Roland Liive lives in Saaremaa. He has a child with attention and hyperactivity disorder. Liive said that in Saaremaa, elementary school-aged children cannot receive psychiatric help.
Liive and journalist Helle Tiikmaa are both parents. They have concerns about their children's health. Tiikmaa's son has autism. She says that getting a diagnosis took time. The son studied individually and graduated from high school. His English exam result was 96 points.
Tiikmaa's son is now 24 years old. He is intelligent but has communication difficulties. Tiikmaa says that as a mother, she has both easy and hard moments. The son needs regular psychiatric help.
When the son became an adult, it was difficult to find a new doctor. Tiikmaa tried through the free system, but it didn't work. In the end, she had to go to a paid doctor. It cost 170 euros and took a lot of time.
Liive says that getting mental health help depends on where you live. In big cities, it's easier, but in remote areas, it's harder. His child was referred to Pärnu, but the waiting time was three months.
The family had to go to a private clinic. It cost a lot of money and time. Liive spent 1100 euros just on doctor visits. In addition, there were lost work hours and travel expenses.
Liive says that money is not the most important thing. What matters is how society treats mental health issues. He joined the Estonian ADHD Association to help others. His son said that the medications gave him peace. This is what he wishes for everyone.