Your child has been diagnosed with ADHD — or you have a strong feeling they have it. They are restless, impulsive, find it hard to concentrate. But on top of that, there are difficulties at school: they struggle to read, their spelling is disastrous, they mix up letters, they take twice as long as the others to write. Is it only ADHD? Or is there something else?

The answer is often: both. And this is precisely where the speech therapist comes in.

Book a speech therapy assessment for your child with ADHD

Speech therapists specialised in ADHD · Suitable assessment · Appointment within a few days · Video sessions from home

 

ADHD and language disorders: a close and often underestimated link

ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, with or without hyperactivity) affects around 5% of school-age children. But what many parents do not know is that ADHD is very often accompanied by language and learning difficulties, which are not directly caused by inattention but are associated disorders — known as co-occurring conditions (comorbidities).

Around 25% of children with ADHD also have written language disorders — dyslexia or dysorthographia — not as a consequence of the attention disorder, but as a separate disorder present alongside it. The prevalence of dyslexia among children with ADHD is four to five times higher than in the general population.

Without a speech therapy assessment, these co-occurring disorders often go unnoticed. The child is seen as “just” inattentive, when in fact they are struggling with two separate — and cumulative — difficulties at the same time.

 

The signs that should alert you: ADHD and language difficulties

Certain signs should prompt you to see a speech therapist, even when ADHD has already been diagnosed and is being treated:

In written language:

  • Laborious, choppy, slow reading — even after several years of CP and CE1 (the first two years of primary school)
  • Frequent confusion between similar letters (b/d, p/q, m/n)
  • Very unstable spelling: the same word is written differently from one sentence to the next
  • Letters left out or reversed in written words
  • Extreme slowness in written work, even for short sentences

In oral language:

  • Poorly structured speech, frequently jumping from one topic to another in explanations
  • Limited or imprecise vocabulary — “the thing”, “the whatsit” — for their age
  • Difficulty telling a story or summarising a text coherently
  • Social communication problems: speaking too loudly, interrupting frequently, giving off-topic answers

In learning:

  • Very uneven school results depending on the subject, with a marked gap between oral and written work
  • Poor working memory: the child forgets instructions given thirty seconds ago
  • Excessive fatigue linked to compensation efforts (the child “fights” to do what seems natural to others)

If you recognise several of these signs, a speech therapy assessment is necessary — regardless of the support already in place for ADHD.

 

What does the speech therapist actually do for a child with ADHD?

The speech therapist works at two distinct levels with children with ADHD:

1. The assessment: distinguishing what is due to ADHD from what is due to a language disorder

This is the first task, and it is essential. After the assessment, the speech therapist’s role is to distinguish what is due to inattention — and will improve with ADHD treatment — from what is due to a specific language disorder, which requires its own speech therapy.

To do this, the speech therapist uses standardised tests normed on the French population, covering:

  • Oral language (understanding, expression, articulation, fluency)
  • Written language (reading, spelling, writing)
  • Working memory and attention abilities related to language
  • Executive functions related to language (planning speech, narrative coherence)

The report clearly indicates which results are explained by ADHD and which reveal an independent language disorder — which very concretely guides the therapy and the school adjustments to request.

Book a speech therapy assessment for your child with ADHD

Speech therapists specialised in ADHD · Suitable assessment · Appointment within a few days · Video sessions from home

 

2. Therapy: work that goes far beyond reading

If the assessment reveals specific disorders, speech therapy is put in place. Contrary to popular belief, speech therapists do not only work on reading and writing with children with ADHD. Their field of intervention is much broader:

  • Remediation of reading disorders (dyslexia) and spelling disorders (dysorthographia)
  • Strengthening working memory through specific exercises
  • Improving attention functions related to language (selective and sustained attention)
  • Organising and structuring oral and written expression
  • Social communication: learning to wait their turn, organise their ideas before speaking, adapt to the context
  • Parental guidance: advising parents on how to adapt communication and homework at home

Online sessions often prove particularly well suited to children with ADHD: the familiar environment reduces distracting stimuli, the length of sessions can be adjusted and the exercises are interactive on screen — which many children with ADHD find more engaging than paper materials.

 

The speech therapist, one link in the multidisciplinary ADHD pathway

ADHD support is rarely the work of a single professional. The speech therapist is part of a coordinated pathway that may include:

  • The child psychiatrist or paediatric neurologist: ADHD diagnosis, medication if indicated
  • The neuropsychologist: assessment of cognitive functions (IQ, executive functions, memory)
  • The psychologist: emotional support, self-esteem, school anxiety
  • The occupational therapist: associated motor and handwriting difficulties (dyspraxia)
  • The ADHD coach: strategies for organisation, planning and time management
  • The school doctor: approval of the PAP (personalised support plan), coordination with the teaching team

ORA-VISIO offers all these specialities by video conference, which makes coordination simpler and follow-up consistent without multiplying journeys.

 

Why not to wait: the impact of delayed support

ADHD is diagnosed on average at 9-10 years of age. If associated language disorders go undetected, the consequences add up:

  • The child falls behind at school in a way they will not catch up on alone
  • They develop a poor self-image (“I’m useless”) that undermines their motivation
  • School anxiety sets in and can lead to dropping out
  • The school adjustments they are entitled to (PAP, extra time) cannot be put in place without an official assessment

The earlier speech therapy starts, the more effective it is — and the more the child avoids entering a spiral of failure and low self-esteem. An assessment only takes a few hours. The effects of well-conducted therapy are measured in years.

 

FAQ — ADHD and speech therapy

My child already takes Ritalin: do they still need a speech therapist?

Yes, in the vast majority of cases. Medication can improve attention and impulsivity, but it does not replace speech therapy if associated language disorders are present. The two approaches are complementary: medication creates better attention conditions, which make therapy more effective.

My child sees a psychologist: is that enough?

The psychologist supports the emotional and behavioural dimension of ADHD. The speech therapist works specifically on language skills and learning. These two forms of follow-up meet different needs and can complement each other without replacing one another.

Is a speech therapy assessment possible if my child finds it hard to concentrate for long?

Yes. Speech therapists experienced in supporting ADHD adapt the pace of the assessment to the child’s attention span. The assessment can be split into two sessions if necessary, with built-in breaks. By video conference, the familiar environment and interactive digital materials often make it easier for a child with ADHD to engage.

At what age should a child with ADHD have a speech therapy assessment?

As early as possible, as soon as a language disorder is suspected — even before the official ADHD diagnosis. Children from the age of 5-6 can have an oral language assessment. Written language assessments are relevant from the end of CP (6-7 years), once the first formal learning has been established.

 

Conclusion: the speech therapy assessment, a key step in the ADHD pathway

When faced with ADHD, the reflex is often to see a child psychiatrist or a neuropsychologist — which is right. But the speech therapist is an essential link in the pathway, too often forgotten. Their role is twofold: detecting the associated language disorders that ADHD sometimes masks, and supporting the child in remediating these specific difficulties.

A speech therapy assessment carried out quickly can transform the schooling of a child with ADHD within a few weeks: adjustments put in place, targeted therapy, self-esteem preserved.

Book a speech therapy assessment for your child with ADHD

Speech therapists specialised in ADHD · Suitable assessment · Appointment within a few days · Video sessions from home