grants

Early risk for ADHD symptoms in young children with Down syndrome

Fidler, Deborah J

Summary

Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a major health concern for individuals with Down Syndrome (DS), but there is currently no scientific foundation for the early detection and treatment of this comorbidity. In this project, we will link ADHD symptom profiles in 4-5- year-old children with Down syndrome to infant cognitive presentations from a prior wave of data collection, and examine the influence of biomedical risk factors in this longitudinal relationship. Identifying the early cognitive and biomedical risk factors associated with ADHD in DS will directly address the NIH INCLUDE Project objective of “defining the presentation and course of co-occurring conditions in individuals with Down syndrome” to inform future treatment innovations and improve adaptation in this population.