HYPERACTIVITY AND/OR ATTENTION PROBLEMS AND ATTENTION DEFICIT AND HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER IN CHILDREN

Objective:

The aim of this study was to evaluate the attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder in children whose primary complaint were hyperactivity and/or attention problems.

Method:

Fifty two children between ages 7-15 years who were admitted to a university clinic with hyperactivity and/or attention problems were assessed with interviews by two child psychiatrist and diagnosis were made according to DSM-IV criterias. DSM-IV Based Child and Adolescent Behavior Disorders Screening and Rating Scale and the Parent and Teacher Forms were also applied to get information about hyperactivity and attention problems.

Results:

Out of 52 children (44 males, 8 females, mean age 111.7±25.1 months), 17 (32,7 %) were diagnosed as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), 13 (25 %) as major depression and/or anxiety disorder and 11 (21,2 %) as other psychiatric disorders (tic disorder, learning disorder, etc). No psychopathology was detected in 11 cases (21,2 %). Significant differences were not found between groups according to DSM-IV Based Child and Adolescent Behavior Disorders Screening and Rating Scale and Parent and Teacher Forms.

Discussion:

Two thirds of the children whose primary complaint was hyperactivity and/or attention problems were not diagnosed as ADHD. Although ADHD and depression and/or anxiety disorder were the most frequent diagnosis in outpatients, almost one fifth of the cases had no psychiatric disorder which can lead to these problems. These findings emphasized that attention and/or hyperactivity problems can not only be present in ADHD cases, but also in other childhood psychiatric disorders; particularly in depression and anxiety disorders. This study also revealed the importance of clinician's role during the diagnostic process.