The NHS has been told it can use a new digital test to speed up the diagnosis of ADHD in children and young people, a process that has often taken years to achieve.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) has issued a draft guideline approving the use of the QbTest by psychiatrists and paediatricians. The computer-based test measures the three main features of ADHD: inattention, impulsivity and hyperactivity.
Clinicians can use the results alongside other information they have gathered to help them diagnose or rule out a young person with the condition. Nice said the test could be used to diagnose six to 17-year-olds in England and Wales.
Experts welcomed the move, saying the QbTest will allow doctors to diagnose more people within six months of their initial assessment.
Dr Jessica Eccles, chair of the Royal College of Psychiatrists’ neurodevelopmental special interest group, said: “People suspected of having ADHD often have to wait months or even years for an assessment, which can prevent them from receiving timely and effective care. All new evidence-based tools should be used to reduce these unacceptable waits and improve the availability of support.”
It is estimated that between 1% and 9% of school-age children in the UK have ADHD, based on various diagnostic criteria.
Well said evidence from the AQUA clinical trial conducted in Nottingham “showed that using the QbTest alongside a standard clinical assessment for ADHD resulted in a diagnostic decision being made for a higher proportion of people within six months of their first assessment appointment when QbTest results were available, compared with when they were not.”
In recent years, the number of under-18s and adults with ADHD has increased, leaving NHS services stretched beyond their capacity to cope.
While some people are diagnosed within months, 24% have to wait up to two years and 10% up to two to three years, according to the Nuffield Trust think tank. reported in april.
The report said delays could cause serious harm to young people under 18. “The impact on children should not be underestimated. Without a formal diagnosis, children and young people suspected of having autism or ADHD may not receive the support they need at school, which can have a significant impact on their life course,” the report said.
Thea Stein, the think tank’s CEO, said: “Speeding up the diagnosis of ADHD in young people is undoubtedly a good thing and the results from this test look encouraging. Six months before a diagnosis is still a significant part of a young person’s life, so while earlier diagnosis is good, it is just one part of a complex process to get the support young people and families need.”
Eccles warned that the trial would only help alleviate the challenges facing ADHD services and that more funding and staff were also needed. “The challenges facing ADHD services will not be solved by new technology alone. There is still a clear need for targeted resources to help them meet the increasing demand and provide essential care,” she said.
Dr Maddie Groom, senior lecturer in applied cognitive developmental neuroscience at the University of Nottingham, who helped develop the test, said: “The QbTest measures a child’s attention, impulse control and physical activity over a 15-20 minute test, whereas more traditional measures collect observational information about the child from those around them, such as parents and teachers, and the child themselves.”