Economic Costs of Raising a Child with ADHD in Norway: A Needs-Based Approach

Abstract

This article presents an analysis of the everyday costs of caring for a child with a disability guided by the budget standard approach and the theoretical frameworks of human need and capability. The analysis is based on 30 in-depth digital interviews with 15 families raising children with ADHD in Norway. We find that all families interviewed have needs leading to increased economic costs at the household level. However, the estimated cost increase and the associated cost drivers vary substantially between the families, ranging between an approximate 1667% increase in monthly costs compared to the Norwegian Reference Budget.