Support for Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity

Miss Cheryl Chan Wei Ling asked the Minister for Health (a) whether the Ministry has any plans to work with the Ministry of Education in identifying and providing more support for children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD); (b) whether diagnostic methods will be deployed with the expansion of early childhood centres; and (c) whether more subsidy schemes will be made available for children who require medication and behavioural or psychological treatments.

The Ministry of Health has worked with the Ministry of Education and other agencies to better identify and support children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

For school-going children at or above the age of seven, we have established multidisciplinary teams under the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) Child Guidance Clinic, KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH) and National University Hospital (NUH) comprising psychiatrists and mental health professionals who work with school counsellors and allied educators to assist students with ADHD and other emotional or behavioural difficulties. This programme is called REACH, which stands for Response, Early Intervention and Assessment in Community Mental Health. There are currently four REACH teams serving schools in the North, South, East and West zones. The children may be referred to IMH’s Child Guidance Clinic, NUH’s Department of Psychological Medicine or KKH’s Child and Adolescent Mental Wellness Service for assessment and interventions.

As a child's development and function may change with age, healthcare professionals generally avoid making a definitive diagnosis of ADHD at younger ages. Nevertheless, children below the age of seven with suspected developmental conditions, including ADHD, can be identified through touchpoints, such as doctors and preschool teachers. Preschool teachers who identify children with suspected developmental delays may flag them to specially trained Learning Support Educators who will, in turn, screen the children for referral to assessment and review Termed the Case Filter Meeting. These sessions are chaired by KKH and NUH paediatricians to determine the needs of the child and whether they need to be referred to KKH and NUH's Child Development Programme for further assessments and early intervention through therapies and medical follow-up.

There are also other support programmes outside of our hospitals. Those with milder needs may be supported under the Development Support programme offered in some 350 participating preschools, where services are provided by specially trained early childhood professionals or therapists. Those with moderate to severe developmental needs can be referred to 21 Early Intervention Programme for Infants and Children centres run by voluntary welfare organisations.

The REACH service and other services which I have mentioned receive heavy Government subsidies to keep the services affordable. Parents who have financial difficulties can approach the relevant agencies for additional assistance.