[Absences as differential diagnosis in children with attention-deficit disorder]

Absences are regarded as one of the most important differential diagnosis of attention and resulting school-problems. Attention deficit-symptoms might develop through absences, even though there is no diagnosis of attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder or attention-deficit disorder (ADHD or ADD). Routine EEG-wavings are made, in order to exclude epilepsy as a reason for attention-deficits.

In this paper the EEGs of 8 132 male and female children and adolescents from two hospitals for child and adolescent psychiatry were analyzed retrospectively. The aim of the study was to assess how many patients with absences do occur and whether they do present a specific psychopathology.

In summary for the first time diagnosed absences occurred in 0.44 % (N = 12) of the patients in the first centre and in none of the patients in the second centre. The average age was 9.5 years. 50 % of the patients were diagnosed with ADHD. A specific psychopathology of the patients was not found.

There is a minimal occurrence of absences in child and adolescent patients. Therefore it is not a main differential diagnosis, that has to be considered in children with attention-deficit problems. Due to the late age at the time of diagnosis and the possible good treatability with antiepileptics, it is nevertheless important to regard absences as a rare differential diagnosis.