ADHD and Communication Disorders – Standards for Early Diagnosis, Prevention and Speech Therapy Intervention
Abstract
The aim of this article is to provide a concise overview of the neurobiological mechanisms underlying communication disorders in children with ADHD and to establish standards for early diagnosis, prevention and speech and language therapy intervention. The article focuses on the relationships between cognitive and language-communication functioning in children with ADHD, and on the role of the speech and language therapist in the interdisciplinary diagnostic and therapeutic process. The issue of these relationships has been derived from a review of selected contemporary research on ADHD, whilst highlighting the role of the speech and language therapist in the process of diagnosis and therapy, as well as prevention, constitutes the main argument and practical implication of this article. The discussion covers, in turn: the characteristics of the neurobiological basis of ADHD, a description of the language and communication profile of children with this disorder, the principles of early speech and language therapy diagnosis, and approaches to prevention and therapeutic intervention.
The article emphasises that communication difficulties in ADHD are most often secondary in nature and are associated with deficits in executive function, attention and working memory. It also highlights the frequent co-occurrence of this disorder with other developmental difficulties. The conclusions highlight the need for early, multi-faceted communication assessment, systematic preventive measures and functionally oriented therapy. Close interdisciplinary collaboration is recommended, along with the inclusion of a speech and language therapist as a key specialist in the process of supporting communicative development in children with ADHD.
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