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Salivary cortisol responsivity to an intravenous catheter insertion in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity
Ann Marie McCarthy1, Kirsten Hanrahan, Latisha Myers Scott
1College of Nursing, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA.
Insights
Children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) showed different salivary cortisol responses to the stress of intravenous catheter insertion compared to neurotypical children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Psychology
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders
- Stress Physiology
Background:
- Children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may exhibit altered physiological stress responses.
- Understanding these differences is crucial for managing medical procedures in this population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare salivary cortisol levels and behavioral distress during intravenous (IV) catheter insertion in children with and without ADHD.
- To investigate baseline cortisol and responsivity to a common pediatric stressor.
Main Methods:
- Secondary data analysis of 542 children (aged 4-10) from a multisite distraction study.
- Included demographic data, behavioral scales, and four salivary cortisol samples.
Main Results:
- Children with ADHD had nonsignificantly higher home cortisol levels than controls.
- On clinic day, children with ADHD exhibited significantly lower cortisol levels before and after IV insertion compared to controls.
Conclusions:
- Salivary cortisol levels and responsivity to IV insertion stress differ between children with and without ADHD.
- These findings highlight distinct physiological stress profiles in pediatric ADHD.
Objective:
To compare salivary cortisol baseline levels and responsivity as well as behavioral distress to intravenous (IV) catheter insertions in 4- to 10-year-old children with (n = 29) and without (n = 339) attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Methods:
This is a secondary data analysis from a sample of 542 children who participated in a multisite study on distraction. Data included were demographic variables, Pediatric Behavior Scale-30, Observational Scale of Behavioral Distress-Revised, and four salivary cortisol samples.
Results:
Home samples from the ADHD group revealed nonsignificant but higher cortisol levels than the non-ADHD group. However, on the clinic day, the ADHD group had significantly lower cortisol levels before (0.184 vs. 0.261, p = .040) and 20-30 min after IV insertion (0.186 vs. 0.299, p = .014) compared with the non-ADHD group.
Conclusions:
Cortisol levels in children with and without ADHD differ in response to the stress of an IV insertion.
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