1043-3155 Pediatr Neurol Briefs pedneurbriefs Pediatr Neurol Briefs Pediatric Neurology Briefs Pediatr Neurol Briefs 2166-6482 1043-3155 2166-3155 Pediatric Neurology Briefs Publishers Chicago, IL, USA PNB-17-05 10.15844/pedneurbriefs-17-1-6 Attention, Learning and Comorbid Disorders Neurology Pediatrics Nervous System Diseases Child Development Brain Diseases Neurosurgery Child Infant ADHD Comorbidity, Behavior, and Tic Severity http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0173-7931 Millichap J. Gordon MD 1 2 * Division of Neurology, Children's Memorial Hospital, Chicago, IL Departments of Pediatrics and Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL Correspondence: Dr. J. Gordon Millichap, E-mail: jgmillichap@northwestern.edu 01 2003 01 03 2016 17 1 5 6 Copyright: © 2003 The Author(s) 2003 This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Disruptive behavior in children with Tourette’s syndrome: association with ADHD comorbidity, tic severity, and functional impairment

The association of disruptive behavior with social, adaptive, and family functioning in Tourette syndrome (TS), with and without comorbid attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), was evaluated in 207 children (144 boys and 63 girls) between the ages of 7 and 18 years, in a study at Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT.

 Tourette Syndrome Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Family Dysfunction

The association of disruptive behavior with social, adaptive, and family functioning in Tourette syndrome (TS), with and without comorbid attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), was evaluated in 207 children (144 boys and 63 girls) between the ages of 7 and 18 years, in a study at Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT. Children with TS-only (n=42) did not differ from unaffected controls (61) on the parent ratings of aggression and delinquent behavior or on the teacher ratings of conduct disorders. Children with TS+ADHD (n=52) had significantly greater ratings of disruptive behavior than controls and similar to children with ADHD only (n=52). Aggression and delinquency contributed to impaired social and family functioning. Comorbid ADHD is highly associated with disruptive behavior and functional impairment in children with TS. Disruptive behavior adds to the burden of social and family dysfunction. [1]

COMMENT. Children and adolescents with uncomplicated Tourette syndrome (TS) are not at risk for aggressive and disruptive behavior, whereas those with comorbid TS+ADHD have a significantly higher prevalence of behavioral and conduct disorders, similar to that found with ADHD alone. Aggressive and delinquent behaviors have a negative impact on social and family functioning, adding further burdens to the quality of life of children with comorbid TS/ADHD.

Sukhodolsky DG Scahill L Zhang H Peterson BS King RA Lombroso PJ Disruptive behavior in children with Tourette’s syndrome: association with ADHD comorbidity, tic severity, and functional impairment J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2003 Jan 42 1 98 105 10.1097/00004583-200301000-00016 12500082