Hyperactivity and child abuse

The role of a child in his/her physical abuse was reviewed with particular attention to hyperactive children. A retrospective analysis of the records of children referred to a university-based hyperactive children's clinic revealed that children both with and without Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) were more often physically abused than children in the general population. The period prevalence of physical abuse in children with ADD did not differ significantly from that in children without ADD. This suggests that hyperactivity may either contribute to, or result from, physical abuse.