Children born early have increased hyperactivity and ADHD scores, according to a study published in The Journal of Pediatrics. Nancy E. Reichman, PhD, and colleagues estimated associations between gestational age (GA) and teacher-reported ADHDrelated symptom patterns at age 9 in an analysis of about 1,400 children born at 37-41 weeks. Teachers evaluated students at age 9 using the Conners Teacher Rating Scale-Revised Short Form that included subscales for symptoms of hyperactivity, ADHD, oppositional behavior, and cognitive problems/inattention. Each week of GA at term was associated with lower hyperactivity scores and ADHD and cognitive problems/inattention scores (adjusted incidence rate ratios [IRRs], 0.94, 0.95, and 0.95, respectively). Increased hyperactivity scores and ADHD scores were seen in association with early-term birth (37-38 weeks) compared with birth at 39-41 weeks (adjusted IRRs, 1.23 and 1.17, respectively). There was also an increase observed in the odds of scoring 1.5-plus standard deviations above the sample mean for hyperactivity (adjusted OR, 1.51).
