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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Politics
Alexandra Topping

UK children waiting 16 months on average for ADHD and autism screening – study

Sad girl in hooded top, sitting on a window ledge with head in hands in despair
Experts say the long waits for diagnosis and treatment are putting a generation of neurodiverse children at risk of mental illness. Photograph: Elva Etienne/Alamy

Children with suspected ADHD and autism are waiting as long as seven years for treatment on the NHS, as the health service struggles to manage a surge in demand during a crisis in child mental health.

Experts said “inhumane” waits are putting a generation of neurodiverse children at risk of mental illness as they are “pushed to the back of a very long queue” for children and adolescent mental health services (Camhs).

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