Findings parallel known association in general population<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
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FRIDAY, Dec. 11, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Gestational age is associated with symptoms of attention\u00e2\u0080\u0091deficit\/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in late\u00e2\u0080\u0091preterm to full\u00e2\u0080\u0091term children and adolescents with Down syndrome, according to a study published online Nov. 23 in Scientific Reports<\/em>.<\/p>\n 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 \u00e2\u0089\u00a535 weeks of gestation.<\/p>\n 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. <\/p>\n “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.”<\/p>\n