The Hyperkinetic Syndrome: Some Aspects as Seen in Children at Kenyatta National Hospital.

Abstract

Fifty-four children with the hyperkinetic syndrome were seen in this study. Certain aspects pertaining to them were examined including demographic information, prenatal and perinatal events, developmental and social history and educational experiences. This information was also obtained for 54 controls, and was from mothers who had achieved various levels of formal education. Majority of these children (51.9$) were between age 5-8 years and 81$ of them had onset of illness on or before the age of three years. No prenatal, paranatal or postnatal events had any bearing on the occurrence of the hyperkinetic syndrome in these children except neonatal jaundice which occurred only in 9.48$ of affected children (p < 0.05). A large number of them, 81.5$, also suffered from epilepsy. The affected children attained milestones at a mean age which was within normal limits and had no physical defects or gross neurological deficits on examination. They, however, displayed several soft neurological signs each, indicating a severe form of the disorder. Although a number of children with the hyperkinetic syndrome were of school age, only one of them attended school sporadically. This was due to his behaviour problems which were unacceptable to his peers and teachers.