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Inattention, hyperactivity and speech delay at 2-4 years of age as a predictor for ADD-ADHD syndrome
A Ornoy1, L Uriel, A Tennenbaum
1Jerusalem Institute for Child Development, Israel.
Insights
Children with early signs like inattention, hyperactivity, and speech delay often develop Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). These "soft" neurological signs can predict later diagnosis in school-aged children.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders
- Child Psychology
Background:
- Early childhood developmental disorders present diagnostic challenges.
- Identifying predictive markers for neurodevelopmental conditions is crucial for timely intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if early childhood "soft" neurological signs predict later Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
- To assess the long-term outcomes of children with inattention, hyperactivity, and speech delay.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study comparing 36 children (initially 2-4 years) with developmental disorders to 27 controls.
- Utilized Touwen & Prechtel examination for Minor Neurological Dysfunction, Pollack tapper test, and Conners hyperactivity scales.
- Re-examined participants at 7-14 years of age.
Main Results:
- 80% of children with early inattention, hyperactivity, and speech delay developed ADHD by school age.
- Research group children showed significantly higher rates of learning disabilities and ADHD compared to controls.
- Many children with early signs required special education due to behavioral and learning difficulties.
Conclusions:
- "Soft" neurological signs in early childhood are strong predictors of developing ADHD.
- Early identification of these signs can facilitate timely diagnosis and support for affected children.
- This research highlights the importance of comprehensive neurodevelopmental assessments in young children.
Abstract:
In the Jerusalem Institute for Child Development children with various developmental disorders at ages of 0-5 years are examined. Thirty-six children aged 2-4 years were examined by us and were found to have inattention, hyperactivity and speech delay with an IQ or DQ above 70 and were reexamined at 7-14 years of age. They were compared to a group of 27 control children. All children had a complete neurodevelopmental examination using the Touwen & Prechtel examination for Minor Neurological Dysfunction. They also had a Pollack tapper test for the identification of learning disabilities and the Conners parent's and teacher's hyperactivity rating scales. Of the 36 children from the research group 20 studied in special education classes because of behavioral disorders, inattention, and severe learning disabilities. They all had ADD-ADHD. There were 16 children in regular schools, of whom 9 had ADD-ADHD. In the control group only one child had ADD-ADHD. A very high number of the research group children failed in 2 or all 3 tests used in this study in comparison to controls. It seems that "soft" neurological signs with hyperactivity, inattention and speech delay may be early clinical signs of ADD-ADHD as 80% of the children with these clinical features developed ADD-ADHD during early school age.