Research shows that many children diagnosed with ADHD also have speech and language problems. We do not know for certain whether ADHD causes communication issues. However, decreased attention skills are strongly correlated with a communication disorder diagnosis.
Can speech therapy help someone with ADHD? To answer that question, let’s look at the speech and language disorders that may occur alongside ADHD and how speech therapy can address them.
What are the main symptoms of ADHD?
ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects 11% of children ages 4 to 17. Not everyone with ADHD has a speech delay or disorder. However, many people with ADHD experience symptoms such as:
- Difficulty focusing on a specific task
- Forgetfulness or memory problems
- Acting without thinking
- Impatience or difficulty waiting their turn
- Difficulty controlling impulses
- A high level of energy or activity
- Interrupting or speaking at inappropriate times
- Difficulty following instructions
- Fidgeting or squirming in their seat
It is easy to see how challenges in any of these areas could affect communication development or performance. For example, a child who has trouble focusing and sitting still at school may find it difficult to work with other students or interact smoothly with their teacher.
It is also important to recognize that ADHD comes with strengths. People with ADHD report that certain qualities can help them at school, at work, and in social situations. These include hyperfocus, resilience, creativity, high energy, spontaneity, and adventurousness.
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Speech and language issues that may coexist with ADHD
Here is a closer look at several communication disorders that may be present in a person with ADHD.
Expressive language disorder
A person with an expressive language disorderhas difficulty communicating their thoughts and ideas clearly and in an organized way. For example, they may struggle to answer questions, structure sentences clearly, or take part in a back-and-forth conversation.
They may also make grammatical errors when speaking, including mistakes that simply do not sound quite right. They might have difficulty recalling details about something that happened or finding the words they need to express themselves.
Receptive language disorder
People with ADHD may also have receptive language challenges. Receptive language is the ability to understand spoken words and sentences. Someone with these challenges may have trouble following verbal directions, recalling the details or main ideas of a story or conversation, or fully understanding the questions others ask.
Social communication problems
A substantial body of research shows that children with ADHD are more likely to have difficulties with pragmatic language. Pragmatic language skills, also called social communication skills, involve a person’s ability to follow the “social rules” of conversation.
For example, a child with ADHD may frequently interrupt the person speaking or answer before a question is finished. They may misunderstand nonverbal cues or avoid eye contact. They might also change topics often or jump to an idea that does not seem to flow naturally from the conversation.
Stuttering
Experts believe there is a link between stuttering and ADHD. Among children who stutter, research suggests that about 4% to 26% also have ADHD.
People who stutter may repeat sounds in their speech, as in, “I n-n-n-n-need to go.” This is typically what comes to mind when people think about stuttering, but there are other types of disfluencies. A person may prolong sounds, such as, “Wwwwwwhere are you going?” They may also experience something called a “block” while speaking. During a block, the person cannot move their mouth and no sound comes out. In the middle of a sentence, this may sound like a pause, while their mouth appears frozen: “The test…………was hard.”
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How can speech therapy help children with ADHD?
Speech therapy can make a significant difference for people with ADHD who have speech delays or disorders. If the impact of ADHD on a child is not addressed and supported, it may affect their ability to succeed at school, build relationships, and develop confidence.
How does speech therapy work for someone with ADHD? A speech therapist cannot treat ADHD directly, but they can address language issues that arise because of attention deficits. For direct support with an ADHD diagnosis, including medication or behavioral therapy, it is best to talk with your pediatrician.
If the impact of ADHD on a child is not addressed, it may affect their ability to succeed at school, build relationships, and develop confidence.
Speech therapy for ADHD starts with an evaluation. The speech therapist will assess which areas of language development may be challenging for the child. The concerns may involve expressive language, receptive language, or both. Every child has different needs.
The speech therapist may also conduct a formal assessment of social language and observe how the child interacts with other people. For example, talking quickly, interrupting frequently, or being unable to stay on topic may indicate that ADHD is affecting the child’s social communication skills.
During conversation, the speech therapist may evaluate the child’s speech fluency to determine whether stuttering is present. If necessary, the therapist can also conduct a formal stuttering assessment.
Once testing is complete, and after the speech therapist has spent time getting to know the child and speaking with their family, the therapist will create a treatment plan with goals tailored to the child’s specific needs.
Each speech therapy session will focus on helping the child work toward these goals. This is typically done through play. Speech therapists use creative ways to “hide” the work children need to do in therapy. For example, when targeting a concept such as sentence structure, the therapist may use games that naturally encourage conversation, like “I Spy” or “Guess Who?” When working on auditory comprehension, the therapist might read one of the child’s favorite books and then ask questions about the story.
Speech therapy does not need to feel intimidating or difficult. The key is to make it fun so the child stays engaged and continues learning throughout each session.
The speech therapist will continually measure how accurately the child performs skills related to their goals. They will also track how much help the child needs. Over time, the therapist will gradually reduce that support to help the child become more independent.
Your speech therapist should keep you informed about your child’s overall progress and suggest ways to practice at home. Suppose your child is learning to follow 3-step directions. The therapist can explain which cues, or hints, work best for your child and show you how to use them. Your child may benefit from hearing the full set of directions two times and using a visual schedule. The speech therapist can guide you through using these techniques at home.
If your child has ADHD and you are concerned about their speech or language development, consider contacting a speech therapist. The earlier they receive support, the better.