Introduction:

the primary objective was to assess the prevalence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in the paediatric population (ages 6-14 years) served by one primary care centre. The secondary objective was to describe the reasons for initial consultation, specialists that diagnosed and managed ADHD, the criteria used in diagnosis, the types of treatment and associated side effects, and the presence of comorbidities. We sought to determine whether the prevalence of ADHD in children was of approximately 5%, consistent with the reviewed literature.

Patients and methods:

we conducted a cross-sectional descriptive study through the review, in collaboration with the paediatrician in charge of each patient, of the health records of children in the catchment area of the Cerro del Aire primary care centre of Majadahonda (Madrid, Spain) (4747 children).

Results:

we identified 108 cases of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (prevalence of 2.28%), 23.15% in girls and 76.85% in boys. The mean age at diagnosis was 7.89 years. Learning problems were the most frequent reason for consultation (39.82%). Paediatric neurologists diagnosed 48.15% of cases and managed 50% of them. In 64.8% of cases, the diagnosis was made based on the DSM-IV criteria combined with scales and a psychoeducational assessment. In 63.89% of patients, pharmacotherapy was used in combination with psychoeducational interventions. The most frequently used drug was methylphenidate (88.88%). Side effects were reported by 25.25%. There were comorbidities in 45.37% (learning disorders in 27.12%).

Conclusion:

we found a low prevalence of ADHD, but the biases and limitations of the study must be taken into account. The establishment of a standardised protocol for the diagnosis and management of ADHD would be important to ensure accurate documentation and avoid under- or overdiagnosis. Twenty-eight percent of patients were followed up by primary care paediatricians.

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