Language disorders are three times more common in children with hyperactivity. This has a lasting impact on school results.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is often associated with poor academic performance. Children with this disorder also suffer from more speech impairments. A study, published on April 21 in Pediatrics, shows that in fact, schoolchildren with ADHD and language disorders see their performance permanently impaired.
An Australian team followed two groups of children aged 6 to 8. One part suffered from ADHD, the other joined a “control” group. The researchers quickly observed that “the risk of language disorders in children with ADHD is almost three times higher” than for the general population. However, only a minority of patients consulted a speech therapist. Of the 42% who visited a language professional, half stopped before the study began. “This could be explained by the fact that the symptoms of ADHD mask speech disorders,” the authors point out.
A genetic overlap
But not treating language disorders has a lasting effect on the education of these children. The study points out that “despite the availability of pharmacological and behavioral treatments, these children with ADHD still have poorer academic and social outcomes over the long term. Reading, calculating and evaluating skills reveal real difficulties in these patients.
It is difficult to explain the reasons for this co-existence in view of the results of this study. The researchers speculate, however, that there is a genetic overlap between language disorders and ADHD, without establishing which disorder influences the other.
ADHD or not, language disorders have little influence on children’s social behavior. Whether the observation is from a parent or a teacher, no serious difference is made from the general population. At worst, more problems with comrades are observed. “It is possible that children with ADHD already have poor social behavior, due to factors other than language proficiency, which includes ADHD symptoms and associated comorbidities (such as autism spectrum disorders)”, put it into perspective. authors.
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