POSSIBLE ECOLOGICAL FACTORS IN HYPERKINETIC CHILDREN. A CASE CONTROL STUDY

Amer N¹, Abdel Hakeem R², and Maalawi M³

¹ National Research Center, Cairo, Egypt

^2,3 Al-Sahel Teaching Hospital, Cairo, Egypt

Objective: To reach the etiological factors of the Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) with special reference to the role of diet and specially sugar.

Methods: 50 cases of hyperkinetic children were studied, in addition to 50 controls, matched for age, sex and socioeconomic standard. All cases were subjected to thorough medical and dietary history taking, anthropometric measurements. IQ and blood sugar levels.

Results: Hyperkinetic children show significantly higher proportions of positive medical history of factors (consanguinity, herido familial problems, congenital anomalies and recurrent otitis media, perinatal risk factors than the controls. Dietary history revealed a highly significant proportion of breast fed among the control than the hyperkinetics. Excessive use of food containing dyes, additives, sugars and canned juices is significantly higher among the hyperkinetics.

The controls show a significant higher IQ score than the hyperkinetics. Laboratory investigations of blood sugar levels show a significantly higher mean levels among the controls.

Conclusion: Recommendations including dietary manipulation were suggested.

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