ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) — More than 6 million kids in the United States have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. Untreated, it can lead to major behavior problems at school and at home. Now scientists may have identified potential warning signs, which could make themselves known in babies.
Some babies are easygoing and others are just hard [to deal with]. But could your little one’s behavior as an infant signal problems down the road? Scientists say maybe. They examined 342 kids at ages 5 months, 20 months, and at four and a half years old; and then again at ages 6, 8, and 28 years old. Results showed that the 82 infants and toddlers who had issues with crying, sleeping, or eating beyond the first three months of life were more likely to have attention difficulties later in life. More specifically, persistent or multiple problems in babies were linked to a diagnosis of ADHD.
Researchers say infants who can’t stop crying and have trouble sleeping and feeding need more external control. Experts recommend that parents see a pediatrician and make sure infants have daily routines, such as regular meals and sleep times. Consistent parenting is also recommended because it helps babies regulate their behavior.
Experts say that symptoms of ADHD [often] improve with time for most children: Only about one-third of kids with ADHD continue to have symptoms and challenges that require treatment in adulthood.
Contributors to this news report include: Cyndy McGrath, Supervising Producer; Julie Marks, Writer; Roque Correa, Editor.
Produced by Child Trends News Service in partnership with Ivanhoe Broadcast News and funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation.
(Sources: https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/data.html,https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/adhd/what-is-adhd, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/cdev.13155, https://add.org/adhd-facts/)