Do attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and oppositional defiant disorder influence preschool unintentional injury risk?

PURPOSE: This study explores the relationship among preschool attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), injury-risk-taking behavior, and unintentional injury.

METHOD: An emergency department (ED) casecontrol study of parent-reported child behavior was conducted.

FINDINGS: Children with ODD and ADHD had significantly more injury-risk-taking behaviors (odds ratio [OR] = 7.68, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.25-26.25; OR = 4.87, 95% CI 1.17--20.28, respectively), and injured children had a 17-fold increase in high-risk-taking behaviors (OR 17.2, 95% CI 2.14--138.0). No significant association existed between ODD or ADHD and ED-treated unintentional injury.

IMPLICATIONS: Disruptive behavior disorders are not major contributors to ED-treated unintentional injury in preschool children.