Study Connects Newborn Apgar Score to ADHD

Can the risk of ADHD be determined within the first five minutes of a child's life?

That's what a recent Danish study concluded. The Journal of Pediatrics published the study done by researchers at Aarhus University in Denmark, which found that a low Apgar score coincided with an increased risk of ADHD later in life.

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The study (link to Reuters article) examined Danish newborns from 1988 to 2001 and determined that an Apgar score of 1 to 4 lead to a 75% greater chance of developing ADHD, while a score of 5 to 6 increased the risk by 63%. This doesn't mean that a low Apgar score causes ADHD, but rather that it can be an early indicator of ADHD, which is not typically diagnosed until grade school.

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Read more about ADHD diagnosis, symptoms and treatment in our ADHD Health Guide.