One of Australia’s best-known TV characters is at the centre of a lively online debate about whether she has a neurodevelopmental disorder.

The internet has gone wild in recent weeks, theorising that Bluey, the star of the eponymous animated kids’ TV hit, has Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder.

Fans and online sleuths have diagnosed Australia’s favourite dog with the condition because she shows signs of hyperactivity.

“Have we talked about Bluey’s ADHD? … My theory is that Bluey also has ADHD, but presents like a girl with ADHD,” one person said in a Reddit post.

“She just keeps talking nonstop, asks questions but doesn’t really listen to the answers, and does whatever task she doesn’t want to do very slowly and whinges a lot.”

Young girls with ADHD often present different symptoms from boys, including appearing withdrawn, daydreaming, difficulty maintaining focus and a lack of motivation, which can often lead to under-diagnosis.

These traits, however, may also be because Bluey is a blue heeler, known for their hyperactive and energetic nature.

“She’s a cattle dog puppy, so to me that explains a lot. Source: A family member has a blue heeler, they’re exhausting,” another person responded.

Another pointed out: “They’re Heelers aka a hyperactive breed. But also she’s a young child aka a hyperactive stage of life. It’s not that deep, y’all.”

The conversation has also spread to the Adult Bluey Fans Facebook group, with people arriving at the same conclusions.

Jack Russell, a student at Bluey’s school, is confirmed by the show to have ADHD. Photo: ABC

Neurodivergent characters

Bluey already has an ADHD-diagnosed character in Jack Russell, who debuted in season two.

He is a sensitive kid who finds it difficult to sit still or remember to do what he has been told, but has an imaginative streak and loves to “play army”.

At school, Jack Russell displays typical signs of ADHD in young boys, including being unable to sit still, constantly fidgeting, being unable to concentrate on tasks, and excessive physical movement and talking.

Without any official word from Bluey‘s producers, the most famous cartoon character to be diagnosed with the condition remains Bart Simpson – in a 1999 episode of The Simpsons.

He is prescribed a parody of a common ADHD medication, Ritalin,  which at first improves his performance at school.

Eventually, however, it makes Bart become psychotic and paranoid about Major League Baseball spying on his home town.

Treatment

ADHD is both hereditary, passed on by parents, and influenced by non-inherited factors.

There are three types of ADHD that can be diagnosed by a psychiatrist: Predominantly inattentive, predominantly hyperactive-impulsive and a combination of the two.

Although they present different symptoms, they are all commonly treated using a combination of medication, education and psychological counselling.

Stimulants, like Adderall and Ritalin, are commonly prescribed because of their focusing effects on people with the condition.

Another treatment is regular exercise: 30 to 40 minutes a day, four to five times a week, has been found to alleviate some symptoms of ADHD.

Education and awareness about the condition have increased over previous years, but it remains still under-diagnosed in Australia, particularly for women.

“The primary barrier is that experienced clinicians who can do the diagnosis are in the private system and not the public system,” Professor Mark Bellgrove, an expert in ADHD research, previously told The New Daily.

“There’s almost no publicly funded treatment and diagnosis for adult ADHD.”

The number of stimulants prescribed globally suggests about 2.5 per cent of people have ADHD, however, the Australian population is well below that level.