Description of perinatal adversities in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
Marianna Bánhegyi1, Enikö Hargitai, Éva Mikics
1County Fejer Pedagogical Service, Szekesfehervar, Hungary,
Insights
Perinatal complications like preterm birth and birth asphyxia were analyzed in children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Complicated labor was less common in girls with ADHD, and preterm birth varied by living area.
Area of Science:
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders
- Pediatrics
- Obstetrics
Background:
- Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder.
- Existing literature suggests a potential link between perinatal adversities and ADHD, but findings remain inconclusive.
- This study focuses on characterizing perinatal complications in children diagnosed with ADHD.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence of specific perinatal adversities in children diagnosed with ADHD.
- To explore potential differences in perinatal complications based on gender and living area within the ADHD population.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of data from 219 children diagnosed with ADHD (ICD-10 criteria) between 2012-2015.
- Examined preterm birth, complicated/prolonged labor, intrauterine hypoxia, and birth asphyxia.
- Logistic regression analysis was used, controlling for age and examining gender and area effects.
Main Results:
- Complicated/prolonged labor was significantly less frequent in girls with ADHD compared to boys (OR: 0.378, p<0.039).
- Intrauterine hypoxia occurred in 28 children, and birth asphyxia in 15.
- Preterm birth affected 8.7% of the sample, with higher rates in rural (11.3%) versus central (3.6%) areas.
Conclusions:
- The findings highlight the importance of documenting perinatal complications in children with ADHD.
- Long-term follow-up is crucial for monitoring neurodevelopmental trajectories in these children.
- A key limitation is the absence of a control group for comparison.
Background:
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common neurodevelopmental disorder. According to literature data, perinatal adversities might be associated with the occurrence of ADHD, but the results are inconclusive at the moment. The aim of the present study is to describe perinatal adversities in children with ADHD.
Methods:
The data of children in County Fejér Pedagogical Service in three consecutive school years (2012-2015) was analyzed. In the present sample, 219 children with special education needs were diagnosed with ADHD (age: 9.0 years, SD: 3.1 years; 36 girls). The diagnosis was based on ICD-10 criteria. The present analysis is restricted to the presence of preterm birth, complicated/prolonged labor, intrauterine hypoxia and birth asphyxia in children with ADHD from different areas (central, urban or rural) of the county. Logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the effects of gender, age was used as a covariate.
Results:
Within this sample, the presence of complicated/prolonged labor was significantly lower (OR: 0.378, p<0.039) in girls compared to boys. The other studied variables did not show significant differences regarding gender. Intrauterine hypoxia was registered in 28 cases, while birth asphyxia was registered in 15 cases. The presence of preterm birth was 8.7%, and showed distinctive differences according to living area (central: 3.6% vs rural: 11.3%).
Conclusions:
Our results indicate the importance of registering perinatal complications and long term follow up of these children in the direction of neurodevelopmental disorders, however a limitation of the present study is the lack of a control group.
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