Résumé
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder in children, often requiring treatment with a psychostimulant, Methylphenidate. These children are frequently referred for growth issues. Methylphenidate is known to have an anorexigenic effect that may impair children’s growth but remain inconclusive. A pathophysiological hypothesis might exist between ADHD and growth hormone deficiency (GHD), but few studies have focused on these patients. The aim of this study was to determine whether growth retardation occurred before the initiation of Methylphenidate treatment and to describe the characteristics of this population. Methods: retrospective study of patients followed for ADHD, with a diagnosis of GHD between January 2011 and November 2023, at Montpellier and Robert-Debré University Hospitals (APHP). Results: 31 patients were included. 4 patients were not treated with Methylphenidate. For the 27 treated, growth retardation occurred significantly before the start of treatment (p< 0.001). Methylphenidate treatment led to a decrease in BMI, but not associated with a significant reduction in growth. Conclusion: growth retardation in these children does not appear to be associated with Methylphenidate treatment but could be explained by pathophysiological hypotheses between growth hormone deficiency and ADHD. Children with ADHD should have increased monitoring of their growth, starting from diagnosis and independently of treatment.