Psychiatry Research EG

Background The majority of the children with attention-deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) are affected by comorbid psychiatric conditions. Objective The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of depressive episodes among children with ADHD and associate it with other symptomatology and demographic features. Methods Forty-nine children were recruited from the outpatient clinic of the Okasha Institute of Psychiatry, Ain Shams University at random. They were assessed by history taking, review of their records, and examination based on the ICD-10 criteria and a child behavior checklist. Results Depressive episodes were observed in 36.73% of the children with ADHD. Significant associations were found between the presence of depression among children with ADHD and the presence of chronic medical disorders, stuttering, nocturnal enuresis, and a low IQ. Conclusion Higher rates of depressive episodes in children with ADHD in the presence of chronic medical disorders, stuttering, nocturnal enuresis, and a low IQ require special attention while diagnosing and planning treatment. Keywords: attention-deficit hyperactive disorder, chronic medical disorders, depressive episodes, low IQ, nocturnal enuresis, stuttering