Friday, December 17, 2010

The Liverpool Technique: Psychologists Unveil New Treatment For ADHD

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or as it’s more commonly known, ADHD, is a condition which has baffled and challenged the medical profession for some time. Up to 16% of school age children suffer from the condition worldwide. Treatment has often been debated and there are new methods introduced each year, of varying success.

However, a breakthrough has been made. Medical researchers based on the Wirral were desperate to make an advance and began experimenting with various different techniques to help calm the children. Anything mildly exciting can often set the child’s ADHD off and as such it can be incredibly difficult for parents to get their children to settle each evening. One of the most radical tests included getting the children to watch paint dry, however this was deemed too stimulating for many and triggered the worst symptoms of the condition.

Ever eager to help in the community, Liverpool football club stepped in. The breakthrough they have helped make possible could change the management of ADHD for the foreseeable future. Wednesday evening for their game against Utrecht, Liverpool allowed children to enter the stadium for free. Two hundred and forty parents of children with ADHD took advantage of this and went along with the youngsters.

Even before the first half ended the experiment was a runaway success. All but two of the children had calmed down and many had fallen fast asleep, the two remaining being kept stimulated by watching the away supporters. In the second half, even those two slipped into a calm state and were so lacking any kind of excitement they were struggling to remain conscious.

Whilst obviously controversial, it seems that the Liverpool Technique will become a major line of treatment for sufferers of ADHD. Seemingly even a dose of several minutes watching them can induce a coma like calmness for some time.

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