[A survey on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder]

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder described in international classifications and thought to affect about 5% of school-aged children and 3% of adults in the general population. In France, most clinicians are not formally trained in assessing and treating ADHD, leading to underdiagnosis of the disorder. ADHD impacts all the aspects of these children's daily life (school performance, family and social life) and later their adult life. We invited all the private-practice pediatricians in the east of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region (southeast France) to participate in a survey: 57 out of 81 accepted. The results show that their knowledge on ADHD could be improved, and that their a priori conception of the etiology of the disorder (neurodevelopmental syndrome versus societal syndrome) guides their clinical approach. We recommend pediatricians be trained to improve screening, diagnosis, and ADHD treatment monitoring in children. This recommendation might also apply to general practitioners for children and parents/adults.