There has been an "astonishing rise" in the number of children being prescribed medication for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to the Scottish Conservatives.
Figures from ISD Scotland show 9,810 people were given ADHD drugs last year - many aged between five and 14 - which is a 9.9% increase on 2013/14 and a 46.2% rise since 2009/10.
The study also found the total number of ADHD prescription items dispensed rose by 6.9% between 2013/14 and 2014/15 to 105,562, and the number of items dispensed has been increasing consistently over the last 10 years, rising by 146.4% overall from 42,832 in 2004/05.
The majority of those diagnosed with ADHD are male, with youngsters in the most deprived areas around three times more likely to be diagnosed than their wealthier contemporaries, the figures show.
NHS Borders has the highest rate of people being treated for the condition, followed by health boards in Fife and Tayside.
The cost of prescribing the medication has also increased, costing £1.5 million 10 years ago and £5.3 million now.
The Scottish Conservatives claimed the figures raise concerns that schools and health boards are facing an unmanageable challenge when it comes to the provision of services for children with additional support needs, specifically whether or not all those needs are being correctly identified and treated effectively.
The party's young people spokeswoman Liz Smith said: "These statistics are a matter of very serious concern. AHDH is - as every parent, teacher and medical professional knows - a very challenging condition which can put significant strains on families and on support services.
"That's why it is imperative that we understand exactly why this astonishing rise has occurred and, just as importantly, whether the correct diagnosis is being made.
"The Additional Support for Learning (Scotland) Act 2009 redefined the definition of special needs. This legislation was based on good intentions in terms of helping our most vulnerable children but, at the time, serious concerns were raised about whether the definition had become too wide and whether some children were being defined with support needs when, in fact, they did not have them.
"The extent of the rise in these statistics suggest these concerns might have some truth.
"The implications of these statistics pose serious difficulties for schools at a time when many are already facing a decline in teacher numbers and they also put much more pressure on both health and social services at a time when they too are facing cutbacks.
"These issues are particularly challenging in some of Scotland's most deprived communities.
"It is imperative that we listen to expert advice when it comes to addressing these issues and that additional focus is put on training teachers and support staff so that they can quickly identify problems in the earliest stages.
"And as well as this being an issue of concern for children, we also have to ask if our schools can cope with this worrying trend, and if teachers have adequate training and support to deal with the very challenging issues these conditions present."
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