Prevalence of comorbidities in children with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder at Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children, Sri Lanka

Abstract

Background: Attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has a high prevalence and is frequently associated with comorbid illnesses. Objective: To assess the comorbid patterns, sociodemographic profiles, management patterns and outcomes amongst children with ADHD presenting to the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services at the Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children. Method: Two hundred patients, aged 6-12 years, diagnosed with ADHD, were assessed for their demographic features and comorbidities based on DSM IV criteria. Results: Of the 200 children, 166 (83%) were male and 198 (99%) were schooling. While 108 (54%) had a single neuropsychiatric comorbidity, 30 (15%) had 2 comorbidities and 1 (0.5%) had 3 comorbidities. Specific developmental disorder of scholastic skills (SDDSS) was the most prevalent comorbidity and was seen in 90 (45%) patients. Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) was seen in 56 (28%) children and 17 (8.5%) had both SDDSS and ODD. In the sample, 90% of children were born of uneventful deliveries. Postnatal complications were found in 12% children. In the sample, 30% had a history of febrile fits and 2.5% had a history of afebrile fits. Conclusions: In this sample of 200 children with diagnosed ADHD, 139 (69.5%) had one or more neuropsychiatric comorbidities. SDDSS was the most prevalent comorbidity.