Rush to Diagnose ADHD and Autism is Damaging Children, Major Review Warns

Britain risks harming a generation of children by over-diagnosing ADHD and autism, a major review has warned, with autism diagnosis rates soaring by up to 40-fold despite no evidence of a genuine increase in prevalence. The Mail has more.

Parents are incentivised to have their children diagnosed by misguided schools and welfare systems that reward such “labels”, the report found.

Youngsters have also been influenced by social media posts that wrongly present common traits as evidence of the conditions.

There were warnings last night that children could be defined by such characterisations, steering them towards a life of benefits and unemployment. 

Autism diagnosis rates have soared by up to 40-fold in recent years, but the Government-commissioned review found no evidence that the number of autistic children has actually increased.

Clinical psychologist Professor Peter Fonagy raised concerns about the “consistency and quality” of ADHD and autism assessments carried out by private providers, whose numbers have rocketed as the NHS struggles to cope with demand.

Private firms now conduct more than half of NHS-funded ADHD assessments and a third of autism ones, but they are poorly regulated and are allowed to advertise their services directly to potential customers, with the NHS often picking up the ballooning bill.

Last month, a survey of GPs said many had never known a private provider to reject a diagnosis request.

Professor Fonagy calls misdiagnosis and overdiagnosis “harmful” because they may lead to unnecessary or inappropriate treatment, delay appropriate support for other issues and lower expectations of what children can achieve.

His report notes that children diagnosed with ADHD before 17 are around four times less likely to be in education, employment or training in early adulthood, with each youngster in this situation costing taxpayers £244,000 over their lifetime.

Tory work and pensions spokesman Helen Whately said: “Too many people are defined by their diagnosis, not by what they can achieve – and it’s starting younger.

“Children are told something is ‘wrong’ with them, put on disability living allowance then move straight on to personal independence payments. All they ever hear is what they can’t do.

“Sickness benefit claims have doubled since 2019, but the country isn’t twice as sick. Many of the conditions are real – but they are not reasons to not work.

“Parking people on benefits isn’t kind or compassionate.”

Professor Sir Simon Wessely, Vice-Chairman of the review, warned a diagnosis could “close doors” and “define you by your difficulties – not your strengths, circumstances, and potentials”.

Professor Fonagy, who is head of the UCL Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, concludes that the current model of care fails patients and requires “radical reform”.

Worth reading in full.