Finger tapping may be linked to ADHD severity for children

New research found that how a child controls hand movement may accurately determine how severe, if any, the case of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is.

For the study, researchers analyzed 25 children with ADHD who were all right-handed. The children were asked to tap their fingers in sequential patterns. This test hoped to show researchers how a child with ADHD reacted during the process, and whether or not mirrored movements were evident.

Researchers noticed excessive mirror movements when analyzing children for the study, and the findings raise additional questions about motor control and how the brain functions for children with ADHD.

A second study evaluated 49 children with ADHD using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) with the intention of analyzing brain activity.

Children with ADHD scored lower on short-interval cortical inhibition (SICI) tests and also significantly lower on tests evaluating motor development when compared to children who do not have ADHD.

Researchers explain additional studies are required to analyze motor skill development and potential difficulties associated with development for children with ADHD.