Prevalence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and other psychiatric morbidity in children with burn injuries

Background: Several past studies have suggested that attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a risk factor for paediatric burn injuries while some have concluded that it is protective. The association has not been adequately studied in the Sri Lankan setting.

Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of ADHD and other psychiatric morbidity in children presenting with burn injuries and to compare the demographic, burn injury characteristics and past history between the children with and without ADHD.

Method: A descriptive case control study was carried out in a paediatric tertiary care hospital in Sri Lanka. The sample comprised all consecutive admissions to the burns unit, in the age range of 4 to 12 years. Swanson, Nolan and Pelham version IV (SNAP IV) was used to diagnose ADHD. Sinhala translation of the Child Behaviour Check List (CBCL) was used to assess psychiatric morbidity.

Results: Sample was 183. Prevalence of ADHD in children with burn injuries was 14.2% (n=26). Of the 26 children diagnosed with ADHD, 6 (23%) presented with burn injury or had a past history of burn injury. This was statistically significant (p<0.05). Twenty (10.9%) children with burn injuries had other psychiatric morbidity in the problems and total problems were all more common in the ADHD group than in the non-ADHD group. 

Conclusions: Prevalence of ADHD among children with burn injuries in this study was 14.2%. Children with ADHD admitted for burn injuries had a higher risk of having past history of injuries than children without ADHD.

Sri Lanka Journal of Child Health, 2018; 47(4): 326-331