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One day he runs out of the house and starts climbing onto
some garage roofs near his flat. He's showing off and falls
off the roof. He can't move his arm.
He's taken to hospital and in Accident and Emergency (A&E),
doctors and nurses look at his arm and shoulder. He has to
have his arm and shoulder X-rayed by a Radiographer.
It shows he's broken some bones. His arm is put into plaster
and he has to be very careful about moving his shoulder. To
stop him moving his head and shoulder too much an Orthotist
fits a neck and shoulder brace for support. While his arm's
in a cast his arm muscles grow weak. When the plaster comes
off Josh will work with a Physiotherapist
to strengthen those arm muscles again.
The bad thing is, Josh is rude to the doctors, nurses and
others trying to help him. They notice that he tends to just
blurt out whatever comes into his head. When they talk to
his mother she says, "He's always been like that."
"His teachers say he shouts out in class. They say
he never pays proper attention. I don't know what to do with
him. I try my best." His mother is upset. Then she adds,
"He's only good with his nan and granddad. That's because
they buy him whatever he wants."
Josh won't eat properly either. He only eats burgers or sausages
with chips. If anything else is given to him he throws the
plate across the room.
Josh is not just being naughty in the way most healthy children
sometimes are. It's something more complicated than bad behaviour.
Josh isn't able to concentrate – he has an illness called
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD for short).
The food he eats may well be making this worse. And his
nan and grandad are making things worse, too, by spoiling
Josh.
Josh and his mum talk with a Dietitian
to work out better eating habits. Josh and his family meet
with a Drama
Therapist, too. They'll act out some scenes together to
see if they can improve Josh's behaviour – and stop
his grandparents spoiling him. An Occupational
Therapist would help to manage his behaviour with the
use of different activities, for example developing an interest
in sports or some sort of hobby.
 Which
AHPs help Josh?
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Why
was bad-boy Josh climbing on the roof anyway?
