ADHD and Childhood Epilepsy: An Egyptian Comparative Study

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Psychiatry, Minia University, Egypt

2 Department of Neurology, Minia University, Egypt

Abstract

Background: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and epilepsy are both 
common childhood disorders and both can have significant negative consequences on a 
child's behavioral, learning, and social development. Objectives: To estimate the prevalence
of ADHD in children with epilepsy, prevalence of electroencephalographic (EEG) 
abnormalities in ADHD children, and to study the relation between ADHD and epilepsy. 
Subjects and Methods: This study included 71 patients; 40 patients diagnosed clinically as 
ADHD according to DSM-V. and 31 patients with epilepsy during the period of 6 months 
from 1 Jan. 2019 to 30 June 2019. The age of both groups of patients ranged between 4-16 
years old. All patients were subjected to detailed history taking, thorough general and 
neurological examination, EEG study and assessment of ADHD symptoms using Conners' 
Parent Rating Scales–Revised: Long (CPRS–R:L). Children with apparent intellectual 
disabilities were excluded. Results: Eighteen patients (58.1%) of the epilepsy group were 
diagnosed as having ADHD according to CPRS–R:L, while EEG showed epileptiform 
changes in 13 patients (32.5%) of the ADHD group. There were highly significant difference 
between ADHD and Epilepsy group regarding (CPRS–R:L) subscales as inattention, 
impulsivity, hyperactivity cognitions and Emotional lability. However, There were no 
correlations between the age of patients in ADHD group and subscales of CPRS–R:L except 
in cognition and inattention subscales (p = 0.023 & 0.048 respectively). There were 
significant correlation between emotional-lability and inattention subscales of CPRS-R:L in 
ADHD group and gender of the patients. Emotional lability and inattention were significantly 
more among males in ADHD group. There were no significant difference in EEG changes or 
their laterality and degree of CPRS–R:L either total scores or its subscales for both groups.
Conclusions: ADHD was diagnosed in epileptic children and EEG changes were prevalent in 
ADHD children, highly significant difference between ADHD and epilepsy group regarding 
CPRS–R:L subscales as inattention, impulsivity, hyperactivity, cognition and lability.

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