Classroom comparisons might lead to ADHD overdiagnosis: study

Immature behaviour is sometimes inappropriately labelled, researchers say
Reuters Health Staff writer
young children at school - Europe

The youngest children in a classroom are more likely to receive medication for ADHD than their relatively older classmates, a study from Finland confirms.

This ‘relative age effect’ likely occurs when the more immature behaviour of younger children is inappropriately treated as ADHD, the researchers say.