Should the diagnosis of Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity disorder be considered in children with Pervasive Developmental Disorder?

Abstract

Objective: To assess the overlap between Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in a consecutive sample of referred youth. We hypothesized that children with PDD plus ADHD-like symptoms would have a symptom profile similar to ADHD children. Method: Subjects were consecutively referred children meeting DSM-III-R criteria for PDD with (PDD+ADHD, N = 50) and without (PDD, N= 10) ADHD-like symptoms and ADHD without PDD (ADHD, N= 105). All subjects were comprehensively assessed with structured diagnostic interviews. Results: Clinical characteristics of PDD were similar in those PDD children who did and who did not have ADHD, and ADHD features were very similar in ADHD children with and without PDD. Conclusion: These results suggest that children with PDD with concomitant symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity may have true comorbid ADHD. If confirmed, these findings challenge the exclusionary criteria for the diagnosis of ADHD in PDD youth.