ADHD: Why were the children born at the end of the year more often diagnosed?

In a study by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), over one million children born between 1991 and 2012 were followed between 4 and 17 years through mental health registers. The results clearly indicate that the youngest of the class (born from October to December) is diagnosed with a mental disorder much more frequently than their companions born at the beginning of the school year.

Effect of the relative age and overdiagnosis ADHD

This phenomenon, described under the term “effect of the relative age”, shows A jump from 20 to 80 % of ADHD diagnoses Among the younger students, compared to the largest in their class. The researchers attribute this prejudice not to an intrinsic pathology, but to a less behavioral and cognitive maturity in younger children, erroneously perceived as an ADHD symptom.

Special risk for premature children

Children born prematurely and at the end of the school year show an even more marked risk: premature girls born at the end of the year have a strengthened diagnosis of emotional conditions such as anxiety and depression. This double vulnerability underlines the urgency of a finer approach and nuanced to their school evaluation.

Wide context: global test

These conclusions join the results of a meta-analysis (32 studies on the effects of relative age) which establish that the youngest in class benefitA TDHR on risk of almost 38 % And they are psychostimulating treatments prescribed almost 28 % more often. This diagnostic distortion has been observed in many countries, regardless of educational policy or treatment practices.

Educational and political traces

The researchers and professionals indicate tracks of concrete adaptation: allow an unusual entry to School for Children born at the end of the year, offer strengthened educational support or adapt the evaluation thresholds based on the real era of the child. The goal: to help young students find their place in a system often calibrated for more mature children.

What parents can implement

Parents play a key role in avoiding hasty diagnosis:

• Inform the school if their child is very young in his promotion.
• Request an observation phase before any orientation to a diagnosis or treatment.
• Insist on the fact that professionals use the criteria taking into account the child’s date of birth.
• Promote a multidisciplinary approach (psychology, education, pediatrics) to evaluate the child’s maturity.

Expert words

Christine Strand Bachmann, co -author of the Ntnu studio, underlines this The current design of the school system does not take into account the diversity of maturation : “Our results show that the younger members of the class tend to be diagnosed with a mental illness more frequently”.

An enlightened reading to accompany better

For the parents of a child born at the end of the year, this study is a supervisory request: Do not interpret “immature” behaviors as necessarily pathological.In the era of a medical diagnosis, it is essential to replace the child in his development context.

The effect of the relative age is a powerful prejudice in the diagnosis of ADHD. Before medicalizing, we question the impact of the date of birth on school expectations. A better adaptation of the system could save hasty and unjustified treatments.