Effectiveness of iron supplementation in a young child with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

A 3-year-old child was referred to consultation for hyperactivity, attention deficit, impulsivity, and sleep problems. He met Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition criteria for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. At baseline, the Conners' Parent Rating Scale and the Conners' Teacher Rating Scale raw total scores were 30 and 32, respectively. The child had low a serum ferritin level (13 ng/mL). After 8 months of treatment with Tardyferon (ferrous sulfate, 80 mg/day), his serum ferritin increased to 102 ng/mL. Both parents and teachers reported considerable behavioral improvement. The Conners' Parent and Teacher Rating Scale raw total scores decreased to 19 and 13, respectively. This is the first report of the effectiveness of iron supplementation in a young child with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.