MOST PARENTS of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) wait an average of four years before securing a diagnosis for their child, according to a new survey.
The survey, commissioned by the support group ADHD Action, involved interviews with 150 parents of children who are diagnosed with the condition.
While most parents surveyed said they began to grow concerned about their children’s behaviour at the age of four, most said they were eight years old by the time they were diagnosed.
More than half of parents ended up having to seek a diagnosis outside of their area or were referred to a central hospital. On average, it took five visits to a health professional before a child was typically diagnosed.
In general, health professionals estimate that 3-7 per cent of children and adults may have ADHD, a condition characterised by inattention, hyperactivity and impulsiveness.
The poll results also point to major differences in waiting times between the public and private health systems. While the majority of children diagnosed in the private system had access to specialist care within a month, this was the case with just 13 per cent of children in the public system.
Other results give an indication of the strain on parents and families caused by ADHD. For example, 83 per cent of parents said they often or always got stressed about their child’s condition. Large majorities of parents also said they had difficulty getting their child to sleep at night.
Prof Michael Fitzgerald, professor of child psychiatry at Trinity College Dublin, said it was a scandal that parents were forced to wait so long to get a diagnosis or appropriate service for their children.
“Not only that, but these services need to be ongoing for children diagnosed with ADHD. We find that many children can fall out of the system after a year or so, but children need treatment over a sustained period of time, particularly over the difficult years of adolescence,” Prof Fitzgerald said.
“Early diagnosis and treatment for these children is essential so that the symptoms of this disorder can be treated as quickly as possible. Knowing how to manage symptoms is imperative, as this may allow children and their families the opportunity to live a more normal life with respite from the disruption of ADHD.”
Jacinta Fortune, a Dublin mother of two children with ADHD, said she waited two years to get a diagnosis for her five-year-old son. However, when she went down the private route she received a diagnosis in a matter of weeks.
“There was a great relief that my son’s behaviour wasn’t down to me being a bad parent . . . but much more needs to be done to support children, especially those with speech and language needs. I’m still not able to find a school which is willing to take my youngest son,” she said.
On the issue of medication, the poll – supported by pharmaceutical firm Eli Lilly – shows that 59 per cent of parents said their children were on some form of medical treatment.
About 38 per cent said medication calmed their child, while 47 per cent said it often helped their child pay attention.
ADHD Action is a group which includes consultants in child and adolescent psychiatry, consultant paediatricians and family representatives.
