Inattentive toddlers are at a higher risk of developing reading problems in 2nd grade, according to a study published this month in the journal Developmental Psychology.
Researchers asked the parents of 1,329 children ages 1 to 3 to report whether their toddlers showed hyperactive, inattentive, or aggressive behaviors. When the children entered 2nd grade, the researchers conducted in-person interviews with 541 of the children, and conducted Woodcock-Johnson reading tests on 359 of them.
Students overall showed fewer of all of the negative behaviors as they got older, but those who were rated highly for inattention in their early years were significantly more likely to perform lower on reading tests in school. The results suggest early interventions focused on inattention could benefit reading development.
