The main signs of ADHD

People with ADHD may show signs of inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsiveness

People with ADHD have been struggling to get medication due to a national shortage.

Earlier this month the government said supplies of Methylphenidate, Lisdexamfetamine, and Guanfacine were running low.

Officials said the shortage was not unique to the UK but due to a combination of manufacturing issues and “increased global demand”.

Doctors were subsequently told not to offer certain types of medication to new patients while demand remained high and supply issues unresolved.

The government said stocks could remain depleted until December, with patients told to contact community and hospital pharmacies if they had insufficient supplies.

What is ADHD?

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a condition that affects people’s behaviour and can make it difficult for them to concentrate.  People with the condition can seem restless and may act on impulse.

Symptoms of ADHD tend to be noticed at an early age and may become more noticeable when a child’s circumstances change, such as when they start school.

Most cases are diagnosed when children are under 12 years old, but sometimes it’s diagnosed later in childhood. Sometimes ADHD was not recognised when someone was a child, and they are diagnosed later as an adult.

The exact cause of ADHD is unknown but the NHS says the condition has been shown to run in families.

What are some of the signs you might have ADHD?

Most cases of ADHD are diagnosed when children are under 12 years old, but sometimes it’s diagnosed later in childhood (Getty Images)

According to the NHS, the symptoms associated with ADHD can be categorised into two types of behaviour: inattentiveness and hyperactivity and impulsiveness.

“Many people with ADHD have problems that fall into both these categories, but this is not always the case,” the NHS says.

“For example, around 2 to 3 in 10 people with the condition have problems with concentrating and focusing, but not with hyperactivity or impulsiveness.”

The main signs of inattentiveness (difficulty concentrating and focusing) are:

• having a short attention span and being easily distracted
• making careless mistakes – for example, in schoolwork
• appearing forgetful or losing things
• being unable to stick to tasks that are tedious or time-consuming
• appearing to be unable to listen to or carry out instructions
• constantly changing activity or task
• having difficulty organising tasks

The main signs of hyperactivity and impulsiveness are:

• being unable to sit still, especially in calm or quiet surroundings
• constantly fidgeting
• being unable to concentrate on tasks
• excessive physical movement
• excessive talking
• being unable to wait their turn
• acting without thinking
• interrupting conversations
• little or no sense of danger

GPs are not able to formally diagnose the condition but can refer patients for a specialist assessment (Getty Images)

How is ADHD diagnosed?

People who think they have ADHD can speak to their doctor. GPs are not able to formally diagnose the condition but can refer patients for a specialist assessment.

Parents can also speak with their child’s teacher or the school’s educational needs coordinator to ask the child has displayed any signs of ADHD during lessons.

“Diagnosing ADHD in adults is more difficult because there’s some disagreement about whether the list of symptoms used to diagnose children and teenagers also applies to adults,” the NHS says.

“In some cases, an adult may be diagnosed with ADHD if they have 5 or more of the symptoms of inattentiveness, or 5 or more of hyperactivity and impulsiveness, listed in diagnostic criteria for children with ADHD.”

How is the condition treated?

ADHD can be treated using medicine or therapy, but a combination of both is often best, the NHS says.

Treatment is usually arranged by a specialist, such as a paediatrician or psychiatrist, although the condition may be monitored by a GP.

The five main types of medicine licensed for the treatment of ADHD in the UK are methylphenidate, lisdexamfetamine, dexamfetamine, atomoxetine and guanfacine.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence says ADHD affects around 2.6 million people across the UK - (708,000 children, 1.9 million adults)