LONG TERM RISKS OF STIMULANT MEDICATION - THE RAINE STUDY (W.AUSTRALIA)

Conclusions of Study.

Taking stimulants in childhood can cause long term harm e.g. cardiovascular conditions and later stimulant dependancy.

 
The strength of the current study lies in its ability to provide a unique long-term view of a wide range of outcomes and their associations with the use of stimulant medication in the treatment of ADHD. Whilst limitations of the study prevent any strong causal relationships from being identified, some interesting results were observed that indicate rigorous research into the area is strongly warranted.

What side effects are reported?

 

• The lack of significant improvements in long-term social, emotional and academic functioning associated with the use of stimulant medication suggests a purpose-designed, longitudinal research study should be conducted to better understand the suspected long-term social, emotional and educational benefits of stimulant medication in the treatment of ADHD.
 
• The results also indicated that between the age of 8 and 14 years there may be an effect of stimulant medication on diastolic blood pressure above and beyond the well-established immediate short-term effects on cardiovascular function. The finding that consistent use of medication was associated with an average elevation 10mmHg at 14-years of age indicates that the long-term cardiovascular implications of stimulant
medication-use need to take a high priority when determining directions for future research.

Stimulants can cause long-term damage to blood pressure and can cause heart failure.Mathew Smith below died after taking methylphenidate for six months from heart failure. 
51 deaths reported in one year in the U.S. and 5 in one year in the U.K.

Once a child has become acclimatised to taking a tablet to deal with a problem, what will they be likely to do when then come across a problem later in life? A sentiment supported by Baroness Susan Greenfield of the Royal Society. 

https://www.youtube.com/user/Humanagement2015 
For more information and BBC Radio discussions.

NHS - SHYNESS AN ILLNESS? - THE NHS WATCHDOG TO REVIEW MEDICATIONS IN U.K.+ PROFESSOR CHRISTOPHER LANE.

https://www.youtube.com/user/Humanagement2015 
For more information and BBC radio discussions.                       

Medicine for shyness: Should NHS give patients anti-depressants to help them talk to strangers?
Is this a socially constructed problem rather than a significant problem in reality.Some of us have always been shyer than others.

BEST SELLER - PROF. CHRISTOPHER LANE CHALLENGES SPREAD OF PRESCRIBING DRUGS.
-"How shyness became a disease!"


U.S. medical journal of A.M.A. coins term, "Disease mongering," for push by drug companies to categorise 'Shyness' as mental health condition using the DSM criteria.
                                    
DSM5 WILL EXPAND MENTAL HEALTH DIAGNOSIS AND SUBSEQUENT MEDICATION EXPONENTIALLY TO GENERATE PROFITS FOR THE PSYCHIATRIC COMPLEX.

The BPS says giving 'quick fix' drugs for conditions like shyness is wrong. 
,

By David Derbyshire - Mail on Line.
Last updated at 9:48 AM on 18th April 2011


Health watchdog N.I.C.E. is to investigate whether anti-depressants shou.ld be given to those suffering acute shyness.

Health watchdog Nice is to investigate whether anti-depressants should be given to those suffering acute shyness

The NHS drugs rationing body is to investigate whether anti-depressants should be given to those suffering from acute shyness, it emerged yesterday.

The Department of Health has ordered a review into treatments available for ‘social anxiety disorder’ – a condition that leaves sufferers terrified at the prospect of public speaking, talking to strangers or even going to parties.

In extreme cases, victims suffer panic attacks, blushing and sweats in any social situation.

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, which is heading the review, claims that one in eight will suffer from the disorder during their lifetime.

The body has previously come under fire for advising health authorities that they should not fund drugs for a range of patients including those suffering from the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease.

The growing use of drugs to treat extreme shyness has alarmed some experts who say pharmaceutical companies and doctors are ‘medicalising’ normal human behaviour.

Alone - a choice or no choice = key question.

The concept of ‘social anxiety disorder’ or ‘social phobia’ has entered mainstream medicine in the last couple of decades after the drugs industry began to promote it.

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the amount of money spent on social anxiety drugs doubled, while in the last decade around £1.5billion has been spent on the condition.



