ADHD: Primary Care Perspectives

Table of Contents

1. "My Child is Hyper": How Can My Pediatrician Help?
2. DIAGNOSIS
3. CO-MORBIDITIES
4. DEPRESSIVE DISORDERS
5. ANXIETY DISORDERS
6. OPPOSITIONAL DEFIANT DISORDER
7. AUTISM
8. PHARMACOLOGIC TREATMENT: STIMULANT MEDICATIONS
9. PHARMACOLOGIC TREATMENT: OTHER MEDICATIONS
10. NON-PHARMACOLOGIC MANAGEMENT OF ADHD
11. POST-TEST
12. USEFUL RESOURCES
13. SELECTED REFERENCES
14. THE AUTHORS

CO-MORBIDITIES

Other conditions may co-exist with ADHD. A Review by Green et al (1999) reports the following rates of co-morbid conditions with ADHD:

However, other studies give different prevalence, particularly for conduct disorder. Many child behavior experts feel that conduct disorder is not an appropriate label for the young child at all.

Realizing the prevalence of other disorders among hyperactive children is extremely important for clinicians who manage children with ADHD. Parents, physicians, and teachers easily tend to focus primarily on the symptoms of disruptive behavior, as do the behavior rating scales commonly used to identify children with ADHD. Unfortunately, these symptoms are not specific enough to confirm a diagnosis of ADHD, as will be demonstrated.