ADHD: is there an app for that?

My name is Naomi Robertson and I am an undergraduate Psychology student taking part in

Naomi robertson

an 8 week research project as a Research Assistant alongside supervisor Lauren Powell and co- supervisor Dr Jack Parker. For this project I have conducted a content analysis for ten apps that claim to be suitable for children and young people diagnosed with the neurodisabiity, Attention Deficit Hyper Activity Disorder (ADHD). My placement is part of the Teaching Assistant Sheffield Undergraduate Research Scheme (TA SURE). The project is being conducted within the Telehealth and care technologies (TaCT) theme of the National Institute of Health’s Collaboration for Leadership and Applied Health Research and Care Yorkshire Humber (NIHR CLAHRC YH). The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) have funded my placement.

This research topic appealed to me, as it is contemporary, investigating how the growth in technology can be harnessed and used as a tool for the management of ADHD, which affects 5% of the population. This area of research I also find very exciting as it is in its infancy meaning the findings may offer new insights, which have not yet been published by other researchers.

So far my role as a Research Assistant has involved the identification of ten apps for children and young people with ADHD, which were screened based on a strict inclusion and exclusion criteria. The final list of 10 apps have been presented to five clinicians who work with young people with ADHD. These clinicians were interviewed on their perspective on how useful the apps would be for young people as they seek to manage their ADHD.

This research placement has given me new insight into what carrying out research first hand looks like, when it previously seemed so distant simply citing studies throughout my degree. Having the opportunity to experience the practicalities of research as well as the enthusiasm of the researchers is unique and something I feel very lucky to have.

Throughout my time in TaCT I have also had countless opportunities to develop new skills from conducting and transcribing interviews, writing research documents, undertaking interview data analysis and learning more about ADHD as a disorder which has many parallels with my Psychology degree.

I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with TaCT and the chance to conduct independent research whilst having the support of such great supervisors. It has allowed me to have an idea about what conducting research involves without feeling overwhelmed in something I have never done before. I am excited about completing my placement and presenting my findings to an audience which I have gained more enthusiasm for than I could ever have anticipated.  

Written by Naomi Robertson

Family planning decisions for parents of children with a rare genetic condition research project (DECIGEN)

Newborn screening is offered to all parents in the UK.  It involves obtaining a heel prick blood sample from a baby in the first few days of life to detect treatable conditions which are not clinically evident in the newborn period.  The newborn screening blood spot test was introduced in the UK in 1969, to detect the metabolic disorder, Phenylketonuria (PKU).   Since then, the screening programme has been expanded to include other conditions such as the metabolic disorder medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency(MCADD) which was added to the programme in 2004.

Most recently, a pilot programme of expanded newborn screening which was undertaken as part of the CLAHRC South Yorkshire resulted in four additional metabolic conditions being included in the national programme from January 2015.

Screening for rare metabolic conditions in the first few days of life offers substantial health benefits as parents can manage the condition in a preventative way and intervene early when they spot the early signs that might suggest a possible health crisis. However, there are challenges associated with this for parents in terms of how they manage the condition within the context of their family situation. A detailed understanding of those challenges equips NHS staff with the knowledge necessary to ensure the support they provide is appropriate to meet the parents' needs. The DECIGEN project has been developed to identify challenges faced by parents of children with rare genetic conditions and how they respond to those challenges. Results from the project will be available in June 2016. 

Written by Hilary Piercy & Katarzyna Machaczek

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) HealthTracker™ Project

The Tracking  ADHD Cohort – Sheffield (TrAC-S) Project aims to implement a web-based HealthTracker™ system for monitoring ADHD in children and young people in Sheffield. Patients, parents, teachers and clinicians will be able to enter information online, simplifying the process of obtaining treatment outcome data that can be used in long-term observational studies. The use of animated questionnaires and test games enables service users as young as 5 years old to give their perspective, which is not possible with traditional paper-based material. Clinicians are set to benefit from this online approach as assessment scales will be completed prior to consultations, thereby providing a current clinical picture. Continued use of HealthTracker™ following its introduction due in Spring 2016 will establish a research platform with a Sheffield cohort of children and adolescents with ADHD.  

Written by Dr Helen Denney