Around 200 people a year who suffer from excessive blushing or sweating are given surgery on the NHS to sever the nerves which supply sweat glands on the face, hands and armpits.

Doctors and NICE recommend cognitive behavioural therapy as the most effective initial strategy to try.

Dr Joanna Moncrieff, a consultant psychiatrist and lecturer at University College London, told The Sunday Telegraph: ‘Some people will find parties and public speaking more difficult than others, but it can be extremely damaging to label them with a medical disorder that needs treatment.

'Effectively that is telling people that they can’t deal with things themselves.’

NICE will look at the effectiveness of all treatments offered for social phobia on the NHS – including drugs, counselling and surgery. It will also look at the use of the anti-wrinkle jab Botox to suppress underarm sweating.

A spokesman said: ‘It’s been referred to us by the Department of Health and it is still very early days.

'This condition is already being treated by doctors on the NHS and what we will do is find out which treatments are the most effective.’

Dr Tim Kendall, consultant psychiatrist at Sheffield Health and Social Care Trust, said: ‘For people who suffer from serious anxiety disorder, it can ruin their life.

'This isn’t about common shyness, this is about a level of anxiety that can prevent people from establishing relationships.’

But Dr Louise Foxcroft, author of Hot Flushes, Cold Science, said: ‘You have to question the role of the pharmaceutical industry and the influence they hold over the medicalisation of so many behaviours and emotions which are common to us. 

This is big business.’

 

ADDICTION - THE TRANSACTIONAL ANALYSIS OF ADDICTION TO STIMULANTS

The Addiction Triangle (with addiction cycle inside)

Codependency in Relationships - Inner World

The addicted individual -- whether addicted to drugs, alcohol, gambling, rage, food, sex, work, drama, or whatever -- goes through a predictable cycle commonly referred to as the addiction cycle. The above diagram shows how that cycle fits on the Drama Triangle.

If you will notice, there is a counter-clockwise cycle in the inner world of the person and an opposite, clockwise rotation in their outer world as represented by the arrows.

Below is an example of the Inner-Cycle of experience for the addicted person:

    In the Victim Corner the addicted person feels victimized internally by emotional pain such as loneliness, depression, or anxiety...or by boredom due to emotional numbness... and in the later stages by the physical discomfort of withdrawal symptoms.

    Their brain begins to sort through it's database for solutions and comes up with... you guessed it!... acting-out the addictive behavior. And when the person tries to resist, the subconscious mind applies more pressure to act-out by creating obsessions (unwanted thoughts) followed by compulsion (unwanted behaviour).

    In the Rescuer Corner the compulsion is given into as a means of rescuing self from the discomfort. In order for this to occur without adding more discomfort in the form of guilt and shame, the subconscious mind comes to the rescue internally by creating denial which makes it at least somewhat okay to act-out the addiction -- "this time things will be different!"

    In the Persecutor Corner there is a subconscious... and sometime not so subconscious... inner dialog of persecution for yet another addictive escapade resulting in guilt, shame, and in the later stages, even self-contempt. The inner persecutor demands punishment before things can be made right.

Codependency in Relationships - Outer World

You may notice the outer-cycle of public behavior rotates in the opposite direction of the inner-cycle of self talk -- from Victim to Persecutor to Rescuer and back to Victim again.

Below is an example of the Outer-Cycle of experience for the addicted person:

    In the Victim Corner the addicted person feels victimized externally by the punishments and controlling behavior of their significant others. Their self talk and denial create these feelings and cause a build-up of tension that translates into a good reason to act-out their addictive behaviour.

    In the Persecutor Corner the addicted person's negative external consequences affect everyone close to the them. These persecutions may be social (e.g. embarrassment & humiliation), emotional (e.g., worry & depression), physical (migraines , ulcers), and financial (e.g., legal fees, fines, blown money), just to name a few.

    In the Rescuer Corner There is typically significant codependency in relationships with parents, children, spouses, siblings, employers, friends, and clergy. They can all play the Rescuers as they try unsuccessfully to "get through" to the addicted person by bailing them out of trouble, loaning them money, making excuses and covering up the problems.

