THE mother of a boy with ADHD is appealing for more support for children with the condition.

Alfie Raven, seven, has just finished at Brightlingsea Infants School and will be moving up to the junior school in September.

He has already been diagnosed with ADHD and a sensory processing disorder and will be checked for dyslexia.

His mum, Chrisi Carter, from Brightlingsea, said the school is worried he is falling behind as he does not have the capacity to retain what he has learnt. She said there needs to be more financial support for parents to carry out tests on their children and identify conditions as early as possible.

She said: “I knew there was something different about him early on, he would never sleep at night.

“Aged three he went to see a paediatric neurologist and was diagnosed with ADHD, but they couldn’t medicate him until Year 1.”

Alfie has a hyperactive nature and the school has now picked up on dyslexic tendencies. Chrisi said: “He’s scared of books, he hates the thought of reading. Making friends is incredibly difficult. We went away for a week and he didn’t want to come home as he made a friend there. He’s up until midnight and he is medicated three times a day.”

The family pays privately for assessments and exercises, but it is a big financial burden.

His mum said: “He can only do one thing at a time and everyday tasks are difficult.

“At school his needs are so complex he is progressing incredibly slowly.”

Alfie needs a dyslexia assessment which is £550, and he needs to see an educational psychologist.

His mum has already spent money on magnified glasses and a weighted blanket to help meet his sensory needs.

Colchester Children’s Charity has kindly given Alfie a pressure jacket to wear if he feels anxious.

Chrisi said: “I understand the NHS is stretched but the Government has brought so many policies in that are cutting the funding for children needing these tests.

“Parents have enough of a financial struggle on their hands, there’s just not enough funding for children with difficulties like Alfie’s.

“Families struggle so much emotionally and mentally and the additional financial struggles just makes an already extremely difficult situation so much worse.”