Youngest in class ‘at risk’ of ADHD
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 (ADHD) than older classmates. Australian researchers behind a new global study have expressed alarm that doctors and schools may be medicating immaturity and giving children harmful drugs they don’t need. The effect is strongest among children aged six to 10. The youngest children in class in this age cohort are twice as likely to be diagnosed, while the risk drops to 40 per cent among 11 to 15-year-olds who are youngest in class. The study led by Curtin University’s Dr 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 and use of ADHD medication. Only two Danish studies showed a weak connection between being the youngest in class and ADHD and researchers said this was because the majority of late-born Danish boys were held back a year from school. “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,” Dr Whitely said. Adelaide University child and adolescent psychiatrist and co-author, Professor Jon Jureidini, said it meant they were getting potentially harmful drugs they did not need 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. It could be that it helps the delayed-entry child but other children suffer,” Dr Whitely said.
Professor Jureidini said children who were sleep-deprived, bullied, had suffered abuse or had a host of other problems were often labelled with ADHD.
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.
ALTHOUGH TEACHERS DON’T DIAGNOSE IT, THEY ARE OFTEN THE FIRST TO SUGGEST A CHILD MAY HAVE ADHD
DR MARTIN WHITELY