CASE STUDY

Instead, we should look at how our views on parenting and childhood have changed over the past 40 years or so.

It’s so much harder to be a mum or dad these days – we keep being told that bringing up youngsters is a minefield that only experts can negotiate.

There’s an anxiety we might be accused of abusing, hurting or upsetting children and so we hang back.

It’s also so much harder to be a child now – there’s so much expectation put on youngsters to deal with subjects, situations and emotions with a sophistication beyond their years.

In primary schools, there’s greater emphasis on working as a group, co-operating and sharing.

But when girls and boys – particularly boys – struggle to live up to these narrow standards, it’s easier to focus on the idea that there is something wrong with them rather than the environments they are expected to conform to.

When you look at the list of behaviours that constitute ADHD, it is really a list of things that irritate grown-ups.

In the UK, we have STEVE STEVEN HASTINGS, whos whose son Brandon was d diagnosed with ADHD aged six, belie believes more needs tobeto be done to help suffer sufferers.

He warned that many sufferers struggle to ge get adiagnosis and that d doctors and expe experts need to getto thero theroot cause ofthe proble problem.

How However, the 44-ye 44-year-old fears this is unlikelytounlike happen as mentalmenta health isstill not high o on people’s agend agenda.

He w worries Brandon, now 1 17, may struggle to get gettreatmenthe feels i is denied to many adults adults.

“An “Any notion that paren parentsarefalsely claimi claimingtheirchildren have A ADHD iswrong,” saidSt saidSteven, from Rosyth Rosyth,Fife.

“The truth is that many struggle to get a diagnosis. “Som “Some children who show signs atthree are not diagnosed till 10.

“In the meantime, parentsare exhausted looking after theiraffected children with little or no help.”

Steven, a former Scottish Parliament assistant manager, believes he, too, has suffered from ADHD since childhood.

He was only diagnosed at37after years of strugglingto get adiagnosis.

“I fear for Brandon now thathe is17 because treatmentis far from adequate,” he added.

“I believe there is only one adult psychiatrist specialisingin ADHD in the east of Scotland.

“He is based in Edinburgh.

“Itisoften diagnosed as depression.

“Withoutgood, ongoing care, people with ADHD struggle to cope.

“Ifyou had a chronic hiporeye problem, you would not be abandoned.

“So why should ADHD be dismissed?”

Steven believes the rise in ADHD cases is caused by better diagnosisofthe condition.

“The truth is, many people struggle to get the treatmentthey need.”