Jen Katzenstein, Ph.D., HSPP shared the following update via “PsychBytes,” a weekly educational resource from the Indiana Psychological Association. Read on to learn about a new study showing that children on the lower end of the age range for their grade in school were more likely to encounter educational challenges.
Opinions differ on when to enroll a child in school, and whether or not children benefit from being the oldest or youngest in the classroom. A recent study from Iceland found that over a 6-year time period, children who were youngest in their class were 50% more likely to be prescribed an ADHD medication and achieved lower mathematics and language arts grades until 4th grade. These results have implication for parents, educators, and diagnosticians. Parents with children close to birthday cut-offs should carefully consider school entry, and additional information regarding a child’s current cognitive status can help inform this decision.