Role of Iron in Improving Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Children and Adolescents

Document Type : Original research articles

Authors

1 Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Luxor University, Luxor, Egypt

2 Department of Neuropsychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Luxor University, Luxor, Egypt

Abstract

Background: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder affecting children and adolescents with dangerous psychiatric sequalae if it has not been managed well for long time by medical and psychological therapy.
Objectives: this prospective study is to evaluate the effect of iron in improving ADHD through measuring many parameters which are laboratory and scales before and after iron therapy for almost 3 months and in compared with healthy controls.
Patients and Methods:  there are 100 children and adolescents diagnosed clinically as ADHD and assessed for its severity by Conners rating scale, in addition they are associated with iron deficiency anemia. The demographic data, clinical, and laboratory measurements were also collected.
Results: There was a significant difference in both IQ and Conners rating scale values between case and control group, denoting the role of iron in attention, cognition and intelligence.
Also, there was a significant difference between the parameters (HB, serum iron, IBC, ferritin, conners rating scales values, IQ) which were measured for cases members before and after introducing of iron supplement for almost 3 months as these parameters were improved after introducing iron supplementation.
Conclusion:  screening of cases with ADHD for possibility of iron deficiency anemia is considered so important as iron supplementation could be sufficient to avoid bad side effects of other medication for ADHD.

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SVU-International Journal of Medical Sciences
Volume 8, Issue 1
January -June
January 2025
Pages 71-79

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