    And, of course, the addicted person also enters the Rescue efforts by promising to control his/her behaviour and goes into a "too good to be true" phase that doesn't last once penance is paid and forgiveness is given.

    Rescuing in this scenario is called enabling behaviour because it enables the person to avoid pain... the very pain that may have helped them hit bottom sooner and reach-out for help. 

Motivational Model for Change.
Y.P. has to evaluate areas that they have control over and which can be changed positively.

THE STIMULANT ADDICTION CYCLE - From childhood onwards and how prescription drugs could be the cause of thousands of children becoming dependent on drugs long term + watch Channel 4 news item. exposing the number of under six year old kids who are medicated for their immature behaviour with 'sledgehammer' anti-psychotic drugs SHAME ON OUR SUPPOSEDLY 'CIVILISED SOCIETIES.'!

The 'Highs' to 'Pain' Rollercoaster.

TO WATCH CHANNEL 4 'SPECIAL REPORT' CLICK ON LINK BELOW:
http://www.channel4.com/news/adhd-drugs-prescribed-to-under-6s-against-guidelines

THE CYCLE OF ADDICTION.

https://www.youtube.com/user/Humanagement2015 
For more information and debate.

Stimulants create a cycle of feelings and behavior in users. When someone is high on amphetamines, he or she feels invincible, happy, and alert. But after those feelings fade, the person crashes and feels depressed, anxious, and nervous. In order to feel good again, he or she will take more stimulants and then crash again. That's the cycle: get high, crash,feel bad,take drug, get high, crash,feel worse.

This cycle of getting high and crashing puts a person on the road to addiction. Addiction is when a person can't function—on both a physical and a psychological level—without something. Once a person starts using stimulants, his or her body will need more and more and for longer periods of time. Soon, the craving for stimulants will take control of the person's life.

Addiction can be both physical and psychological. A user can psychologically depend on the high brought on by stimulants. A person can become physically addicted because he or she develops a tolerance to the drug, needing larger and larger doses in order to get the same high.

People sometimes use stimulants over and over without stopping—even to sleep. Users call this “going on a run” or “tweaking.” When they finally do stop using, they come down off the high even harder. Then they can become very angry, hostile, and depressed due to sleep deprivation and the harm that does to the physiology.

As addiction develops spiralling out of control normal life is harder to maintain.

Read more: Stimulant Addiction - Withdrawal, Addiction Is A Process - SOURCE: http://science.jrank.org/pages/clo3u6erce/Stimulant-Addiction.html#ixzz1JUniZjRY

 ISSUES WITH STIMULANT ADDICTION.


Addicts should pay attention to the trigger mechanisms that serve as stimulants to an addictive cycle. Knowing the kind of circumstances that tend to "kick off" addictive behavior means that the addict can either avoid the trigger or formulate a plan for keeping the trigger from "working."

Addicts need to find alternative ways of responding to their trigger mechanisms. This means learning to deal with need in a more wholesome way. For instance, if boredom is a trigger, the addict needs to learn some way of handling boredom without resorting to the addictive behavior. If the trigger is depression, the addict must seek help in discovering the underlying cause of the depression and overcoming it. Suppressing depression is never a cure — it only prolongs the depression.Normalising sadness can also help ,we all feel fed up quite often.the key is what we do about it. 

Everyone feels shy and nervous at times.

Stimulants Addiction

What are stimulants?

Trapped in a cycle of drug dependance which starts with childhood prescriptions and continues into illegal drugs?

Stimulants, also known as "uppers", refer to several groups of drugs that tend to increase alertness, elevate blood pressure and increase hart rate and respiration, as well as increase physical activity or energy. Some people use stimulants to counteract the drowsiness or "down" feeling caused by sleeping pills or alcohol. The up/down cycle is extremely hard on the body and dangerous. Amphetamines, cocaine, 'speed' and caffeine from high caffeine drinks such as cola drinks are all stimulants. High levels of stimulant of any kind or mixes can cause circulatory problems and sudden death through heart failure.

