Want to know if it’s time for your ADHD child to see a speech therapist? Autism, ADHD, and APD can affect a child’s ability to understand language, compromising verbal and nonverbal abilities. Fortunately, you can help your child improve their speech and language skills by taking them to a private speech therapist.
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What are Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs)?
Approximately 30% to 40% of children with ADHD experience difficulties in communication. Although each child’s experience is unique, impairments in language and speech can negatively impact daily activities and learning.
Speech-language pathologists are experts in communication challenges prevalent in neurodivergent kids (ADHD, autism, dyslexia). Specifically, speech and language difficulties.
Licensed speech therapists conduct speech and language evaluations for their clients. However, the results of speech and language evaluations are dependent on a couple of important variables.
- Executive function
- (a set of mental skills that include working memory and self-control)
- Expressive language
- (how thoughts and feelings are communicated through words and gestures)
Once issues have been identified, SLPs create plans to address the language and communication issues in children with ADHD.
What is working memory?
Working memory is the ability to hold on to multiple pieces of information long enough to manipulate and respond appropriately.
What do they treat?
Speech therapists work with a wide range of communication difficulties common in ADHD and autism. For example,
- Language disorders
- Articulation,
- Reading challenges
The IntechOpen report mentioned that, in 25 to 40% of cases, children may also struggle with forming speech sounds, apraxia. If left untreated in the early ages of life, a child can develop a lisp or reading issues such as dyslexia.
Early intervention is critical, and ideally, treatment should begin by the age of 5.
Ultimately, understanding how ADHD can impact communication is essential. This is when a private speech therapist can direct you to the right treatment specific to your child’s needs.
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3 Reasons to Take Your Child to An SLP
Below, we discuss areas of speech and language that can affect children with ADHD. If you notice these signs in your child, it may be time to contact an SLP.
1. Disruptions in Executive Functions
ADHD impacys executive functions like working memory and self-control. These skills help individuals organize, plan, and manage daily life.
Because children with ADHD have deficits in executive functioning, they have trouble starting and finishing tasks. Additionally, they may struggle with distractibility leading to reading and spelling problems.
In ‘Homeschooling A Distracted Child Homeschool Parent Training’, I share how to navigate your child’s executive functioning deficits in your homeschool.
Related Post:
Homeschooling the Distracted Child!
Sick of the uphill battles every.single.day?
2. Lack of Expressive Language
Expressive language refers to how one conveys oneself. Expressive language deficits can be observed in children with a variety of diagnoses.
- ADHD,
- Autism,
- Auditory processing disorders (CAPD),
- Language processing disorders like dyslexia.
For example, you may notice your child fumbling over words when describing an event. Other times, they’ll go off-topic when sharing details about their day. Finding the right words can also be a problem for autistic children and those with ADHD.
Non-Specific Word Choice
There’s a tendency to generalize terms. You’ll hear these kids use non-specific words such as:
- They
- Them
- That
- Stuff
- Those
This makes it hard for you to grasp your child’s ideas, wants, and needs. SLPs should evaluate a child’s grammar and how they understand language. Based on the findings, SLPs can help you develop patience when speaking to your child.
3. Struggles with Language Processing
Language processing is how we understand and recall certain information. However, children with ADHD find it difficult to follow directions or listen actively.
Research shows that attention and working memory can affect language processing. This can impact how children navigate questions. For example, your child may struggle with:
- Abstract vocabulary
- Such as “left/right” or “before/after”
- Visualization
- The ability to make mental pictures of what they read or hear.
- This is a key reason children struggle with reading comprehension.
- Visuals can help children better understand information.
- The ability to make mental pictures of what they read or hear.
- Forming or responding to complex sentences
- Trouble with multi-step instructions
Difficulty with Multi-Step Directions
Trouble with multi-step directions is often rooted in language processing challenges. Those who aren’t able to execute multi-step directions often legitimately “forget” to follow through.
For example, have you ever asked your child to go upstairs, clean their room, and get ready for bed? Except, you find them an hour later, having not done anything? This pattern of behavior is often rooted in language processing challenges.
(This is true even in teens and adults.) Learn more about these language processing challenges in Reading, Writing, and Relationships Training.
Recap: Should Your ADHD Child See a Speech Therapist?
A speech language pathologist can be an essential member of your child’s support team. They can help your child with common speech and language challenges, as well as reading.
It’s important to know that reading and comprehension struggles are often rooted in language processing difficulties. (A strengths-based speech therapist is the first person I’d go to for any reading challenges.)
Additionally, “behavioral issues” can be language comprehension challenges in disguise. For more on that, check out Reading, Writing, and Relationships.
So, Friend, what are your thoughts? After reading this, do you think your child needs to see a speech-language pathologist?
Article penned by Roxana Mae Odile for aheartforallstudents.com
Does your child struggle to remember?
What they’ve read? Multi-step directions?
What you asked them to do 5 min ago?
If so, take the Homeschool Teacher Training to help!
- Auditory Processing vs Language Processing
- How they impact literacy, communication & behavior
- What you can do to change the trajectory of your child’s future by addressing underlying issues!
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Homeschooling ADHD: 29 Useful Tips to Save Your Sanity
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Speech Delay and Autism: What’s the Connection?
Gestalt Language Processing: Natural Language Acquisition and Your Child
