Prematurity and low birth weight associated with increased risk of ADHD diagnosis and symptoms: Meta ‐analysis

Preterm and low‐birth‐weight (LBW) newborns have an increased risk of being diagnosed with attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) compared with controls, researchers have found in a literature review. These risks are even greater as preterm and low birth weight are more extreme. The researchers, whose study is published in the January issue of Pediatrics, found that very preterm/very low‐birth‐weight (VP/VLBW) subjects have an increased risk of ADHD diagnosis and symptomatology, and the findings are even stronger in the extremely preterm/extremely low‐birth‐weight (EP/ELBW) group. They recommend that future research look at which risk factors related to prematurity or low birth weight lead to ADHD.
Source: The Brown University Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology Update - Category: Psychiatry Tags: ADHD Source Type: research