The term ADHD or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is often used for a collection of behavioral problems linked to poor attention span, which also include impulsiveness, restlessness and inability to concentrate. It is a little bit difficult to diagnose, especially if the one you're diagnosing is a young child. It may only be because of the kid's immaturity, and not because there is something wrong with him.
A study in Taiwan confirmed a Western research of about 400,000 students between the ages 4-17 suggested this fact. The researchers found that the youngest students in classrooms had almost twice the chance of being diagnosed with ADHD as the oldest, the Trumpet reported.
The study indicated that in Taiwan, the cutoff age for school entry is Aug. 31. Children are expected to be in school by age 6. However, they can start attending preschool by age 4. This shows that children who were born in August will typically be the youngest in their class, while those who were born September would be the oldest.
According to Edweek.org, researchers studied more than 378,000 children from age 4 to 17 between 1987 and 2011. They found that 4.5 percent of younger boys born in August were diagnosed with ADHD, while 3.3 percent were under medication.
However, there were 2.8 percent young boys born in September - oldest in class - in the same class who were diagnosed with ADHD and only 1.9 percent were taking medication. The same pattern was seen with girls in class but the overall rates were much lower.
As researchers continued to analyze these data, they found that more preschool and elementary school children are diagnosed with ADHD but not a single adolescent had it. This led them to believe that overall age and maturity could play a role in the diagnosis.
Whatever causes ADHD, one thing is certain, it's on the rise in the United States. There are almost 7.8 percent of children between the ages 4 and 17 who were diagnosed in 2003, but it ballooned to 11 percent or about 6.4 million kids in 2011.
The senior director of the ADHD and Behavior Disorders Center at the New York-based Child Mind Institute, David Anderson, said that a valid diagnosis should only be made after experts examine the child's behavior in school, at home, and when they're with their friends. "The behavior has to be occurring in more than one context, and these studies suggest that careful diagnosis is not happening everywhere," he explained.
Anderson also said that parents should not fear to have their children evaluated. However, they should make sure to look for a practitioner who is willing to consider other explanation for the child's action than just "ruling in" ADHD. Anderson also emphasized that the practitioner should also be willing to explain the evidence base behind any treatment.
And because school is such an important part of a full evaluation process, teachers need to be prepared to offer their assessment. This ADHD checklist from the Centers from Disease Control and Prevention offers a sample of behaviors to watch out for.
