News

10th September 2004

ADHD is a real but invisible disease

Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) is a serious childhood disease that increases the risk of mental illness later in life, doctors said at the British Association science festival at Exeter University.

Although some sceptics claim that the disorder is the invention of drug companies, a team of researchers led by Prof Eric Taylor, an ADHD expert at the Institute of Psychiatry, London say that it affects between 1 and 5 per cent of children.

The study compared 50 hyperactive children with 50 normal children and found that the hyperactive children were four times more likely to suffer from mental illness as young adults.

Speaking of the findings, Prof Taylor said "This work shows that there is a distinction between ordinary bad behaviour and ADHD and suggests that adults as well as children need to be treated."

He added that although ADHD is not caused by bad parenting, a chaotic or difficult home environment in the early years may trigger the condition in children with a genetic predisposition.

The researchers also found that three regions of the brain- all involved in personal restraint- were smaller in the hyperactive children, probably due to the condition causing parts of the brain to become under-used.

Prof Taylor said the condition was under-recognised in Britain and that only a third of children who need drugs are receiving them. He added that environmental factors, such as diet, gender and upbringing, could bring the condition out in children who already have a genetic predisposition to the disease.

Dr David Daley, of the University of Wales at Bangor, who has studied families with the disorder, said "It's not a product of bad parenting but bad parenting can allow children who already have the predisposition to express it."

ADHD has split doctors and parents as some believe that the disorder, also known as 'bad behaviour syndrome' has been invented by drug companies to persuade doctors to diagnose and treat it with drugs such as Ritalin.

However, Prof taylor argues, "This work shows that there is a distinction between ordinary bad behaviour and ADHD."

Around 250,000 in children in Britain are believed to have ADHD. Around 80,000 have the more severe form of the disorder.

• Do you think ADHD is a disease or just naughtiness? Share your views in Discuss, Debate and Deliberate
• Discuss with other parents in the Development and Behaviour Forum