South African Psychiatry - November 2020

ADHD CONGRESS
1 ST SOUTHERN AFRICAN MULTIDISCIPLINARY ADHD CONGRESS
HOT TOPICS IN ADHD
AND THE TALE OF THE
GOLDILOCKS AND THE
BEAR FOUNDATION
Claire Tobin
The last day of the ADHD Congress was filled
with invaluable information that highlighted
the importance of research into the definition,
treatment and aetiology of ADHD, early
diagnosis, and comorbidities commonly seen in
individuals with ADHD. It also drew attention to the
particularly important work done by the Goldilocks
and The Bear Foundation to assist in the early
intervention of mental health conditions in children.
Dr Anton Rossouw, the CEO and founder of Lifepath
Health Group opened proceedings on the last day.
Study, the ADHD prevalence
rate worldwide amounts to
approximately 73 million
people.
• In South Africa in particular,
the ADHD Support Group
of South Africa, estimates
that between 8 – 10% of
people present with ADHD
(approximately 5 million
people).
Claire Tobin
HE DESCRIBED THEIR INVOLVEMENT
IN THE CONGRESS AS A PASSION-
DRIVEN INITIATIVE WHICH CAN
MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF
MANY INDIVIDUALS AND TO BE PART
OF DEVELOPING A SOLUTION-DRIVEN
PLATFORM FOR ADHD.
This included raising funds for the Goldilocks
and the Bear Foundation, a registered non-profit
organisation, who are the driving force for screening
and intervention of ADHD in under-resourced
communities. He also highlighted that:
• According to the 2017 Global Burden of Disease
LANDMARK PUBLICATIONS IN ADHD: JUNE
2018 – JUNE 2020
This interesting topic was presented by a pioneer
in child psychiatry, Dr Rene Nassen, who is both
the head of the Child and Adolescent Mental
Health Services at Lentegeur Hospital and a senior
lecturer at the University of Stellenbosch. She laid
the foundation for her presentation by summarizing
a research review by Cortese, et al. (2020) which
identified the scientific advances in research on
ADHD during the past 20 years. This included the
transition of the diagnostic definition of ADHD from
the DSM 4 to the DSM 5, epidemiological changes,
possible genetic and environmental causes of
ADHD, neuroimaging and neurocognition studies
SOUTH AFRICAN PSYCHIATRY ISSUE 25 2020 * 47