ADHD symptoms at age seven predict later struggles

Poor memory and behavioural issues are a warning intervention is needed, researchers say

School-aged children with ADHD symptoms should be monitored — regardless of whether they meet diagnostic criteria for the disorder — to mitigate the risk of later functional impairment, researchers say.

A team, led by the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute in Melbourne, has identified that ADHD symptoms at age seven predict poorer academic performance and social functioning at age 10.