Relative age and specific learning disorder diagnoses: A Finnish population‐based cohort study
Abstract Background Being among the youngest in class has previously been associated with attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and academic disadvantage, but the relative age effect on learning disorders is less well understood. This study examined whether relatively young children are mo...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2021-04-01
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| Series: | JCPP Advances |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1111/jcv2.12001 |
| _version_ | 1811316375607574528 |
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| author | Bianca Arrhenius David Gyllenberg Miika Vuori Elina Tiiri Lotta Lempinen Andre Sourander |
| author_facet | Bianca Arrhenius David Gyllenberg Miika Vuori Elina Tiiri Lotta Lempinen Andre Sourander |
| author_sort | Bianca Arrhenius |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Being among the youngest in class has previously been associated with attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and academic disadvantage, but the relative age effect on learning disorders is less well understood. This study examined whether relatively young children are more likely to be diagnosed with specific learning disorders than their older peers. Methods The setting included all 388,650 children born singleton in Finland from 1996 to 2002. Cases diagnosed with specific learning disorders in specialized health care by the age of 10 were identified from national registers. Cumulative incidences of specific learning disorders and the corresponding incidence rate ratios (IRRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for each birth month compared to January. Results During follow‐up, 3162 (0.8% of 388,650) children were diagnosed with a specific learning disorder. Children born in December displayed higher cumulative incidences for specific learning disorders than children born in January (IRR: 1.77, 95% CI: 1.50–2.11). The findings were similar for girls (IRR: 2.01, 1.44–2.83) and boys (IRR: 1.70, 1.39–2.08). ADHD did not explain the association, as the IRR for the youngest children with specific learning disorders and ADHD was 1.59 (1.13–2.26) compared to those without ADHD (IRR: 1.84, 1.51–2.24). Conclusions Relatively younger children in Finnish schools were more likely to be diagnosed with a specific learning disorder by the age of 10. Increased awareness of how relative age differences affect the likelihood for children to be diagnosed with specific learning disorders is needed among parents, clinicians, and teachers. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T11:48:55Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ea18819894574309a253a5063c3b1772 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2692-9384 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T11:48:55Z |
| publishDate | 2021-04-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | JCPP Advances |
| spelling | doaj.art-ea18819894574309a253a5063c3b17722022-12-22T02:48:07ZengWileyJCPP Advances2692-93842021-04-0111n/an/a10.1111/jcv2.12001Relative age and specific learning disorder diagnoses: A Finnish population‐based cohort studyBianca Arrhenius0David Gyllenberg1Miika Vuori2Elina Tiiri3Lotta Lempinen4Andre Sourander5Department of Child Psychiatry University of Turku Turku FinlandDepartment of Child Psychiatry University of Turku Turku FinlandDepartment of Teacher Education Turku Institute for Advanced Studies University of Turku Turku FinlandDepartment of Child Psychiatry University of Turku Turku FinlandDepartment of Child Psychiatry University of Turku Turku FinlandDepartment of Child Psychiatry University of Turku Turku FinlandAbstract Background Being among the youngest in class has previously been associated with attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and academic disadvantage, but the relative age effect on learning disorders is less well understood. This study examined whether relatively young children are more likely to be diagnosed with specific learning disorders than their older peers. Methods The setting included all 388,650 children born singleton in Finland from 1996 to 2002. Cases diagnosed with specific learning disorders in specialized health care by the age of 10 were identified from national registers. Cumulative incidences of specific learning disorders and the corresponding incidence rate ratios (IRRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for each birth month compared to January. Results During follow‐up, 3162 (0.8% of 388,650) children were diagnosed with a specific learning disorder. Children born in December displayed higher cumulative incidences for specific learning disorders than children born in January (IRR: 1.77, 95% CI: 1.50–2.11). The findings were similar for girls (IRR: 2.01, 1.44–2.83) and boys (IRR: 1.70, 1.39–2.08). ADHD did not explain the association, as the IRR for the youngest children with specific learning disorders and ADHD was 1.59 (1.13–2.26) compared to those without ADHD (IRR: 1.84, 1.51–2.24). Conclusions Relatively younger children in Finnish schools were more likely to be diagnosed with a specific learning disorder by the age of 10. Increased awareness of how relative age differences affect the likelihood for children to be diagnosed with specific learning disorders is needed among parents, clinicians, and teachers.https://doi.org/10.1111/jcv2.12001arithmetic disorderbirth monthlearning disordersneurodevelopmentalreading disorderrelative age |
| spellingShingle | Bianca Arrhenius David Gyllenberg Miika Vuori Elina Tiiri Lotta Lempinen Andre Sourander Relative age and specific learning disorder diagnoses: A Finnish population‐based cohort study JCPP Advances arithmetic disorder birth month learning disorders neurodevelopmental reading disorder relative age |
| title | Relative age and specific learning disorder diagnoses: A Finnish population‐based cohort study |
| title_full | Relative age and specific learning disorder diagnoses: A Finnish population‐based cohort study |
| title_fullStr | Relative age and specific learning disorder diagnoses: A Finnish population‐based cohort study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Relative age and specific learning disorder diagnoses: A Finnish population‐based cohort study |
| title_short | Relative age and specific learning disorder diagnoses: A Finnish population‐based cohort study |
| title_sort | relative age and specific learning disorder diagnoses a finnish population based cohort study |
| topic | arithmetic disorder birth month learning disorders neurodevelopmental reading disorder relative age |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1111/jcv2.12001 |
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