Key clinical point: Reducing maternal anxiety during pregnancy and early childhood might prevent subsequent development of hyperactivity.

Major finding: Adolescents whose mothers were rated as having moderate or high somatic anxiety during pregnancy and the toddlerhood years were at 2.1-fold increased risk of hyperactivity symptoms.

Study details: This was an analysis from the ongoing prospective Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children that included close to 9,000 mothers and their children.

Disclosures: This U.K. study is funded by the Medical Research Council and the Wellcome Trust. The presenter reported having no financial conflicts.