Medication for ADHD child

[Clive]

Good morning 
Can anyone please help me
We are presently living in the uk but my sone aged 13 wishes to live with his mother in Thailand for a short while, perhaps 6 months or so but he is on ADHD medication, Concerta XL and Methylphenidate.
I will get a doctors letter but worried about him carrying these into Thailand as  an unaccompanied minor as they are controlled drugs.
I was wondering if these are available in Thailand.
Many thanks 

[Preacher]

I think this is better asked in the health section.

 

With a doctors prescription your son can take a supply with him of 30 days. Tell the airline to use the red channel and there should be no problem.

 

My (very limited) understanding is that both medications are available in Thailand. Best to have a letter from the doctor to explain the situation to the doctor in Thailand. Even better if you already have a doctor/hospital in Thailand and have the doctor in the UK mail directly with the doctor in Thailand. 

[Sheryl]

Concerta is Methylphenidate..is there a second drug he is also on? If so please list as some ADHD meds are altogerther illegal in Thailand.

 

Methylphenidate is legal but strictly controlled, can only be obtained from a hospital after consultation with a doctor so be sure to bring all records with you as this will facilitate getting a script.

 

It is  a Category 2 psychotropic, rule on bringing it in is:

 

"Travellers may carry for personal use:

Limited quantities  are allowed for personal use(30 days of prescribed usage).  A medical treatment letter/prescription from
the prescribing physician is required."

 

But take note of any locations he has to transit through, especially if he will transit through any Gulf states as it is altogther illegal in some of them.

 

Where in Thailand will he be staying? As in some rural areas it may nto be possible to get this.

[Clive]

Thank you for your replies
He takes 52mg Concerta xl in the morning and 10mg Methylphenidate in the afternoon.
Concerned about him travelling into Thailand with this medication even with a doctors note as in the uk it is a controlled drug.
Will be staying in Petchabun city.
thank you so much

[Sheryl]

Since Concerta IS methylphenidate, he is taking 52mg of an extended release form of methylphenidate in the morning and an additional 10 mg in the afternoon.

 

This is going to be a problem as there is no extended release form of it available in Thailand, only regular methylphenidate.

 

It is not a good idea for him to alter his medication after arrival here, especially as he will be staying far from any pysch facilities, and I assume also adjusting to a new school environment. So if this trip is essential I suggest you consult his doctor and make the switch  to all regular acting methylphenidate now, while still at home, and don't ket him travel until he is stabilized on the new regimen. Thai schools are not skilled at managing ADHD kids nor are Thai teachers usually  understanding of the condition, to put it mildly.

 

There are no pysch facilities in Petchabun, public or private,  and the largest hospital is only a comparatively small provincial level facility so might not have a psychiatrist, in other words it may not be possible to  get this presecribed there. May need to go to Pitsnaolok  for this...and it will take some time, especially if government hospitals used. Hence I think it unavoidable to send him with at least a week's supply, preferrably more.

 

It is a controlled drug in Thailand too but as long as it is in a prescription bottle labeled with his name and he has a medical certificate signed by his doctor, it is not a problem for him to have it (unless transiting through the Gulf).

 

Facilities most likely to be able to provide this medication (assuming the pyschiatrist agrees, not a given and this is where letter from home doctor is important, and also assuming the hospital stocks the drug, also nto a given) in Pitsanulok are:

 

1.  Buddhachinaraj Hospital : main government hospital in the town, it is a large regional level facility so should have pyshc dept.

 

2. there is also a very small private pediatric hospital in Pitsanulok, not sure if it would carry this drug but could ask. Ratanavej Hospital.

 

Are you comfortable that your wife understands his condition and need for medication? As she is going to have to go to some trouble/travel some distance and spend a lot of time to obtain it for him.