Birth order in children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Objective: Etiopathogenesis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has not been elucidated. It has been thought that environmental and genetic factors played a role in it. Perinatal fetal traumas might cause minimal brain damage. Being a first born child is a risk factor in term of exposure to birth traumas. There are few studies which focus on the effect of birth order in ADHD. The present study aims to analyze the birth order characteristics of children with ADHD. Methods: The birth orders of children, 16 females and 49 boys with ADHD were determined with Slater’s Index. Data were compared with the control group. Results: The birth order index of children with ADHD was statistically lower compared to the control group. This result indicates that the firstborn children are more likely to have ADHD. Discussion: The results of this research show first or one of the first born children are more under exposure to perinatal traumas and for those reason minimal brain damages play an important role in etiopathogenezis of ADHD. [Anadolu Psikiyatri Derg 2015; 16(1.000): 69-73]