Rise in ADHD Contributing to One in Nine Children Classified as Having a Disability
Lockdown had a negative impact on children’s mental health, with the sharpest rise being in diagnoses of ADHD as more people seek out labels and benefit claims for ‘a generation in pain’ soar.
One in nine children are now classified as having some form of disability as parents and young people themselves seek diagnoses for mental health conditions and behavioral problems.
The most significant increase has been in diagnoses for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), with concerns about over-diagnosing the condition and the medicalization of human behavior and everyday problems.
The latest figures show that 11 percent of children were classified as having some form of disability in 2021—2022, up from eight percent before the lockdowns in 2019—2020, and six percent a decade earlier.
Around 16 million people across the UK are now considered to have a disability, including an estimated 1.6 million children, many of whom have mental health problems or are considered “neurodiverse,” which refers to those on the autism spectrum or with ADHD.
Parents can claim disability allowance for their children if they are diagnosed with certain conditions, and more than 650,000 children receive payments worth up to £172.50 a week, according to the latest official figures—an increase of 17 percent since before the lockdowns, compared with an average rise of 3 percent across all age groups.
Just under half of these claims are for children with learning disabilities, which has seen a 37 percent increase in five years. Many of these children also have a diagnosis of ADHD or autism alongside physical disabilities.
Serious Lockdown Harms to Children
Claims for children with a diagnosis of ADHD have more than doubled since before the lockdowns, making up a fifth of children’s claims. Last year, nearly 140,000 children were receiving payments for behavioral disorders, while issues such as anxiety saw a 70 percent increase.
A Westminster Hall debate highlighted that lockdowns have led to a serious downturn in children’s mental health, particularly the rise of mental illness among children since the beginning of Covid.
Labour MP Abena Oppong-Asare identified complex causes of mental health problems in children including social disintegration, harmful social media, bullying, climate worries, and anxiety about the future. She also pointed to research by Oxford University which found increased rates of depression among pupils aged 11 to 13 during the lockdown period.
The Economic Case
The debate also recognized a 69 percent increase in disability benefits being claimed for children in the past decade, raising concerns about the potential costs of a generation with various afflictions that may affect their ability to hold down a job.
According to the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, the adult incidence rate of ADHD is between 3 and 4 percent, while the rate for children aged six to eight is 1.5 percent. Additionally, the NHS released data in 2022, showing a 35 percent increase in prescriptions for drugs used to treat the symptoms of ADHD among children and young people in 2020—2021 compared to five years earlier.
Medicalisation of Human Experience
There is concern over over-diagnosing conditions such as ADHD, with a psychotherapist highlighting the potential medicalization of human experience and the pathologization of behavior previously within the norm now being seen as outside the normal.
There is also recognition that labeling everyday problems as mental health issues may fuel a rise in claims, and adverse childhood events, such as poverty, parental addiction, attachment difficulties, and abuse, are contributing factors to the increase in children’s mental health problems.
Health Minister Maria Caulfield stated that the government is investing an extra £2.3 billion a year in mental health services and is spending over £1 billion a year specifically on provision for children and young people. The government is committed to a welfare system that supports the most vulnerable while being fair on the taxpayer, with all benefits subject to claimants meeting eligibility criteria.
Owen Evans contributed to this article.