Historically stimulants were used to treat asthma, obesity, and now are more commonly prescribed for the treatment of narcolepsy, ADHD, and depression that has not responded to other forms of treatment. Amphetamines include three closely related drugs- amphetamine, dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine and Adderall), and methamphetamine. Street names include "speed", "white crosses", "uppers", "dexies", "bennies", "dead road" and "crystal".


What are the warning signs?


As with other drugs, stimulants can become addictive. Physical withdrawal may occur when discontinuing use. Withdrawal may include: fatigue, depression, and sleep disturbances.

In addition to physical effects, users report feeling restless, anxious, and moody. Higher doses intensify the effect, and the user can become excited, talkative, and have a false sense of confidence and power. Prolonged use can result in psychosis: seeing, hearing, and feelings things that do not exist (hallucinations), having irrational thoughts or beliefs (delusions), and feeling as though people are out to get them (paranoia).

Stimulants can lead to extreme mood fluctuations,fears,paranoia and psychosis.

What are the effects?



Amphetamines increase heart and breathing rates and blood pressure, dilate pupils, and increase appetite. In addition the user, may experience dry mouth, sweating, headache, blurred vision, dizziness, sleeplessness, and anxiety. Extremely high doses can cause users to flush or become pale, have irregular heartbeat,even heart failure, tremors, loss of coordination, and even physical collapse. Long-term heavy use can lead to malnutrition, skin disorders, ulcers, various diseases related to vitamin deficiency, lack of sleep, weight loss, depression, brain damage that can result in speech and thought disturbance. Amphetamine injection or high dose medication can create a sudden increase in blood pressure that can lead to death from stroke, very high fever, or heart failure. 

Mathew Smith died March 2000 from Methylphenidate use for six months.

PROF DAVID FERGUSSON - PRESCRIBED STIMULANTS STUDIES LINKING USAGE AND LATER STIMULANT ADDICTION

1) The developmental antecedents of illicit drug use: Evidence from a 25-year longitudinal study

David M. FergussonCorresponding Author Contact Information, a, E-mail The Corresponding Author, Joseph M. Bodena and L. John Horwooda

aDepartment of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago, Christchurch School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand
Received 19 December 2007;
revised 21 February 2008;
accepted 6 March 2008.
Available online 21 April 2008.

Abstract
Background

The present study examined the developmental antecedents of illicit drug use and abuse/dependence.
Methods

A 25-year prospective longitudinal study of the health, development, and adjustment of a birth cohort of 1265 New Zealand children. Measures included assessments of adolescent and young adult illicit drug use and abuse/dependence; cannabis use to age 25; measures of parental adjustment; measures of exposure to childhood sexual abuse, physical abuse, and interparental violence; novelty-seeking; childhood and early adolescent adjustment and substance use; and affiliation with substance-using peers.
Results

Illicit drug use and abuse/dependence from ages 16 to 25 were significantly associated (all p values < .05) with a range of parental adjustment measures; exposure to abuse in childhood; individual factors; and measures of childhood and early adolescent adjustment including ADHD diagnosis /medication. Analyses using repeated measures logistic regression models suggested that parental illicit drug use, gender, novelty-seeking, and childhood conduct disorder including ADHD + medication predicted later illicit drug use and abuse/dependence. Further analyses revealed that these pathways to illicit drug use and abuse/dependence were mediated via cannabis use, affiliation with substance-using peers, and alcohol use during ages 16–25.

Conclusions

The current study suggested that the illicit drug use and abuse/dependence were associated with a range of early life circumstances and processes that put individuals at greater risk of illicit drug use and abuse/dependence. However, the use of cannabis in late adolescence and early adulthood emerged as the strongest risk factor for later involvement in other illicit drugs.

