to improve clinic practice. Research is needed into what factors influence clinical decisions regarding treatment maintenance for hyperkinesis, and the adaptation of structured protocols from major research trials should be considered.