Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has become the focus of widespread research, and scientific evidence has grown rapidly in recent years. In spite of this, variations in practice are known to occur between clinical settings and European countries – and, what is more, effective care may not be delivered uniformly throughout Europe. There has been public hostility in some countries towards the use of psychostimulants in children, and some practitioners are still reluctant to use methylphenidate to treat hyperactive children.