Sheffield mum: My son's on an 8-year waiting list for an ADHD diagnosis
Cerid Moore from Sheffield has three other children with special educational needs
Parents in South Yorkshire tell us they're finding it 'harder' to get their hands on the correct ADHD medication for their children.
Prescriptions for drugs to treat the condition have risen by 18% - every year - since the pandemic - according to a new study.
Cerid Moore's 9-year-old daughter Astrid was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in Sheffield several years ago.
Just before Christmas last year - she had to go 6 weeks without her medication - due to national shortages.
Cerid says any sudden withdrawal has a devastating effect on Astrid:
"Without being on medication, she struggles to concentrate.
"It makes school really hard - & Astrid struggles to control her emotions without medication."
Meanwhile, Cerid says her 11-year-old son is currently on an 8-year-waiting list for an ADHD diagnosis:
"We're being told it could be 8 years until my son receives his diagnosis.
"So, if it's 8 years or more, my 11-year-old son will be an adult by the time he gets diagnosed - which isn't going to help now while he's at school."
Experts reckon increasing awareness of ADHD, including via social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram, is likely to have encouraged more people to seek diagnosis and treatment for the condition.
However, they warned that "misinformation on these platforms may lead to misconceptions about symptoms, diagnosis and treatment".
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