Curing the tiny terrors

Child psychiatrist, Dr Patrick Cosgrove, has created controversy by prescribing powerful medication for hyperactive toddlers.

He often prescribes drugs licenced for much older children - and while many parents say their children have been transformed - BBC Radio Five Live has found that others are deeply unhappy with the results.

Dr Cosgrove's private practice, The Bristol Priority Clinic, operates on two theories.

First, that children who come to his clinic seeking treatment have a specific problem: brain dysfunction. And, as far as he's concerned, this can be effectively treated using drugs.

His second theory is juvenile crime is directly linked to the failure to adequately diagnose and medicate children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

He says if children are medicated early enough, then that would eliminate the possibility of crime being committed.

Critics say the theory lacks scientific evidence but Dr Cosgrove claims his theory has halted one boy crime waves in different parts of the country.

His army of fans include mums all over the country who feel he has solved their children's behavioural problems, restored normal family life and ensured their children don't end up marginalised by society.

Controversial methods

The cocktail of drugs he prescribes for children are Ritalin, Risperidone, Pimozide and dexamphetamine. He doesn't prescribe them all together, but in combinations he claims are effective.

Ritalin is known for its treatment of ADHD, Risperidone is an anti-psychotic drug, normally used for the treatment of schizophrenia. All the drugs can cause nasty side effects.

Dr Cosgrove's controversial methods have made him unpopular with some other child psychiatrists, and prompted complaints to the General Medical Council, although to date no action against him has been taken.

Breaking guidelines

Dawn is not one of his fans. Her son Sam was a patient of Dr Cosgrove. He was just two when his mum took him to see the psychiatrist.

Sam was Dawn's first child and she was having trouble dealing with his behaviour.

"He was very hyperactive, had frequent tantrums, he'd bang his head against the wall, hurt anybody who came near him", she says.

Dawn was on a waiting list to see an NHS specialist, and she'd already taken Sam to her own doctor several times.

Dr Cosgrove's diagnosis of Sam surprised Dawn.

"We were there just under an hour", she says. "We did a tick box form to see what Sam was like, he weighed him and said "Yeah, he's got all the characteristics of ADHD".

"He talked to us about medication and said that was the only answer to treat it."

Sam was prescribed Ritalin. But not long after Dawn gave her son his first dose of medication, Sam suffered horrendous side-effects.

"He turned into a zombie", she says. "He was even more aggressive than we'd ever seen. I remember thinking: 'What have you done?'"

Dr Cosgrove suggested a switch in medication might solve the problem.

Dawn was horrified. She started doing some research and found out that Ritalin is not licenced in the UK for children under the age of six.

This means that little research has been done into its effects - or side effects in this age group.

Just because a drug is not licenced, doesn't mean that doctors are banned from using it, or even necessarily wrong to do so.

Many drugs have no licence for use in young children, but still get prescribed, with the doctor concerned signing to take personal responsibility for the outcome.

However, Dawn was alarmed and stopped giving her son the medication and removed him from the psychiatrist's care.

'Revolutionising medical practice'

Dr. Cosgrove is unapologetic about his treatment and medication of young children. "I've used Ritalin and dexamphetamine in three year olds with good results," he says.

Debbie Hooper has nothing but praise for the psychiatrist.

Her son Josh was 10 when Debbie took him to see Dr Cosgrove and he was medicated with dexamphetamine and Risperidone.

Debbie had struggled with a range of doctors on the NHS, but felt Dr Cosgrove has helped restore family life.

In fact, Dr. Cosgrove was again prescribing outside the approved licence of the drug.

The Medicines Control Agency - the government body that issues licences for every drug in the UK - has only licenced it for use in over-15s.

Dr Cosgrove's campaign to medicate children and encourage his profession to adopt his approach continues.

Despite the critics, Dr Cosgrove says: "The fact that I am in private practice and continue to be popular shows that the ordinary people out there have a good opinion of my practice.

"I am getting people better, and that is what doctors should be doing. It's taken a lot of courage to pursue a line which was neither acceptable with the profession nor the public generally. A lot of courage, but now the revolution is taking place."

The 5 Live Report: Curing the tiny terrors is broadcast on BBC Radio 5 on Sunday 25 August at 1200 BST.