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.