A new research article released from the journal of European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry states “younger children are more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD that older classmates”
Younger children in school year are more commonly diagnosed with ADHD than their older classmates, says new study – New research has found that teachers may be attributing signs of age-related immaturity in children, to conditions such as Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The results of the study showed that the youngest students in a class, with birth dates just before the school entry cut-off date, were overrepresented among children receiving an ADHD diagnosis or medication for the condition. Experts looked at how being one of the youngest children in a class can influence the likelihood of being diagnosed with ADHD or ASD. ADHD is a condition where individuals have significant challenges with attention and can be overly active. ASD is a complex developmental condition that relates to how a person communicates and interacts.
This systematic review and meta-analysis explored whether younger children in a year group were more likely to get diagnosed with ADHD or an autistic spectrum condition. They found differences between parent and teacher reports of symptoms and also that younger children in a year group were more likely to be diagnosed or prescribed medication.
Read the full article here: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00787-024-02459-x
Reference: Frisira, E., Holland, J. & Sayal, K. Systematic review and meta-analysis: relative age in attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 34, 381–401 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-024-02459-x
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