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Early school entry linked to increase in Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder among children
A new Harvard study published has cautioned against early school registration; leading early childhood education systems recognise the importance of play-based learning until at least age five or six
- PUBLISHED: Mon 19 Jan 2026, 9:32 PM
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A research paper examining the influences leading to Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) diagnoses among children has identified early school enrollment as a key determinant in the rising number of ADHD cases. Conducted by a team from Harvard Medical School, the findings were released in The New England Journal of Medicine on November 28th, highlighting the critical impact that the timing of starting school can have on such diagnoses.
One of the authors of the research, Anupam Jena commented “As children grow older, small differences in age equalize and dissipate over time, but behaviorally speaking, the difference between a 6-year-old and a 7-year-old could be quite pronounced.”
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The study’s release preceded the UAE’s announcement of a revised age cut-off for school admissions starting in the 2026-27 academic year. The Ministry of Education has declared that the new age cut-off will be December 31 of the admission year, a shift from the former August 31 deadline. This change will affect all schools and kindergartens that begin their academic year in August or September. Schools with academic years starting in April will maintain the March 31 cut-off date.
The revised age cut-off could place children into settings that are not designed to meet their social, emotional, and play-based learning needs.
Globally, leading early childhood education systems recognise the importance of play-based learning until at least age five or six. Frameworks such as the UK’s EYFS, New Zealand’s Te Whāriki, and the Reggio Emilia approach in Italy emphasise holistic, relationship-based learning well beyond age three.
The Organisation for Economic (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) and UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) consistently highlight that early childhood education spans birth to age five or six, not an early transition into formal schooling. In most high-performing education systems, children remain in early years settings until they are developmentally ready, rather than transitioning based on rigid age cut-offs.
The Tashkent Declaration (UNESCO, 2022), endorsed by 193 countries, reinforces this definition and calls on governments to prioritise quality, equity, continuity, and child well-being across the full early childhood phase.
Popular parent influencer, ‘Parent Prosper Coaching’ commented on the UAE’s policy change on her Instagram page stating “Earlier does not mean better and school readiness is not about a date on the calendar”. She also talked about the importance of children being ready, emotionally, socially, neurologically and physically and how children at this age have developmental milestones that can be varied depending on the child.
Parents may feel pressured to move children into school-based settings earlier than they feel comfortable with. This places families under unnecessary stress and limits their ability to make decisions based on their child’s developmental readiness.
Commenting on the announcement, Lama Bechara-Jakins, the CEO of Blossom Nurseries and Pre-School stated “The early years are when children build emotional security, social confidence, and a love of learning through play and strong relationships. When system signals encourage earlier transitions, families may feel compelled to make decisions before their child is ready, risking the loss of valuable time in nurturing early learning environments.”
When transitions happen too early, these attachments can be disrupted, leading to anxiety, behavioural changes, and reduced confidence, and as the new Harvard Study has highlighted, an increase in children diagnosed with ADHD.
Critically, the system must also consider whether schools are structurally, pedagogically, and operationally equipped to meet the needs of significantly younger children — a concern explicitly highlighted in global early childhood policy frameworks.
“Our findings suggest the possibility that large numbers of kids are being over-diagnosed and overtreated for ADHD because they happen to be relatively immature compared to their older classmates in the early years of elementary school,” said Timothy Layton, assistant professor of health care policy in the Blavatnik Institute at Harvard Medical School.
This dynamic may be particularly true among younger children given that an 11- or 12-month difference in age could lead to significant differences in behavior.
The reasons for the rise in ADHD among young children are complex and arbitrary cutoff dates are just one of many variables driving this new phenomenon reported in the Study.
It’s clear that the new policy shift in the UAE is causing concern with parents and nursery practitioners alike. The Harvard Study illustrates a genuine area of concern that early registration can trigger a higher diagnosis of children with ADHD due to the development differences of children at such a crucial age.
We are still seeing the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and many children are still catching up both socially and emotionally across all age groups. Schools are seeing a wider range of readiness in communication, self-regulation, and basic independence. For example, some children are still developing everyday skills like toileting and eating independently.
Parents within the UAE would be wise to engage in this research to make sure they are certain about their decision to either remain in a nursery setting or to enroll their child in a school.
Ziaara Sayed, the owner of Little Oxford Nursery stated “As the UAE continues to champion excellence and innovation in education, it is vital that the early years sector is acknowledged as an equal partner—one that deserves the same visibility, support, and strategic investment afforded to schools. Strengthening this recognition not only uplifts providers but also reinforces the nation’s commitment to giving every child the strongest possible start.”
