A new beginning for University’s CACTUS clinic

A pioneering clinic that will help children who have been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is to be relaunched at the University of Teesside on Friday 28 February at 1pm. The relaunch of the CACTUS (Clinical and Counselling Treatment Units) clinic will take place at the Learning Resource Centre Boardroom, Fourth Floor, Learning Resource Centre, Southfield Road, Middlesbrough.

Professor Steve Baldwin, who was killed in the Selby train crash of February 2001, originally opened the CACTUS clinic at the University three years ago. Professor Baldwin set up the clinic specifically to provide alternative treatments to the amphetamine drug Ritalin, which has been prescribed to some children diagnosed with ADD or ADHD. At the time CACTUS was the only clinic of its kind in the UK, and was featured, along with Professor Baldwin, in a BBC One Panorama programme in 2000 about the prescription of Ritalin in the USA and UK.

A variety of techniques were used in the clinic as an alternative to Ritalin, including counselling, family therapy and psychotherapy. Now the clinic is to be re-opened and headed by Dr Dave Woodhouse, former Head of the Psychology section in the School of Social Sciences & Law, and Rebecca Anderson, one of Professor Baldwin's former students. The Clinic has been set up with an endowment from Professor Baldwin's family. In addition to its original approaches the Clinic also provides a nutritional assessment programme followed up by dietary advice.

Rebecca, 25, is originally from Tattershall, Lincolnshire. She graduated from the University of Teesside in 2000 with a BSc (Hons) degree in Psychology. Rebecca followed this with a post-graduate Diploma in Counselling Psychology, and is now studying towards a Doctoral programme in Counselling Psychology. Eventually she wants to work as a Chartered Counselling Psychologist, specialising in work with children.

Rebecca said: "I first met Steve when he lectured on the second year of my degree, he was a good lecturer, and quite unconventional, for example he screened episodes of The Simpsons to illustrate a point. Steve very much inspired me to work with children diagnosed with ADHD. In 2001, Department of Health statistics showed 208,000 prescriptions for Ritalin in the UK and another 70,000 prescriptions for Adderall and Dexedrine, other treatments for ADHD. This compares with 2000 Ritalin prescriptions in 1992."

Rebecca has had two journal articles published about the prescription of Ritalin, in both the Journal of Critical Public Health and the Journal of Substance Misuse. She will be working as part of a team, helping children aged three to 15. Two external nutrition experts, Peter Bennett and Angela Beacroft, will advise parents and their children about diet, to see it this affects behaviour. Rebecca and Carol Pickles will separately counsel children and their families. Each child can receive between six to 12 sessions.

Rebecca said: "Our policy is not to be anti-Ritalin, but to inform the children and their families about the drug so they can make choices. The counselling will be one-to-one, and may involve play therapy or looking at family roles. Families can also be involved if they wish. Through the counselling we hope that the children will take charge of their behaviour, we want to understand and empower them so they know right from wrong. It's all part of a team approach, working with families, teachers and Doctors."

The relaunch has been deliberately scheduled for the second anniversary of Professor Baldwin's death. Rebecca added: "I've always wanted to work with children, they're the adults of tomorrow. Although it's nearly two years since Steve died, the re-opening of CACTUS is very much a new beginning."

The CACTUS clinic is based in the University's School of Social Sciences & Law in the Clarendon building and has already received referrals from health trusts and schools. It will be open on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9am to 4pm. For more information contact Dr Dave Woodhouse, CACTUS Director on 01642 342336, e-mail d.woodhouse@tees.ac.uk, or Rebecca Anderson on 01642 384433, e-mail r.anderson@tees.ac.uk

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