Class youngest risk wrong ADHD diagnosis

EXPERTS fear immaturity is being medicated, with kids who are the youngest in their class twice as likely to be diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder than older classmates.

Australian researchers behind a new global study have expressed alarm that doctors and schools may be medicating immaturity and giving children drugs they don’t need.

The effect is strongest among children six to 10.

The youngest in class at this age are twice as likely to be diagnosed.

The study led by Curtin University’s Martin Whitely looked at 17 studies involving 14 million children in 12 countries. It found a clear relationship between a child’s age relative to their classmates and an ADHD diagnosis.

Adelaide University child and adolescent psychiatrist and co-author, Professor Jon Jureidini, said it meant children were getting potentially harmful drugs and their real problems were not identified and addressed.

The research has raised questions about whether delaying the enrolment of younger children in school might help with growing ADHD diagnosis and drug use.

“Further research could help us determine whether allowing parents to decide if their child is ready to begin school helps reduce this and other late birthday effects,” he said.

Last month, it was revealed that the number of children aged under 16 using ADHD medications leapt by 18,121 in 2013 to 80,524 in 2015.