The Hon. SANDRA KANCK: I seek leave to make a brief explanation before
asking a question of the Minister for Transport, representing the Minister
for Human Services, on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Leave granted.
The Hon. SANDRA KANCK: Attention deficit hyper-activity disorder
or ADHD (as I will call it from here on) has received a lot of media coverage
with a series of articles in the Messenger press. Local researchers Atkinson,
Robinson and Shute recently had an article published in the British Journal
of Education and Child Psychology. They said:
ADHD is having a wide impact in Australia. Disruptive behaviour
at home produces high levels of stress in parents and children, sometimes
stretching relationships to breaking point. Pressure is placed on teachers
to maintain discipline and facilitate learning, despite the academic difficulties
often associated with ADHD. School administrators are expected to provide
adequate resources for teachers at a time when real term funding for Govern-ment
schools is declining. A range of health professionals, including doctors
and psychologists, is approached with the expectation that they can make
these children `normal'. Politicians are lobbied to provide resources for
counselling and support agencies for families, and for subsidised medication
and disability allowances.
In December last year the National Health and Medical Research Council
released a list of recommendations in response to growing awareness of
ADHD including: a combined response from education, health and welfare
sectors to address the issues related to this condition; a multi-modal
approach to treatment that emphasises a range of treatments, not just the
prescription of medication; and, that services and resources be provided
by State Governments as ADHD is not deemed a Federal `special needs' category.
The NHMRC report noted long-term and significant issues surrounding
ADHD, including family stress and breakdown, domestic violence, substance
abuse, low self-esteem and associated depression and youth suicide. I understand
that the South Australian Government has set up an interagency working
group to make recommendations in response to ADHD, which is indeed pleasing.
I ask the Minister the following questions:
1. Is the Minister aware of the NHMRC report and, if so, how
is the interagency group responding to those recommen-dations?
2. Given the NHMRC recommendation that a multi-modal approach
should be used, what action is the Govern-ment taking to ensure that the
prescribing of pharmaceuticals is not the sole method to treat ADHD?
3. Given Atkinson's concerns about the socioeconomic barriers
to ranges of treatment, what action is the Government taking to ensure
that all South Australians affected by ADHD have equal access to the best
treatment?
4. Is the Minister aware of any problems with misdiagno-sis of
ADHD and any cases of inappropriate prescribing of medication which tighter
guidelines on treatment of ADHD could prevent?
The Hon. DIANA LAIDLAW: I will refer the honourable member's
question to the Minister and bring back a reply.
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