Keywords: Illicit drug use; Cannabis use; Peer substance use; Family background; Longitudinal study
Article Outline

1.
Introduction
    1.1. Parental adjustment factors
    1.2. Exposure to abuse in childhood
    1.3. Individual factors
    1.4. Childhood and early adolescent conduct and attention problems
    1.5. Adolescent substance use and social processes
    1.6. Background to the present study

2.
Method
    2.1. Illicit (non-cannabis) drug use and illicit drug abuse/dependence
    2.2. Predictors of illicit drug use and illicit drug abuse/dependence

        2.2.1. Measures of parental adjustment and substance use
    2.2.1.1. Parental illicit drug use
    2.2.1.2. Parental criminality
    2.2.1.3. Parental alcohol problems

    2.2.2. Measures of exposure to abuse in childhood
2.2.2.1. Childhood sexual abuse
2.2.2.2. Parental use of physical punishment (childhood physical abuse)
2.2.2.3. Interparental violence (0–16 years)

    2.2.3. Individual factors
2.2.3.1. Gender
2.2.3.2. Novelty-seeking

    2.2.4. Childhood and adolescent adjustment
2.2.4.1. Child conduct and attention problems (ages 7–13) which is likely to have included medication.

    2.2.5. Time-dynamic measures of substance use and peer influence (ages 16–25)
2.2.5.1. Annual frequency of cannabis use (ages 16–25)
2.2.5.2. Affiliation with substance-using peers (ages 16–25)
2.2.5.3. Frequency of cigarette smoking (ages16–25)
2.2.5.4. Frequency of alcohol use (ages 16–25)

    2.3. Missing data

3.
Results
    3.1. Rates of illicit drug use and illicit drug abuse/dependence
    3.2. Factors associated with illicit drug use and illicit drug abuse/dependence, ages 16–25
    3.3. Multivariate analyses of risk factors for illicit drug use and illicit drug abuse/dependence, ages 16–25
    3.4. Effect size estimates and evaluation of interaction effects

CYCLE OF STIMULATION BY DRUGS AND THEN PAIN LEADS TO DEPENDENCE.

4.
Discussion

Conflicts of interest

Acknowledgements

References



Corresponding Author Contact InformationCorresponding author at: Christchurch Health and Development Study, University of Otago, Christchurch School of Medicine and Health Sciences, PO Box 4345, Christchurch, New Zealand.





2) Abuse of prescription drugs and the risk of later addictions.

Trapped in a cycle of despair and drug dependance.How long for is the question?

 


Wilson M. ComptonCorresponding Author Contact Information, E-mail The Corresponding Author and Nora D. Volkow

National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, 6001 Executive Blvd., Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
Received 16 August 2005;
revised 6 October 2005;
accepted 17 October 2005.
Available online 23 March 2006.

Abstract

Abuse of several categories of prescription drugs has increased markedly in the United States in the past decade and is now at alarming levels for certain agents, especially opioid analgesics and stimulants. Prescription drugs of abuse fit into the same pharmacological classes as their non-prescription counterparts. Thus, the potential factors associated with abuse or addiction versus safe therapeutic use of these agents relates to the expected variables: dose, route of administration, co-administration with other drugs, context of use, and expectations. Future scientific work on prescription drug abuse will include identification of clinical practices that minimize the risks of addiction, the development of guidelines for early detection and management of addiction, and the development of clinically effective agents that minimize the risks for abuse. With the high rates of prescription drug abuse among teenagers in the United States, a particularly urgent priority is the investigation of best practices for effective prevention and treatment for adolescents, as well as the development of strategies to reduce diversion and abuse of medications intended for medical use.

Keywords: Prescription drug abuse; Drug dependence; Later Addiction.

KEY QUESTION: DO Y.P. MOVE FROM LEGAL PRESCRIBED DRUGS TO ILLEGAL DRUG DEPENDANCE?


DOES -

LEAD TO:

Crack cocaine.

OR:

ECSTACY TABS.                                                        COMMON SENSE WOULD SAY IT WOULD.

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH (NIMH) -FACTSHEET-STIMULANTS

https://www.youtube.com/user/Humanagement2015 

How Do Prescription
Stimulants Affect the Brain?
 
All stimulants work by increasing
dopamine levels in the brain—dopamine
is a brain chemical (or neurotransmitter)
associated with pleasure, movement,
and attention. The therapeutic effect
of stimulants is achieved by slow and
steady increases of dopamine, which
are similar to the natural production of
the chemical by the brain. The doses
prescribed by physicians start low and
increase gradually until a therapeutic
effect is reached. However, when taken
in doses and routes other than those
prescribed, stimulants can increase
brain dopamine in a rapid and highly
amplified manner—as do most other
drugs of abuse—disrupting normal
communication between brain cells,
producing euphoria, and increasing
the risk of addiction.

