Attention deficit Hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a disabling neurodevelopmental disorder that affects 5% of the population. There is emerging evidence that early detection and intervention improves neurodevelopmental disorders outcomes. This knowledge, coupled with clear evidence that the first signs and symptoms of developmental disorders may be evident for many children by 30 months of age, has led to increased early detection efforts. However, it is still uncertain how best to identify the very first signs of these disorders. For example, early speech, motor delay or global developmental delay, birth and neonatal complications may index future neurodevelopmental disorders. Investigations using prospective designs may be especially fruitful because they are less affected by retrospective recall biases.
In this project I propose to utilise data from a large, prospective population-based cohort, ALSPAC. The aim is to test the hypothesis that early developmental difficulties in the first year of life precede ADHD and other neurodevelopmental disorders emergence by ages 7 to 9 years.
This work will represent a step towards earlier detection of ADHD and other neurodevelopmental disorders prior to the onset of behavioural symptoms.