Management of ADHD in children and adolescents: clinical audit in a South African setting

Abstract

We recommend introducing structured protocols followed by re-auditing to improve service delivery, and present a checklist for use in future audit cycles.

Vocal Characteristics of School-Aged Children With and Without Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

“…Seventy eight percent of these children with ADHD (n=25) had clinically significant changes to the anatomy of their VF, most commonly VFN. Given the proposed high prevalence of VFN in the schoolaged population with ADHD, the chronicity of ADHD and the added risk of comorbid conditions, any effort to ameliorate or reduce the effect of subsequent disorders or difficulties of ADHD should be made efficiently and effectively (Chorozoglou, Smith, Koerting, Sayal, & Sonuga-Barke, 2015;Vrba, et al, 2016).…”

“…This inflates the costs incurred by the families of these children even further. In South Africa, as in other low and middle income countries (LMICs,) the reality remains that families from LSES with children with ADHD simply do not have the means to afford or access such services (Vrba, et al, 2016).…”

“…[2,3,4,5] In South Africa, a recent clinical audit at the Red Cross War Memorial Hospital reported that the prevalence rate of paediatric ADHD was 8.5%. [6] A number of predisposing factors play a role in the high prevalence of the disorder and leave people, from low and middle income households, vulnerable to ADHD. [7] The majority of people in South Africa are classified as having a low socioeconomic status (LSES) and are often at a greater risk for ADHD and its associated comorbid psychiatric illnesses.…”

“…[7] The majority of people in South Africa are classified as having a low socioeconomic status (LSES) and are often at a greater risk for ADHD and its associated comorbid psychiatric illnesses. [6] Factors that play a role in the high prevalence of ADHD include decreased school enrolment, the level of parental education, parental mental health status, familial conflict and structure, being male, perinatal consumption of/exposure to toxins (especially tobacco and/or alcohol), difficulties during childbirth, brain injury as well as HIV/AIDS. [7,6] Approximately 60% of children with ADHD experience other significant comorbid impairments.…”

“…[6] Factors that play a role in the high prevalence of ADHD include decreased school enrolment, the level of parental education, parental mental health status, familial conflict and structure, being male, perinatal consumption of/exposure to toxins (especially tobacco and/or alcohol), difficulties during childbirth, brain injury as well as HIV/AIDS. [7,6] Approximately 60% of children with ADHD experience other significant comorbid impairments. [8,9,20,11] These impairments include, amongst others, substantial speech-language and social communication difficulties.…”