Comorbid ADHD and Pediatric Sickle Cell Disease: Prevalence and Risk Factors

Title

Comorbid ADHD and Pediatric Sickle Cell Disease: Prevalence and Risk Factors

Creator

Bills SE; Schatz J; Varanasi S; Johnston JD; Gillooly E

Publisher

Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings

Date

2024

Subject

ADHD; Neurodevelopmental outcomes; Sickle cell disease; Social–environmental factors; Systemic inflammation

Description

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a genetic blood condition that places youth at increased risk for deficits in complex attention suggestive of increased risk for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). We used systematic screening to assess the prevalence of ADHD in a clinic-based sample of youth with SCD and explored factors related to ADHD. Caregivers of 107 children with SCD (ages 7–11 years) completed routine psychosocial screening which included inattentive symptoms of ADHD. Follow-up diagnostic procedures were completed for patients with elevated inattentive symptoms to assess for ADHD diagnoses. Biomedical and social–environmental variables were examined from the screening and medical records. Twenty-six percent of patients showed elevated inattentive symptoms with 13% meeting diagnostic criteria for ADHD diagnoses. Most children (75%) who met criteria for ADHD had not been previously diagnosed. Disease severity did not predict inattentive symptoms or ADHD diagnoses, though a measure of chronic inflammation was associated with ADHD. Family functioning was related to elevated inattentive symptoms but not ADHD diagnoses. Children with SCD show relatively high rates of ADHD with many cases not detected through routine care. Screening for ADHD as part of hematology care may be a feasible strategy to improve identification and access to intervention.

Rights

Article information provided for research and reference use only. PedPalASCNET does not hold any rights over the resource listed here. All rights are retained by the journal listed under publisher and/or the creator(s).

Citation List Month

September List 2024

Collection

Citation

Bills SE; Schatz J; Varanasi S; Johnston JD; Gillooly E, “Comorbid ADHD and Pediatric Sickle Cell Disease: Prevalence and Risk Factors,” Pediatric Palliative Care Library, accessed February 18, 2025, https://pedpalascnetlibrary.omeka.net/items/show/19713.