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Review of clinical guidelines for children and adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and their application to an Irish context

Background: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder with international prevalence rates estimated to be 5%. It is currently the most common disorder treated in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services in Ireland. There have been a number of guidelines worldwide produced to aid clinicians in the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD; however, there are no guidelines available specifically for the Irish population and healthcare system. Objectives: The aim of this paper is to review the available clinical guidelines for the diagnosis and management of ADHD in children adolescents across North America, Canada, Europe and the United Kingdom and to apply these to an Irish context. Methods: A number of international guidelines were reviewed. A proposed pathway for the assessment and treatment of children and adolescents with ADHD has been devised with the recommendation that a formalised consensus guideline should be implemented. Conclusion: This review paper has highlighted that there is consensus between the guidelines for the diagnosis of ADHD with a thorough clinical history remaining the gold standard. They further agree on the importance of identifying co-morbid disorders. When it comes to the treatment, the guidelines are less unified. This current paper has devised a proposed care pathway for ADHD in Ireland to ensure high quality cost effective care within its healthcare system.