A decade ago nobody had heard of Attention Deficit Disorder, or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Now it is estimated as many as ten per cent per cent of children may be affected.

Education reporter Lyn Barton investigates the impact of the illness on the classroom.

STATISTICALLY, there is one in every classroom - one wild child whose behaviour could at best be described as very naughty.

But what used to be blamed on bad parenting or lack of discipline is now more frequently diagnosed as a chemical imbalance in the brain.

Attention Deficit Disorder, or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, is widely recognised as a condition which can make life miserable for a child and those around him.

Youngsters with the disorder are impulsive, reckless, unreasonable, have difficulty concentrating, and are generally disruptive.

On the other hand, they are 'lost' children, isolated and confused underachievers who become loners because they have difficulty making or keeping friends.

Given this, a child with ADD or ADHD in school may sound like a recipe for disaster.

But, it is not, says Elaine Dawson, senior teacher and special education needs co-ordinator at Beckfoot Grammar School.

"They can be a handful to say the least," she said.

"Behavioural problems are, for us and other schools, the most difficult thing to deal with.

"If a child has a bad leg and needs a wheelchair, then they get the wheelchair and the problem is solved, you can concentrate on their education.

"But if a child has behavioural problems, it is the hardest thing to solve."

Beckfoot won praise from government Ofsted inspectors recently for its positive policy of inclusion - ensuring that students who are disabled or have learning difficulties are catered for in mainstream education.

The school in Wagon Lane has one child who has been diagnosed with ADHD. Another two are currently undergoing the long-winded diagnosis procedure.

But Mrs Dawson believes there are more children in the school who display all the symptoms, but have not yet been diagnosed.

Each child with a firm diagnosis will have a Statement of their own special educational needs which details the extra help they need to cope in school.

The school has developed its own strategies to deal with ADD which work around the short concentration spans and impulsive behaviour involved.

Inclusive means children aren't separated, they are given clear targets, carefully monitored by teachers, and receive support from specially trained assistants, teachers and mentors.

The most common treatment once a diagnosis has been obtained is Ritalin. It is not a sedative, but effectively restores the neuro-chemical imbalance in the brain.

Woodend Middle School in Wrose has two children with ADD on its books.

Head teacher Chris Glendinning says medication is crucial in managing them.

"If they don't take their tablets, you can certainly notice the difference.

"We had an incident last week when one of the lads forgot to take his tablet and you knew instantly what the problem was.

"We were able to send home for some medication and someone had to sit with him while it took affect."

Both the pupils at Woodend have a dedicated support assistant.

Looking back over his years in the profession, Mr Glendinning said he had come across many children who in retrospect were clearly suffering from ADD or ADHD, but the condition was simply not known and the children where dismissed as excessively naughty.

Bradford Council has put together a set of guidelines to deal with children who suffer from the condition.

But parental involvement is the key once a child with ADD or ADHD has been admitted to a mainstream school.

External agencies, such a doctors or psychologists are also involved in planning each educational step.

But it is not always a success and unruly and sometimes violent behaviour inevitably steps over the mark occasionally leading to suspension or expulsion from school.

Gill Mead, President of the ADHD Family Support Group UK, described the condition as unique in its ability to distress and tear apart families.

"The kind of pressure of having a child who has not been diagnosed but is showing all the symptoms can be too much for some families and they fall apart."

It is a condition that is awakening a huge amount of interest as the number of positive diagnoses rockets.

"In 1990 throughout the UK you could count the number of cases of ADD or ADHD on the fingers of two hands.

"But now there are 100,000 with either of the two in Britain.

"It is not because there is a sudden epidemic, but because knowledge of the condition has improved and diagnosis is better. Also more and more parents are aware of it and they are pushing for help."

It is believed ADD and ADHD have a genetic foundation. It is common to find that near relatives of a child diagnosed with the disorder suffer, or have suffered from, similar symptoms or learning difficulties in the past.

However, they were probably never diagnosed with ADD or ADHD as the condition has been recognised for less than 20 years.

Experts believe that the number of children suffering from ADD or ADHD could double again this decade as diagnosis is refined further.

In Britain, experts put the incidence rate at one in 100. In America it is a shocking one in 20.

But they believe that while the condition is under-diagnosed in the UK, it is probably over-diagnosed in America and the correct figure is somewhere in between.

Dr Maura Ellis (CORR), consultant child psychiatrist at St Luke's Hospital, said it was an elusive diagnosis to make as many of the symptoms such as inability to concentrate and impulsiveness are common childhood traits.

Behaviour has to be long standing and pervasive, affecting all areas of life.

If a child is just having difficulty at school, a diagnosis of ADD or ADHD may not be appropriate.

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