The prevalence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in preschool-age children in Mashhad, north-east of Iran

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common childhood-onset psychiatric disorders. Although the onset of ADHD is frequently prior to the age of seven years, there is a paucity of data on the prevalence of the disorder in preschool-age children. This study was performed to determine the prevalence rate of ADHD in preschool-age children in kindergartens of Mashhad, North-East of Iran. One thousand eighty-three (553 males and 530 females) children aged between five and six years, were selected at random from 155 kindergartens in ten districts of Mashhad. The ten-item Conner's Index questionnaire was completed for each child by teachers and parents. Parents of children whose scores were positive for ADHD (>15) were interviewed by a psychiatrist and the ADHD was diagnosed based on DSM-IV diagnostic criteria and the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children Present and Lifetime Version. One hundred thirty-three (12.3%; CI 95%: 10.3 -14.2%) children were diagnosed to have ADHD. The prevalence of ADHD in preschool-age children in North-East of Iran is consistent with previous studies in other countries. This study recommends the need for diagnosis and treatment of ADHD in preschool-age children.