Background: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and epilepsy are both
common childhood disorders and both can have significant negative consequences on a
child's behavioral, learning, and social development. Objectives: To estimate the prevalence
of ADHD in children with epilepsy, prevalence of electroencephalographic (EEG)
abnormalities in ADHD children, and to study the relation between ADHD and epilepsy.
Subjects and Methods: This study included 71 patients; 40 patients diagnosed clinically as
ADHD according to DSM-V. and 31 patients with epilepsy during the period of 6 months
from 1 Jan. 2019 to 30 June 2019. The age of both groups of patients ranged between 4-16
years old. All patients were subjected to detailed history taking, thorough general and
neurological examination, EEG study and assessment of ADHD symptoms using Conners'
Parent Rating Scales–Revised: Long (CPRS–R:L). Children with apparent intellectual
disabilities were excluded. Results: Eighteen patients (58.1%) of the epilepsy group were
diagnosed as having ADHD according to CPRS–R:L, while EEG showed epileptiform
changes in 13 patients (32.5%) of the ADHD group. There were highly significant difference
between ADHD and Epilepsy group regarding (CPRS–R:L) subscales as inattention,
impulsivity, hyperactivity cognitions and Emotional lability. However, There were no
correlations between the age of patients in ADHD group and subscales of CPRS–R:L except
in cognition and inattention subscales (p = 0.023 & 0.048 respectively). There were
significant correlation between emotional-lability and inattention subscales of CPRS-R:L in
ADHD group and gender of the patients. Emotional lability and inattention were significantly
more among males in ADHD group. There were no significant difference in EEG changes or
their laterality and degree of CPRS–R:L either total scores or its subscales for both groups.
Conclusions: ADHD was diagnosed in epileptic children and EEG changes were prevalent in
ADHD children, highly significant difference between ADHD and epilepsy group regarding
CPRS–R:L subscales as inattention, impulsivity, hyperactivity, cognition and lability.