ADHD drug rate fears

WHERE a child lives in Australia seems to determine if they are medicated for ADHD or not, raising concerns children from socially disadvantaged areas are missing out on effective treatment.

Prescription rates for ADHD vary widely both within and across states, with the highest rate of prescriptions 75 times more than the lowest rate, according to data presented at the Royal Australasian College of Physicians annual Congress yesterday.

NSW had the highest rate of prescriptions for ADHD, at 13,588 per 100,000 children aged 17 or under.