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ADHD & Language Impairments

Between 3 to 5 percent of all school-age children are diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, according to scientific research conducted by D.P. Cantwell in 1996. A similar study showed 6 to 15 percent of all children struggle with a language learning impairment. Anywhere from 10 to 33 percent of those children suffer from ADHD, according to a study conducted by C.A. Riccio in 1994. The comorbidity of language impairments in ADHD children severely hinders learning development and further complicating this issue, according to the National Attention Deficit Disorder Information and Support Service in the United Kingdom.

  1. Types of Language Problems

    • The ADDISS confirms there are several types of language problems that manifests in children diagnosed with ADHD. Syntax is the first issue, where where ADHD children have problems with oral and written grammar. The problem often manifests when the ADHD child attempts to construct sentences. The next issue is semantics, where an ADHD child has problems comprehending word meanings and groupings. Children with semantic problems will struggle with understanding written and spoken language, have a poor vocabulary, will have problems with word matching exercises and struggle with context in reading. Another area of challenge is pragmatics or the social use of language. These children will have issues interacting and holding conversations will different groups, find it a chore to express feelings and struggle with making requests of others. Metalinguistics or the ability to reflect on language objectively poses another issue for some ADHD children. Children struggling with metalinguistics will have problems associating rules for language under the right circumstances. For example, such children might respond to a sad situation with humor, but not realize how or why such response is inappropriate.

    Areas of Diffculty

    • With auditory processing, ADHD children will remembering what they heard, processing what they heard fast enough to make a valid response, are often inattentive when spoken to and struggle to analyze auditory information. Such children have a hard time learning in classroom settings that require listening and reading. Metacognition of the other hand refers to the ability to ponder on thinking itself. These children simply can't make the connection between what they know and knowing what they know. Problem solving poses a nightmare for these children because nothing makes congruent sense to them. These issues make language impairments in children with ADHD all the more complicated because the problems relate to processing, rather than simply a delay.

    ADHD and Learning Styles

    • Children with ADHD exhibiting language impairments will struggle with one or more of the components in the traditional educational system. This system requires listening, focusing, sitting still, reading and comprehension skills. These requirements, along with the necessity of strong oral skills creates a struggle for such students to learn and thrive. This makes it extremely important for educators and administrators to take into account various learning styles aside from the one predominately indoctrinated and espoused in the school system. Understanding an individual child's learning style will help impart to him education in a relevant manner. The visual learning style consists of students who learn best by observing; they need to see how things are done or how things go together. They learn best by watching videos, drawing, looking at posters and information mapping systems. Auditory learners on the other hand learn best by listening and talking with others. Such students have excellent auditory discrimination and learn best from reading out loud, rhythm and rhymes games and audio recordings. Such students also tend to speak languages with ease. Kinaesthetic learners need to incorporate their entire bodies into the process of learning. These students learn best by pulling things apart and putting them back together. They like to create and build new things. Feelings are extremely important to such learners. Interactive learners, however, must interact with others through dialogue and discussion. These students learn best from group learning and cooperation. Such students usually exhibit leadership potential, but can follow just as well and usually adapt well to different social environments. Print-oriented learners love to read. These students tend to read for pleasure and learning at the same time. Such students have excellent reading comprehension and often like to write about what they have learned.

    Helpful Strategies

    • Not every ADHD child has language impairments and many language impairments affect children without ADHD. Children learn best within their own learning style. Children with ADHD often lack in one or more of the learning styles, making it extremely important to place most learning in the context of the child's strengths. The main styles ADHD children struggle with are the auditory, visual and print oriented styles, impairing the ability to learn language effectively. One of the most effective strategies is to teach the ADHD child in his best learning style. The pulse style of teaching is also helpful to ADHD children with language impairments. This style consists of a diffused pattern of learning. With diffused learning a student will concentrate on a task for about 10 minutes and then place his attention elsewhere for a few minutes, then back to the original task at hand for 10 minutes. This is known as the focus-diffusion process and continues until the original task is complete. For example, a student might read for 10 minutes, run around for five minutes, read for another 10 minutes and so forth until the reading assignment is completed. This learning strategy will help the student learn more, under less stress, contributing to his confidence in learning.

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