(WEHT) – Research has shown there is a correlation between the month a child is born and the likelihood they will get diagnosed with ADHD.
Norwegian researchers analyzed data from half a million children over a decade. They found children who are the youngest in their class were 80% more likely to receive an ADHD diagnosis than their older peers.
Researchers reported that 5.3% of boys born later in the year in October to December, had received ADHD medicine in comparison to 3.7% of boys who were born earlier in the year, in January to March. Furthermore, the percentages for the girls in the study showed that 2.2% of the later born girls received ADHD medication compared to 1.3% of the earlier born girls who received the medicine.
Researchers say, studying this by grade showed an increased risk for later born children, starting at grade 3 and up.
However, the authors of the study warn of the dangers of overprescribing ADHD to children who are immature and unfairly compared to their oldest classmates.