Gestational Age Tied to Attention-Deficit Symptoms With Down Syndrome

FRIDAY, Dec. 11, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Gestational age is associated with symptoms of attention‑deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in late‑preterm to full‑term children and adolescents with Down syndrome, according to a study published online Nov. 23 in Scientific Reports.

Laura del Hoyo Soriano, from the University of California, Davis, in Sacramento, and colleagues investigated the influence of gestational age in later symptoms of ADHD in 105 individuals (56 females; aged 6 to 18 years) with Down syndrome who were born at ≥35 weeks of gestation.

The researchers found that gestational age was related to inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive symptoms in children and adolescents with Down syndrome, with earlier gestational age linked to increased ADHD symptoms later in childhood. These findings parallel a similar correlation in the general population.

“Gestational age should be addressed when considering symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, as it may have implications for early interventions,” the authors write. “More attention is needed toward the advancement of care and follow-up for infants with Down syndrome who are born even late preterm or early term.”

Abstract/Full Text