30/10/2026
A child who struggles to sit still. A student who frequently forgets instructions. An adult who finds it difficult to organize tasks or manage time.
These behaviors are often misunderstood - but sometimes, there's more to the story.
A study involving 1,125 primary school children in Colombo District found that 6.5% were identified as having ADHD. Meanwhile, a study of 458 teachers in Anuradhapura District found that 45.5% lacked sufficient knowledge about ADHD.
These findings highlight why awareness matters. They are study-specific results, not nationwide estimates.
ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition - not a character flaw, a lack of intelligence or simply poor discipline.
Understand the signs. Challenge the stigma. Support the person.
Sources: Nazeer et al., Journal of Attention Disorders (2022); Navoda et al., (2023), Sri Lankan teacher knowledge study.