Fifteen-minute consultation: To prescribe or not to prescribe in ADHD, that is the question

Abstract

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is fraught with controversy. Some clinicians believe it is a biological neurodevelopmental disorder which should be treated with medication. Others are adamant that ADHD is a social construct in which children, who have suffered developmental trauma, are medicalised. Evolutionary science may help us find a solution to this dichotomy by seeing ADHD as an example of an evolutionary mismatch in which children with ADHD are caught in a school environment that does not suit their natures. By considering how to improve the ‘goodness of fit’ between the child and their environment, clinicians can be more flexible in finding solutions that are ethically sound.