Israeli children given medication for ADHD due to misdiagnosis - study

There is a high probability that many children who receive medication for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) actually suffer from breathing disorders during their sleep, according to researchers at the Goldschleger School of Dental Medicine at Tel Aviv University (TAU).

Due to the incorrect diagnosis, the real problem is left untreated, and the unnecessary treatment may even worsen the situation, the researchers said.

The study’s findings showed that children who suffer from breathing disorders during sleep received ADHD medication at a rate seven times higher than children who don’t suffer from sleep-disordered breathing.

Dr. Shani Kaminsky-Kurtz, Dr. Sigalit Blumer, Prof. Ilana Eli, Dr. Alona Emodi-Perlman, and Dr. Yarden Shreiber-Fridman found a clear correlation between sleep-disordered breathing in children and the prescription of ADHD medication, alongside a variety of other problems, including tubes for ear infections and tonsillectomies in the past.

Two articles on the subject were published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine under the titles “Sleep-Related Breathing Disorders in Children – Red Flags in Pediatric Care” and “Sleep Bruxism in Children – What Can Be Learned from Anamnestic Information.”

According to their findings, children who suffer from breathing disorders during sleep and received ADHD medication at a much-higher rate than children who don’t suffer from sleep-disordered breathing, there is a high probability that many children suffering from sleep disorders are treated with medication for ADHD due to a misdiagnosis.

Sleep disorders among children are fairly common

According to the researchers: “Sleep breathing disorders are a fairly common phenomenon among children and can cause a variety of problems – developmental, behavioral, and physical. But despite its importance, awareness of the issue is quite low, both among parents and among medical professionals who care for children, so in many cases the disorder goes undiagnosed or misdiagnosed.”