To Örebro University

AIM: To examine the association of childhood-onset type 1 diabetes (T1D) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with educational outcomes from compulsory school to university.

METHODS: Using multiple Swedish nationwide registers, we followed up on 1,474,941 individuals born in Sweden from 1981-1995 to December 31, 2013. Associations of T1D and ADHD with achieving educational milestones (from compulsory school to university) and school performances were estimated using logistic and linear regression models and sibling comparison models.

RESULTS: Compared to their peers, children with both T1D and ADHD were less likely to achieve any of the educational attainments, including completing compulsory school (adjusted OR [aOR] [95% CI]: 0.43[0.26,0.72]), be eligible to and finishing upper secondary school (0.26[0.19,0.36], 0.24[0.17,0.35], respectively), and starting university (0.38[0.17,0.90]). The odds of achieving these educational milestones were substantially lower in children with ADHD alone (aORs: 0.14-0.44), but were slightly worse or no differences in children with T1D alone (aORs: 0.86-1.08). All associations above remained similar in the sibling comparison models.

CONCLUSION: Children and adolescents with both T1D and ADHD had long-term educational underachievement, with ADHD being the major contributor. Our findings suggest the importance of assessing ADHD in children with T1D and targeted support for minimizing the education gap between the affected children and their peers.