Summer-born children at risk of ADHD misdiagnosis

www.grub4life.com today reports that summer-born children are more likely to be diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a study has warned, raising fears that the condition is routinely being misdiagnosed. 01-09-2010

Researchers from North Carolina State University looked at the rates of ADHD diagnosis and treatment in children from 1996 to 2006 and found large discrepancies based on their dates of birth. They found that children born just after the cut-off date for their academic year group were 25 per cent less likely to be diagnosed as having ADHD than children born just before the cutoff.

The report says, 'The relative immaturity of these young-for-grade children may be mistaken as ADHD, due to the nature of the diagnostic guidelines that suggest a comparison with a child's peers.’

Dr Melinda Morrill of North Carolina State University, co-author of the study, said, 'We believe that younger children may be mistakenly diagnosed as having ADHD when in fact, they are simply less mature.’
 
With thanks to www.nurseryworld.co.uk
 
To read the full story go to:

http://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/news/bulletin/NurseryWorldUpdate/article/1023798/?DCMP=EMC-CONNurseryWorldUpdate