[Predictors of hyperkinetic disorder--early recognition in childhood].
OBJECTIVE
The prospective longitudinal Mannheim Study of Children at Risk followed the development of children from the age of 2 years up to the age of 8 years. Are there differences between the developmental risk load in toddlers (psychopathology, cognition, motor or neurological development, and educational differences) who suffer from a hyperactive disorder at age 8 and that of undisturbed children of the same age? Are there specific harbingers of hyperkinetic disorders for the group concerned?


METHODS
In terms of their developmental risk load at the age of 2 years, 26 primary school children with hyperkinetic disorders were compared to 241 healthy primary school children, as well as to 25 children of the same age with emotional disturbances and 30 children of the same age with socially disruptive behavior.


RESULTS
A significant combination of predictors of later hyperkinetic disorders at primary school age proved to be increased fidgetiness and irritability, as well as a reduced language comprehension, at the age of two.


CONCLUSIONS
The predictive value of symptoms in early childhood for later hyperkinetic disorder in children of primary school age is higher than that of symptoms assessed in infancy, which although expected is without relevant specificity.
Esser
Günter
G
Universität Potsdam, Institut für Psychologie. gesser@uni-potsdam.de
Fischer
Sascha
S
Wyschkon
Anne
A
Laucht
Manfred
M
Schmidt
Martin H
MH
D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D000367:Age Factors; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D019958:Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015897:Comorbidity; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007508:Irritable Mood; D007805:Language Development Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010552:Personality Assessment; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012917:Social Adjustment; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology