Comorbidity of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in Children with Epilepsy, Egyptian Study

Background: Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological conditions with about 65 million people affected worldwide. It is also a common condition in children, where its prevalence is approximately 3.2 - 5.5/1000 in the developed world. Children with epilepsy (CWE) experience not only seizures but also multiple cognitive, behavioral, and emotional problems. ADHD is one of the more common comorbidities of childhood epilepsy. Objectives: To discuss the relationship between childhood epilepsy and comorbidities especially ADHD. Study Design: This is a prospective observational analytical cross-sectional study carried out on one hundred and fifteen patients at Ain Shams University and Nasr-city Health Insurance out-patient clinics, Cairo, Egypt fulfilling the inclusion criteria. Patients were selected by simple random sample. Results: ADHD is very common epilepsy comorbidity in Egyptian epileptic children with under-diagnosis and treatment. Conclusion: Frequent assessment for ADHD in epileptic children is mandatory for better quality of life.