attention deficit hyperactivity disorderThe prevalence of ADHD varies from regarding 5 to 12% worldwide. ADHD develops in early childhood with symptoms of hyperactivity, impulsivity or inattention. Studies have found that ADHD is associated with preterm birth.
According to a new study from the Rutgers University School of Medicine, those born before 39 weeks are more likely to develop ADHD-related symptoms than those born at term (37 to 41 weeks). symptom.
The findings, published in The Journal of Pediatrics, are one of the few studies looking at the association between term pregnancy (37 to 41 weeks) and ADHD diagnosis or symptoms, and the first to include A study of schoolchildren’s teacher feedback.
The study’s author Dr. Nancy Reichman, professor of pediatrics at Rutgers University School of Medicine, said the combination of teacher and mother’s returns and physician evaluations provided valuable insights into the diagnosis of ADHD. Symptoms reported by mothers generally reflect children’s behavior in the family or small social group, while symptoms reported by teachers reflect various behaviors of schoolchildren in structured educational settings and classrooms.
Association between gestational age and ADHD in children
To understand the association between term gestational age and ADHD symptoms in children reaching age 9, the research team analyzed data from regarding 1,400 children in the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing study, a study An American cohort study that randomly sampled birth status in 75 hospitals in 20 large U.S. cities from 1998 to 2000, and re-interviewed the children’s mothers nine years later.
During a 9-year follow-up visit, the research team obtained consent from the children’s teachers and were asked to use a simplified version of the Connors Teacher Rating Scale (CTRS) to assess their students, which included hyperactivity, ADHD, Symptoms of oppositional behavior, cognitive problems, or inattention.
Overall, Rutgers researchers found that children born preterm (37 to 38 weeks) scored significantly higher on the Teacher Rating Scale than full-term children for hyperactivity, ADHD, cognitive problems, or inattention (39 to 41 weeks), but gestational age was not significantly associated with oppositional behavior.
The study showed that term gestational age was associated with a 6% reduction in hyperactivity scores and a 5% reduction in ADHD, cognitive problems, or inattention scores, and children born at 37 to 38 weeks were more It was associated with a 23% increase in hyperactivity scores and a 17% increase in ADHD scores.
Dr. Lehrman, a professor of pediatrics who led the study, mentioned that premature babies are at increased risk of developing ADHD due to immaturity of the brain. Significant growth and development of various fetal brain cells is observed between 34 and 40 weeks of gestational age, so babies born at term may benefit from 1 to 2 more weeks of brain development in the mother’s womb compared to preterm infants.
Professor Lehrman stressed that these findings add to a growing body of evidence supporting current recommendations to selectively delay delivery until at least 39 weeks, and suggest the importance of regular screening for ADHD symptoms in children born between 37 and 38 weeks.
Text/Sun Luoxuan, photo/Wujun County
1. References:Gestational Age at Term and Teacher-Reported ADHD Symptom Patterns
Further reading
Breastfeeding boosts brain development in premature babies!Study: Breastmilk can boost children’s IQ, academic performance, reduce ADHD risk
What exactly is ADHD and ADHD?Use 9 major QA to understand the cause, symptoms, treatment at once
There are also gifted students in the ADHD group, all they need is to develop their learning potential
