The Correlation between Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Enuresis in Children with Nocturnal Enuresis

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common childhood psychiatric disorder which affects 5-10% of children in school age. It seems that the disorder is more common among children with enuresis. The aim of this study was to investigate ADHD in children with enuresis and compare it with a control group in patients referring to Amir Kabir Hospital (Arak, Iran). This case-control study was performed on 100 children with enuresis and 100 children without enuresis in the age bracket of 5-16 years old. In all patients, Conners questionnaire [based on the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, fourth edition (DSM-IV)] and a demographic checklist about age, gender, history of maternal disease during pregnancy, birth weight, and head trauma were filled. The subjects were interviewed by a psychiatrist to confirm the diagnoses. The data was analyzed using descriptive and analytical statistics in SPSS15. Attention deficit was observed in 16 cases (16%) with enuresis and 5 controls (5%) (P = 0.01). Moreover, while 25 children with enuresis (25%) were affected by hyperactivity/impulsive behavior, only 16 controls (16%) were affected by this behavior. However, this important difference was not significant between the 2 groups (P = 0.08). ADHD in children with enuresis is significantly more common than non-enuretic children. The observed correlation between ADHD and enuresis makes psychological counseling mandatory in children with enuresis.