Childhood stroke survivors ‘at double the risk of ADHD’
The risk is even higher for those with certain comorbidities, underlining the need for ongoing surveillance, researchers say
Children who survive ischaemic strokes are twice as likely to develop ADHD as those without a stroke history, a large Swedish cohort study suggests.
The risk of later ADHD diagnosis was greater still in those with perinatal stroke who develop comorbid adverse motor outcomes and/or epilepsy, researchers say.
Findings from the largest study of its kind to date suggest that “surveillance for ADHD should be considered” by clinicians performing follow-up of children with paediatric stroke.
In the registry-based study, the Karolinska Institute-led team in Stockholm used data from 1320 patients diagnosed with perinatal or childhood ischaemic strokes over nearly five decades to assess their risk of ADHD.
