title: [Attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, a current problem].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Attention deficit disorder and hyperactivity (ADDH), is a condition that affects the normal development of children. The symptoms include difficulty of controlling physical activity, inattention and learning disorders. The ADDH must be diagnosed in accordance with the clinical findings defined in the DSM IV.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe the epidemiology and clinical characteristics of children diagnosed with ADDH in our hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Biannual observational study. Variables evaluated were: age, sex, personal and family medical history, symptoms, therapy and treatment response.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There 83 participants (87 % Male and 13 % Female), of which 32.5 % were diagnosed during the study. Ages ranged from 3-8 years (84 %). There was a family history related to ADDH in 38 % of patients, and personal history of prematurity, acute foetal distress, small for gestational age, convulsions were reported. Association of hyperactivity and attention deficit was found in 65 % of participants. Other related symptoms were cognitive disorder (62 %), language disabilities (41 %) and motor disorders (35 %). Treatment was on-going in 65 % of the patients, 27.7 % of them having adverse effect. Evolution with therapy was favourable in 61 %.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that ADDH is one of the most common childhood psychiatric disorders, mainly affecting boys. There is usually a family history. Failure in school was one of the principal conditions. Association between attention deficit and hyperactivity, mainly hyperactivity, is the most common presentation. Other disorders such as motor and language disabilities are also common in these patients. Methylphenidate showed favourable outcomes in 61 % of the patients studied.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Neuropediatría, Hospital Universitario de Salamanca, Salamanca, España. mariado717@hotmail.com
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: García García
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Prieto Tato
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Santos Borbujo
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Monzón Corral
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hernández Fabián
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: San Feliciano Martín
mesh_terms: D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies