On Wednesday June 12, national day for attention deficit disorder with or without hyperactivity (ADHD), the conference will be held What recommendations for ADHD? at the Ministry of Labor, Health and Solidarity. Eight months after the presentation of the national strategy for neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD) 2023-2027, this day is also an opportunity to take stock of actions for the benefit of ADHD people and their families.
TND: autism, Dys disorders, ADHD and DID are the subject of a transversal approach and specific actions per disorder. ADHD is no exception. Diagnosis, schooling, employment, research… all fields are addressed so that the 6% of ADHD children and 3% of adults see their quality of life increase sustainably. In France, this represents a total of more than two million people, including 600,000 under the age of 20.
RESEARCH
There scientific production by French teams on ADHD increased by 48% during the period 2019-2023. France is in 8th placee European position, out of 30 countries, in number of publications on ADHD in 2023. The dynamism of this transdisciplinary community has made it possible to better understand the origin of these disorders but also to better characterize clinical situations in order to propose new interventions. Some examples :
- Recent work has demonstrated that the impact of ADHD is often underestimated (“it’s just ADHD”) while ADHD is often at the heart of “complex” situations », which can combine life-long behavioral disorders, psychological or addictive disorders, and the co-existence of other neurodevelopmental disorders.
- At a time when France is hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Lyon center of excellence – neurodevelopmental disorders is launching a study on high-level athletes and ADHD. The objective is to better support athletes, and in particular those working at a professional level, when they stop practicing.
- To always better disseminate the excellence of practices in our country, a 6th center of excellence on neurodevelopmental disorders will be created in order to always better support the territories in training, identification and research around disorders such as ADHD.
DIAGNOSIS AND SUPPORT
- In 2023, ADHD represents 17% of diagnoses established by coordination and guidance platforms welcoming all children aged 0-6 referred for a suspected neurodevelopmental disorder. Because these disorders are often detected later, the deployment of these same platforms for the 7-12 age group continues.
- Currently, the people concerned and their families are still struggling to identify the structures that can provide a diagnosis and comprehensive care including medical care.
- An ADHD sector will be structured throughout the national territory, in order to optimize the identification, diagnosis and treatment of ADHD at all ages. These ADHD “resource” centers will be certified throughout the country on the basis of specifications developed with all expert professionals and representatives of the families concerned. The regional health agencies (ARS) will conduct a call for applications intended to identify the centers. The system’s ramp-up is expected from the beginning of 2025 in all regions.
- In addition, work is underway with the National Psychiatry Commission (CNP) in order to draw up an inventory of the existing mental health care offering, and contributing to the management of neurodevelopmental disorders (including ADHD) in out-of-hospital structures.
SCHOOLING AND HIGHER EDUCATION
- ADHD students have until now benefited from common law compensation at school, in particular support from an AESH, or educational adjustments. From the next school year, the opening of self-regulation systems (DAR) at school, middle school and high school will continue. Self-regulation allows students to learn to manage their emotions, regulate their behavior and develop learning strategies. It is therefore particularly suitable for students with ADHD.
- At the start of the 2024 school year: 19 DARs will open in the 1st degree and 23 DARs in the 2nd degree. By 2027: 111DAR in 2n/a degree and potentially up to 122 DAR in the 1er degree (depending on the choices of academies and ARS to open a DAR or a UEEA).
- As for higher education, the student support program Atypical Friendly now supports students, whatever their neurodevelopmental disorder, at university but also in major schools. Raising awareness of ADHD among students, but also among teachers, will continue, encouraging more and more establishments to sign the charter. Atypical Friendly.
PRESCRIPTION
- Finally, work is underway with the national agency for the safety of medicines and health products (ANSM) in order to secure and adapt the prescribing rules relating to methylphenidate, a molecule prescribed as first-line treatment for ADHD. The challenge is to facilitate access to these treatments, prescribed by trained doctors.
Contact, interministerial delegation to the national strategy for neurodevelopmental disorders
Arnaud Lestang: 06.30.84.25.12
