The clinic that changed Sam into an angel

WHEN the Selby rail disaster claimed the life of Professor Steve Baldwin three years ago, it seemed that his dream of helping hyper-active children without using drugs was over.

His cruel and premature death in the tangled wreckage of a London-bound express train appeared to have cut short an experiment which was attracting considerable national attention.

Prof Baldwin was convinced that there was a better way to help children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) than giving them powerful amphetamine-based drugs like Ritalin.

Supporters of Ritalin argue that it is a safe and effective way to manage child hyperactivity but there is growing unease about the use of the drug.

Prof Baldwin's pioneering efforts led to the opening of the CACTUS (Clinical and Counselling Treatment Units) Clinic at Teesside University which offered a mixture of specialist nutritional management and counselling.

News of the clinic hit a nerve with many parents struggling to find a drug-free alternative treatment for their disruptive children and Prof Baldwin was soon inundated with inquiries from families all over the country.

Interest in his work was so high that Prof Baldwin was featured on a BBC Panorama television programme in 2000 about the use of Ritalin to treat childhood behavioural problems.

Prof Baldwin's colleagues at Teesside University were deeply shocked by his sudden death but their determination to carry on his work, combined with financial help from the professor's family, led to the triumphant re-opening of the clinic in February last year.

Headed by Dr David Woodhouse, a former head of psychology at Teesside and Rebecca Anderson, a former student of Prof Baldwin, the clinic has carried on the work begun by its founder. But despite continuing success in helping children find an alternative to Ritalin - some children have made "dramatic" improvements, virtually all have seen some improvement in their condition - the clinic is facing an uncertain future. The main problem is the lack of NHS funding, which the clinic's director Dr Woodhouse openly acknowledges.

"So far we have had not success at all in terms of getting NHS funding from any of the primary care trusts," say Dr Woodhouse. "There is plenty of research that says it works but they don't appear to accept that."

The clinic is surviving on a mixture of payments from families, a small amount of research money and a limited endowment from Prof Baldwin's family.

"We have funding for another year, thanks to the endowment, but when that runs out we do have real problems," he says. "Our research money is almost gone. All we can see now are people who are prepared to pay."

His frustration is compounded by the knowledge that a couple of hundred miles north a sister clinic in Edinburgh, run by a charity called Overload Network, is receiving funding from the Scottish NHS, now quite separate from the English NHS.

The Overload Network approach concentrates on improving nutrition while the CACTUS clinic offers dietary advice and a unique counselling service which concentrates on giving parents the behavioural tools to manage a difficult child.

Attitudes to NHS referrals north of the border changed about nine months ago after the charity lobbied the Scottish Executive. Currently, Overload has just under 100 children undergoing treatment and director Janice Hill says she has already had inquiries from south of the border. "Parents in England should go back to their GP and their MP and ask them to look at the case for referral," she says.

One recent convert to the CACTUS approach is Michelle Morton, from Stokesley, North Yorkshire. Her son Sam, now 11, was diagnosed with ADHD some years ago but she was always unhappy at him being given prescribed Ritalin. "I am a big fan of the CACTUS clinic, but I can't believe all the unhappiness we have had to go through to get to where we are now," she says.

It became clear that all was not well with Sam when he was a toddler.

"We noticed he was different to other kids, more active and more aggressive. He also found it difficult to maintain friendships," says Michelle.

Someone suggested she try the CACTUS clinic and even though she had to go private, she was very impressed with the results.

An initial assessment with Dr Woodhouse followed by an analysis by clinical nutritionist Angela Beecroft discovered that Sam reacted badly to milk, wheat and a variety of E number additives. He also turned out to have abnormally high levels of toxins, including heavy metals, which are known to affect child development.

Sam was also disglycaemic, a condition which means that he has to eat small amounts every two hours to balance his blood sugars, including fibre, seeds and protein to balance anything sweet.

Sam was also gradually taken off Ritalin. "He has been much better. We saw a real difference at home over the Christmas holidays. He is a little angel and I never though I'd say that," laughs Michelle.

Angela Beecroft, a self-employed clinical nutritionist who sees children at the CACTUS clinic, is a former health visitor in Darlington. "With the growing obesity problem that we have, the diet children eat and the fact that we have more and more children with behavioural problems, I made the connection between food, behaviour and health," she says.

"Many children eat food that contains virtually no nutrients but lots of calories. We even have substances known as antinutrients, like additives, preservatives and trans-fats, which actually stop the essential nutrients in our food being absorbed properly."

In most cases Angela recommends that the parent should try to reduce sugar intake and take out fast foods and fizzy drinks from the diet. Toxins are also removed.

"We basically try to change the biochemistry of the child by using food and sometimes supplements containing things like zinc and magnesium to improve the way messages in the brain are transmitted," she explains.

Even though sweets are removed from the diet, children are introduced to the pleasures of fruit smoothies, made from raspberries and strawberries.

Essential fats known as Omega 3 and Omega 6, which are essential for the development of the growing brain, are also an important part of the prescribed diet, added to porridge, soups and even fruit drinks.

The Care Givers Programme is the other component of the CACTUS clinic. Carol Pickles is one of two counsellors who see families at the clinic, the other is Rebecca Anderson.

The behavioural programme aims to reinforce and reward positive behaviour and suppress inappropriate behaviour.

"If you go around the supermarket and your little boy has not pestered you for sweets, you should say well done" says Carol. "Children look for attention and if they are getting rewarded in this way, rather than with material things, they respond to that. All children want to do well."

Inappropriate behaviour, such as verbally abusing a parent or family member, is dealt with by a time-out procedure.

"They would be sent to quiet room - not their bedroom because there are too many pleasurable things they can do - and told to sit down on a chair for a period of time, a couple of minutes for younger children, a few more for older children. Then you ask the child why they were there."

Over three to six months, this usually helps to transform a child's behaviour, says Carol.

Since its relaunch last February only 38 children have been through the CACTUS clinic, but Dr Woodhouse says many more would have benefited if NHS funding had been available.

"These are people who don' t believe medication is helping their child. They believe this is the alternative and they want to try it," he says.

Before the money runs out Dr Woodhouse is hoping to produce more evidence of the scheme's success. "We know it works," he says.

* For details of how to contact Angela Beecroft call (01748) 829 860