25% of ADHD children await care

MORE than one-quarter of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are waiting more than a year for public specialist care, according to a survey.

The survey, launched yesterday as part of Ireland’s first national ADHD Awareness Week, showed that only 13% of children with the disorder get access to public specialist care within four months, while 26% have to wait one year or more. Access to private specialist care was achieved in less than a month by approximately 55% of those seeking it.

In terms of diagnosis, Ireland lags behind the international average. The US has the shortest diagnosis period at just under one year, while the average diagnosis in Ireland takes four years, two years longer than the global average.

87% of parents said that their child’s behaviour brought ADHD to their attention with 60% mentioning schools as being central in this.

More than a third of parents agreed that medication always calms their child, with almost half saying it often helps the child pay attention. When not on medication, 79% of parents claimed their child’s symptoms often or always impacted on family functioning. 83% of parents said they often got stressed about their child’s condition.

ADHD is a neurobiological condition affecting 3%-7% of school children, roughly two children in every classroom. The main symptoms include inattention, hyperactivity and impulsiveness which is not in keeping with those of the same age group and development level.

Speaking at the launch of ADHD Awareness Day, Professor of Child Psychiatry in Trinity College Dublin Professor Michael Fitzgerald said that early diagnosis of the condition was essential for proper treatment.

“It is a common condition, one which can have a huge impact not only on the person living with it but also on the entire family,” he said.

The survey of 150 Irish parents of children with ADHD was part of Ireland’s first ever survey of this kind. The research was carried out by ADHD Action in a joint initiative with the Irish National Council of ADHD Support Groups.