Association between preschool eczema and medication for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in school age

Several studies show an association between eczema and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in childhood, but the mechanisms and time sequence remain unclear. Information on the association between eczema and other disorders involving the central nervous system (CNS) is limited. The aim was to explore whether preschool eczema was associated with ADHD or other CNS-associated disorders requiring pharmacotherapy at school age and to analyze whether eczema at other ages of childhood was associated with medication for ADHD.

From a Swedish birth cohort, 3606 children were included in the analyses. At 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, and 16 years of age, their parents answered questionnaires regarding eczema the last year. Information on prescribed medications during school age (10-18 years of age) was derived by record linkage to the Swedish Prescribed Drug Register.

A total of 1178 (32.7%) of the children had preschool eczema (eczema at 1, 2, and/or 4 years), and 162 (4.5%) of the children had dispensed ADHD medication at school age. Preschool eczema was not associated with ADHD medication at school age (crude odds ratio 1.16; 95% Confidence Intervals: 0.83-1.61). There was no significant association between preschool eczema and use of antidepressants, migraine drugs, or anti-epileptics at school age. Infantile eczema, school-age eczema, and eczema ever up to 16 years of age were not associated with ADHD medication at school age.

In this large birth cohort, there were no significant associations between preschool eczema and medications for ADHD, depression/anxiety/phobia, migraine, or epilepsy at school age.