These symptoms impacted on a child's relationship with family, friends and teachers, and on their learning.
"Ultimately they can have a considerably negative effect on the child or young person's self-esteem, confidence and mental health."
Dr Jones said while it was rare to diagnose any under-5s, about 1200 children and young people locally could be affected by ADHD.
The diagnosis process for ADHD was long and complex and involved several parties, while the most affected were aged 5-14, he said.
About 80 per cent of children who received stimulant medication for ADHD improved significantly, Dr Jones said.
However, medications could interfere with sleep and impact on appetite and growth.
Family First New Zealand national director Bob McCoskrie said the group was outraged at the number of children prescribed drugs for hyperactivity.
Better diagnosis with second opinions and treatment of underlying problems should be the priority, Mr McCoskrie said.
"Doctors are under pressure for a quick fix when counselling, better diet, firm discipline and a decent sleep pattern would be better."
Mr McCoskrie said the group was aware of children being sent to doctors where a prognosis of ADHD was most likely.
"We may be just drugging kids up to mask the real issues of the effects of food additives, sleep deprivation, family breakdown and stress, lack of discipline and under-stimulation for bright children."
In 2002, there were about 4000 prescriptions for subsidised stimulants or ADHD medication in the Bay. In 2011, there were about 5200.
Child psychotherapist Augustina Driessen said Family First was right and ADHD medication was being rolled out too quickly.
"I have dealt with children who have a label of ADHD, however when I work with these children, I often feel they should not be on medication," Mrs Driessen said.
"When discussing the problem with parents, they will actually agree for the children to go off medication and have family therapy instead."
Mrs Driessen said she found many children were hyperactive because they did not receive enough attention at home.
"They do not play enough to deal with their emotions as this happens through play ... when they are being put on medication the root of the problem is not dealt with, just dealing with the symptoms. The children often tell me they do not feel well on medication."
Ms Driessen said technology such as iPads, phones, PlayStations and computers were a huge problem and there needed to be more quality time with parents. "Parents need to play with them, listen, communicate, let their children make eye contact with them. It is such a problem, so many children, the parents don't even ask how their day went."
ADHD stigma makes parents wary
Welcome Bay boys Kade and Brock Allen are a perfect example of how ADHD and its treatment can impact on a family.
Jodi Hobbs' 8 and 6-year-old boys have both been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder - a medical term for a group of symptoms such as extreme impulsiveness, hyperactivity and inattention.
While Kade had been treated with medication, Ms Hobbs and her partner were still finding the right treatment for Brock.
Ms Hobbs said there was a lot of misunderstanding surrounding ADHD "even within our own families".
"People don't believe in ADHD. People think it's just a lack of discipline," she said.
Ms Hobbs said this made her wary about where she and her boys went and what they did.
"It's a hard one, how you are judged, just when you are trying to deal with them when you are out and people don't know.
"They just think they are misbehaving because you don't label it.
"You don't say 'oh, he's got ADHD'. You are always feeling that [judgment]."
Doctors did not diagnose either boy until they were six, standard protocol for most district health boards in New Zealand.
Kade is now 8-years-old and "a different person" with treatment. However, Brock had an extreme amount of energy, and was quick to talk and act.
The process of diagnosis through to finding the right treatment was long and thorough, Ms Hobbs said.
"We had to go to psychologists, the doctor, a whole lot of tests were done, cognitive tests ... It wasn't 'this is a naughty kid, let's chuck him on Ritalin'. There was a process," Ms Hobbs said.
After trialling both the slow and long-release medications available for ADHD, Kade chose his preference.
"We've noticed a huge improvement," Ms Hobbs said.
"A lot of our family have too. At school when he would normally write only two lines in writing time, he is now writing three pages because he is not spending his time annoying others. He is more focussed, attentive."
