A Reading mum is calling for more support for parents of children with ADHD.

Andrea Jones, who set up her beauty therapy business to work around her daughter Mia's needs, believes there is a lack of understanding about the disorder.

She said: "There seems to be a common misconception that it is mostly children who are affected by ADHD.

"But those children will take ADHD into their adult life, and there should be more awareness of the condition to help parents give their child the appropriate care.

"Being a parent is challenging enough, but when you have a child with ADHD it creates an additional set of responsibilities."

Her comments come during ADHD Awareness Month, which aims to highlight the challenges faced by those with the disorder.

Research by University College London has found that ADHD diagnoses and prescriptions for medication have increased significantly over the past two decades.

Despite this, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence estimates that only 600,000 of the approximately 2.6 million people in the UK with the disorder have been formally diagnosed.

ADHD is more common in boys than girls, with three times as many boys diagnosed.

Ms Jones believes more needs to be done to help parents identify the signs of ADHD in their children.

She said: "It does help when there is a diagnosis, but with so many children going undiagnosed, I do think there should be more information for parents regarding what signs to look out for if they notice certain behaviour patterns with their child - and more support and advice to help parents provide appropriate care if their child has ADHD.

"It can have a negative impact on parents psychologically if they and other parents perceive their child to be disruptive and badly behaved."

ADHD is defined by the World Health Organization as being characterised by a persistent pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that has a direct negative impact on academic, occupational, or social functioning, the level of which is outside the limits of normal variation expected for age and level of intellectual functioning.

Ms Jones believes more awareness about ADHD will lead to more children being diagnosed and will provide reassurance to parents who might be experiencing feelings of guilt and anxiety about their child's behaviour.

She also highlighted the number of adults who live with ADHD without realising it.