Managing ADHD in Children with Epilepsy
Author Information
Author(s): Kattimani Shivanand, Mahadevan S
Primary Institution: Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Pondicherry, India
Hypothesis
What is the relationship between epilepsy and ADHD, and how do antiepileptics and stimulants affect treatment?
Conclusion
Stimulants like methylphenidate can be used to treat ADHD in children with epilepsy, but caution is needed due to the risk of lowering the seizure threshold.
Supporting Evidence
- Children with ADHD have a higher prevalence of epilepsy compared to those without ADHD.
- Stimulants are the mainstay of ADHD treatment but may lower seizure thresholds.
- Some antiepileptics do not help with ADHD symptoms.
- EEG screening is not recommended for ADHD unless there are other clinical indications.
Takeaway
Some kids have both ADHD and epilepsy, and while medicine can help with ADHD, it might also make seizures worse, so doctors have to be careful.
Methodology
The authors reviewed existing literature from clinical journals published between 1990-2010 regarding ADHD and epilepsy.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to the exclusion of children with a history of seizures in stimulant trials.
Limitations
There is a lack of guidelines for managing ADHD and epilepsy together, and existing studies have small sample sizes.
Participant Demographics
Children with ADHD and comorbid epilepsy.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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