The youngest child in the class is more likely to get ADHD, shows study

In case your child is the youngest one in classroom, it is time for you to keep a track on his or her behaviour as a recent study has shown that the youngest kid in the classroom is more likely to develop Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

In case your child is the youngest in his or her class, you ought to be more careful. Reason, a new Australia based study has shown that the youngest children in classrooms are more prone to be diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) compared to their older classmates. The researchers say that this study is primarily based on teacher reports of a child's behaviour in the class.

"It appears that across the globe some teachers are mistaking the immaturity of the youngest children in their class for ADHD. Although teachers don't diagnose it, they are often the first to suggest a child may have ADHD," reportedly said Curtin University's Dr Martin Whitely, who led the report on the latest findings on the chronic condition that includes attention difficulty, hyperactivity and impulsiveness. According to him, as there are no such biological markers or physical tests to diagnose Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), the reports provided by the teachers can form the basis for the diagnosis.

The study included over 14 million children from the United States, Germany, Israel, Norway and Australia and showed that ADHD was more common among the youngest kid in the classroom. The study also focused on the importance of giving more time and extra care to the youngest children in the classroom to help them mature.

Mistaking perfectly normal age-related immaturity for ADHD is just one of many problems with the label. Children who are sleep deprived, bullied, have suffered abuse or have a host of other problems, often get labelled ADHD," reportedly said Jon Jureidini, co-writer of this study and professor of the University of Adelaide.

"Not only does this result in them getting potentially harmful drugs they don't need, but their real problems don't get identified and addressed," he added, according to the latest media report. This study appeared in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry.