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Mother's Smoking May Raise ADHD Risk in Children
But researchers say more study on the causes of the disorder is needed
What's going on?
"Chronic exposure to smoking in pregnancy may create an imbalance in chemicals that result in ADHD," said study lead author Desiree Silva, a professor of pediatric medicine at the University of Western Australia.
But Froehlich said the picture may be even more complicated.
Some researchers have suggested that "people with ADHD are more likely to smoke, and then may pass on their ADHD-related genes to their children," Froehlich said.
Urinary tract infections also are thought to contribute to inflammation that affects the development of the brain in the fetus, she said. Stress during pregnancy -- perhaps from being single or a young mother -- could do the same thing.
"[However], since ADHD is associated with higher rates of teen pregnancy, it is also possible that the younger and single mothers themselves have higher rates of ADHD, and they are passing on their ADHD-related genes to their children," Froehlich said.
The Australian researchers called for more study on the subject.
The study appears online Dec. 2 and in the January print issue of the journal Pediatrics.
More information:
For more about ADHD, visit the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
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