Methylphenidate can like cocaine cause dopamine build up in the synapses causing toxicity.

What Is the Role of
Stimulants in the Treatment
of ADHD?

Treatment of ADHD with stimulants, often
in conjunction with psychotherapy, helps
to improve the symptoms of ADHD, as
well as the self-esteem, cognition, and
social and family interactions of the
patient. The most commonly prescribed
medications include amphetamines (e.g.,
Adderall—a mix of amphetamine salts)
and methylphenidate (e.g., Ritalin and
Concerta—a formulation that releases
medication in the body over a period
of time). These medications have a
paradoxically calming and “focusing”
effect on individuals with ADHD.
Researchers speculate that because
methylphenidate amplifies the release of
dopamine, it can improve attention and
June 2009 

What Adverse Effects Does
Prescription Stimulant
Abuse Have on Health?

Mathew Smith died of heart failure in 2002 after six months on Methylphenidate.

Stimulants can increase blood
pressure, heart rate, body temperature,
and decrease sleep and appetite,
which can lead to malnutrition and
its consequences. Repeated use of
stimulants can lead to feelings of
hostility and paranoia. At high doses,
they can lead to serious cardiovascular
complications, including stroke.
Addiction to stimulants is also a very
real consideration for anyone taking
them without medical supervision. This
most likely occurs because stimulants,
when taken in doses and routes other
than those prescribed by a doctor, can
induce a rapid rise in dopamine in the
brain. Furthermore, if stimulants are used
chronically, withdrawal symptoms—
including fatigue, depression, and
disturbed sleep patterns—can emerge
when the drugs are discontinued.

How Widespread Is
Prescription Stimulant
Abuse?
 
Monitoring the Future Survey†
Each year, the Monitoring the Future
(MTF) survey assesses the extent of drug
use among 8th-, 10th-, and 12th-graders
nationwide. For amphetamines and
methylphenidate, the survey measures
only past-year use, which refers to use
focus in individuals who have dopamine
signals that are weak.

One of the most controversial issues in
child psychiatry is whether the use of
stimulant medications to treat ADHD
increases the risk of substance abuse in
adulthood. Research thus far suggests
that individuals with ADHD do not
become addicted to their stimulant
medications when taken in the form and
dosage prescribed by their doctors.
Furthermore, several studies report that
stimulant therapy in childhood does not
increase the risk for subsequent drug and
alcohol abuse disorders later in life.5,6,7
More research is needed, however,
particularly in adolescents treated with
stimulant medications.

Why and How Are
Prescription Stimulants
Abused?

 
Stimulants have been abused for both
“performance enhancement” and
recreational purposes (i.e., to get
high). For the former, they suppress
appetite (to facilitate weight loss),
increase wakefulness, and increase
focus and attention. The euphoric
effects of stimulants usually occur when
they are crushed and then snorted or
injected. Some abusers dissolve the
tablets in water and inject the mixture.
Complications from this method of use
can arise because insoluble fillers in the
tablets can block small blood vessels.
June 2009 Page 3 of 4
is declining in this group, when asked,
“What amphetamines have you taken
during the last year without a doctor’s
orders?” 2.8 percent of all 12th-graders
surveyed in 2007 reported they had
used Adderall. Amphetamines rank third
among 12th-graders for past-year illicit
drug use.

Other Information Sources
 
For more information on treating ADHD,
visit the Web site for the National
Institute of Mental Health, National
Institutes of Health, at
www.nimh.nih.gov.
For street terms searchable by drug
name, street term, cost and quantities,
drug trade, and drug use, visit
www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/
streetterms/default.asp.
at least once during the year preceding
an individual’s response to the survey.
Use outside of medical supervision was
first measured in the study in 2001;
nonmedical use of stimulants has been
falling since then, with total declines
between 25 percent and 42 percent at
each grade level surveyed. MTF data for
2008 indicate past-year nonmedical use
of Ritalin by 1.6 percent of 8th-graders,
2.9 percent of 10th-graders, and 3.4
percent of 12th-graders.
Since its peak in the mid-1990s, annual
prevalence of amphetamine use fell
by one-half among 8th-graders to 4.5
percent and by nearly one-half among
10th-graders to 6.4 percent in 2008.
Amphetamine use peaked somewhat
later among 12th-graders and has
fallen by more than one-third to 6.8
percent by 2008.

