A team of researchers was stunned to find that this one factor could significantly increase your child's risk of ADHD.
ADHD can cause serious damage in the classroom and at home, and a recent study from Taiwan has identified a startling factor that could contribute to the development of the disorder. According to a report from the Huffington Post, you may not even be able to do anything about it.
The study found that children born closer to the start of the school year had a significantly higher risk of developing ADHD than kids born at other times throughout the year. These children were much more likely to be put on medication, which can have profound impacts on development.
Preschool and school age children born in the month of August faced the highest risk of being diagnosed with ADHD and being put on medication than their classmates who were born in September. The study’s finding applied to children, but the effect was not as apparent during the teenage years.
The study suggests that a child’s age relative to his or her classmates can have a huge impact on ADHD diagnoses and subsequent treatments, said Dr. Mu-Hong Chen, a child and adolescent psychiatrist at Taipei Veterans General Hospital in Taiwan.
Researchers collected information from a database of roughly 380,000 students in Taiwan aged 4 to 17. They compared children’s birth months with ADHD diagnosis rates, and also examined the use of various medications for treating the disorder. The cutoff date for enrolling in school in Taiwan is August 31, so those born closest to that date would be the youngest in their class.
While the age spread of a few months may seem insignificant once students enter the teenage years, it can make a crucial difference in maturity at very young ages. Younger kids can be overwhelmed and confused more easily than their older peers, which can lead to the development of symptoms like inattention, impulsivity and hyperactivity in the classroom.
The study, published in the journal Pediatrics, can be found here.