Will more Ritalin be prescribed soon?

Many parents do not want to give their child a Ritalin", says Liselotte Graf, President of the School Management Conference and teacher at the Dürrenast Primary School. "I can understand that very well." However, she points out that one or two hyperactive children were sufficient to disrupt lessons. "Several can paralyze the whole business," she says. One child in each class has ADHD, but the number of unreported cases is higher. "The clarification is difficult, because the disturbances can have also other causes."

Without Ritalin?

Karin Bernard, a small class teacher at Dürrenast Primary School, believes that hyperactive children can also manage without medication under certain circumstances. "You have to give them the necessary attention and structures", she says and adds: "It works better in small classes than in regular classes". The positive thing about children with ADHD disorders is that they are particularly creative and proactive. 2 They can also drive the class."

Child psychotherapist Christian Ziegler says: "Most of the time the question is not whether to give medication, but how." Ritalin has a creative limiting effect, which is sometimes desirable, so that children, for example, are no longer socially excluded. However, not everyone responds to Ritalin.

Not portable anymore

"Der Bund" and the "Tages-Anzeiger" recently made public that hyperactive children in Zurich were threatened with exclusion from school camps if they did not take Ritalin. The reason was that these children were more at risk of injury in camps.

"I'm not aware of such cases in Thun," says Liselotte Graf, "I couldn't stand this procedure." Neleane Kobus, a child psychiatrist, also confirms that such threats have not come to her attention. But: "It happens that hyperactive children are no longer portable in school."

Disposal for small class

Peter Schöni, headmaster of the primary schools Allmendingen, Dürrenast and Neufeld, confirms this: "We have some hyperactive pupils, mostly boys, whose behaviour leaves a lot to be desired. If the parents are reluctant to transfer their child to a small class or a special school after an expert opinion by a specialist authority, a hearing is held. Then there is a corresponding order with instructions on how to appeal. Parents can then appeal to the school inspectorate within thirty days," he explains. With the abolition of the small classes in summer, this problem will in all likelihood be alleviated.

Source: Thuner Tagblatt, from 06.05.2009

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