The oldest support group in Britain is the Hyperactive Children's Support Group (HACSG), founded in 1977, which offers counselling, education and research, and a quarterly journal for members. It supports a nutritional approach and also advocates heavy metal assessment, and rejects the use of MHP. For further free information, send an SAE to: HACSG, 71 Whyke Lane, Chichester, West Sussex PO19 2LD (tel: 01903 725 182 between 10 am and 1 pm weekdays; see also www.hacsg.org).

In Scotland, the Overload Network International, run by Janice Hill (tel: 0131 555 4967; SAE to: 58 North Fort Road, Edinburgh EH6 6HN), and Attention Fife, run by Barbara Naumann (tel: 01592 890 346) advocate a nutritional/detox approach and reject MHP.The ADHD Family Support Group UK (President: Mrs Gillian Mead, 1a High Street, Dilton, Westbury, Wilts BA13 4DL; send SAE), advocates MPH and other drugs, and rejects dietary approaches. Its literature on the subject, written by Dr Peter Cosgrove, is underinformed and biased towards medication (helpline: 01373 826 0450).

A new group, ADHD National Alliance, is headed by Jim Hedgeland of Contact a Family (170 Tottenham Court Road, London W1T 7HA; tel: 0207 380 1261) and funded by the DoH. It aims to bring together the different approaches to ADHD and has a list of various other groups from promedication ones to those who use herbs and complementary therapies which offer help and information on ADHD.