NURTURE GROUPS - ALTERNATIVES TO DRUGS FOR KIDS - Nurture Groups in Schools

https://www.youtube.com/user/Humanagement2015 
         School  staff,either teaching or non teaching should not,in my opinion, be administering psychotropic drugs for kids' behaviour on behalf of the parents,especially if they don't agree with the label.More and more headteachers agree with this stance. They have plenty of alternatives to use such as, Nurture Groups,meditation, deep breathing techniques, personalised sport programmes, Social Pedagogy  and yoga.All are tried and tested approaches.

See other posts on these strategies.

Principles of Nurture Group Practice.

https://youtube.com/user/Humanagement2011 

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND BBC RADIO PROGRAMMES ON THIS TOPIC.

Attractive spaces for a nurturing environment.

•1. Children's learning is understood developmentally
In nurture groups staff respond to children not in terms of arbitrary expectations about ‘attainment levels' but in terms of the children's developmental progress assessed through the Boxall Profile Handbook. The response to the individual child is ‘as they are', underpinned by a non-judgemental and accepting attitude.

'Human bridge' staff form positive relationships.

•2. The classroom offers a safe base

'Small really is beautiful!'

The organisation of the environment and the way the group is managed contains anxiety. The nurture group room offers a balance of educational and domestic experiences aimed at supporting the development of the children's relationship with each other and with the staff. The nurture group is organised around a structured day with predictable routines for a maximum of eight children. Great attention is paid to detail; the adults are reliable and consistent in their approach to the children. Nurture groups are an educational provision making the important link between emotional containment and cognitive learning.

Aim: to make every child a 'super hero.'

•3. Nurture is important for the development of self-esteem
Nurture involves listening and responding. In a nurture group ‘everything is verbalised' with an emphasis on the adults engaging with the children in reciprocal shared activities e.g. play / meals / reading /talking about events and feelings. Children respond to being valued and thought about as individuals, so in practice this involves noticing and praising small achievements; ‘nothing is hurried in nurture groups‘.

Regular support and agreeing personal targets helps maximise progress.

•4. Language is understood as a vital means of communication
Language is more than a skill to be learnt, it is the way of putting feelings into words. Nurture group children often ‘act out' their feelings as they lack the vocabulary to ‘name' how they feel. In nurture groups the informal opportunities for talking and sharing, e.g. welcoming the children into the group or having breakfast together are as important as the more formal lessons teaching language skills. Words are used instead of actions to express feelings and opportunities are created for extended conversations or encouraging imaginative play to understand the feelings of others.
•5. All behaviour is communication

What is this communicating?

What is she saying?Loud and clear!

What is the adult's full message here?

Great book about Nurture Groups.

Learning should be fun and co-operative.

This principle underlies the adult response to the children's often challenging or difficult behaviour. ‘Given what I know about this child and their development what is this child trying to tell me?' Understanding what a child is communicating through behaviour helps staff to respond in a firm but non-punitive way by not being provoked or discouraged. If the child can sense that their feelings are understood this can help to diffuse difficult situations. The adult makes the link between the external / internal worlds of the child.

ONE OF THE MAIN PRINCIPLES IS TO REDUCE STRESS IN A CHILD'S LIFE AND TO MINIMISE ANXIETY THUS MAXIMISING PERFORMANCE.

•6. Transitions are significant in the lives of children
The nurture group helps the child make the difficult transition from home to school. However, on a daily basis there are numerous transitions the child makes, e.g. between sessions and classes and between different adults. Changes in routine are invariably difficult for vulnerable children and need to be carefully managed with preparation and support.

Aromatherapy creates a warm calming atmosphere.