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Thyroid function in a population of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

J Valentine1, E Rossi, P O'Leary

  • 1Department of Developmental and Rehabilitation Medicine, Princess Margaret Hospital for Children, Perth, Australia.

Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health
|April 1, 1997
PubMed

Insights

Routine thyroid hormone screening is not recommended for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This study found no increased prevalence of thyroid issues in children with ADHD compared to the general population.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Endocrinology
  • Neurodevelopmental Disorders
  • Clinical Diagnostics

Background:

  • Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder in children.
  • Thyroid hormone abnormalities can impact neurodevelopment and behavior.
  • Previous research has not definitively established a link between ADHD and thyroid dysfunction.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the prevalence of thyroid hormone abnormalities in children diagnosed with ADHD.
  • To assess for generalized resistance to thyroid hormone in this pediatric population.
  • To determine the clinical utility of routine thyroid hormone screening for non-familial ADHD.

Main Methods:

  • A study population of children with ADHD was recruited from a Child Development Centre.
  • A control group of 353 healthy children undergoing allergy testing was used for comparison.
  • Thyroid hormone levels were analyzed and compared between the ADHD and control groups.

Main Results:

  • The prevalence of thyroid hormone abnormalities in children with ADHD was 2.3%, which falls within the reported range for the general pediatric population (1-3.7%).
  • No cases of generalized resistance to thyroid hormone were identified in the ADHD cohort.
  • The observed prevalence did not significantly differ from expected population ranges.

Conclusions:

  • Routine thyroid hormone screening is not indicated for children diagnosed with non-familial ADHD.
  • The findings suggest that thyroid dysfunction is not a significant contributing factor to ADHD in this population.
  • Current diagnostic guidelines for ADHD do not need to be altered to include routine thyroid screening.
Abstract

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