Your child has been diagnosed with ADHD \u2014 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?<\/p>\n
The answer is often: both. And this is precisely where the speech therapist comes in.<\/strong><\/p>\n Book a speech therapy assessment for your child with ADHD<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Speech therapists specialised in ADHD \u00b7 Suitable assessment \u00b7 Appointment within a few days \u00b7 Video sessions from home<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n <\/p>\n 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 \u2014 known as co-occurring conditions (comorbidities).<\/p>\n Around 25% of children with ADHD also have written language disorders \u2014 dyslexia<\/a> or dysorthographia \u2014 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.<\/p>\n 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 \u2014 and cumulative \u2014 difficulties at the same time.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Certain signs should prompt you to see a speech therapist, even when ADHD has already been diagnosed and is being treated:<\/p>\n In written language:<\/strong><\/p>\n In oral language:<\/strong><\/p>\n In learning:<\/strong><\/p>\n If you recognise several of these signs, a speech therapy assessment is necessary \u2014 regardless of the support already in place for ADHD.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The speech therapist works at two distinct levels with children with ADHD:<\/p>\n 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 \u2014 and will improve with ADHD treatment \u2014 from what is due to a specific language disorder, which requires its own speech therapy.<\/p>\n To do this, the speech therapist uses standardised tests normed on the French population, covering:<\/p>\n The report clearly indicates which results are explained by ADHD and which reveal an independent language disorder \u2014 which very concretely guides the therapy and the school adjustments to request.<\/em><\/p>\n Book a speech therapy assessment for your child with ADHD<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Speech therapists specialised in ADHD \u00b7 Suitable assessment \u00b7 Appointment within a few days \u00b7 Video sessions from home<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n <\/p>\n 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:<\/p>\n 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 \u2014 which many children with ADHD find more engaging than paper materials.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n ADHD support is rarely the work of a single professional. The speech therapist is part of a coordinated pathway that may include:<\/p>\n ORA-VISIO offers all these specialities by video conference, which makes coordination simpler and follow-up consistent without multiplying journeys.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n ADHD is diagnosed on average at 9-10 years of age. If associated language disorders go undetected, the consequences add up:<\/p>\n The earlier speech therapy starts, the more effective it is \u2014 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.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n As early as possible, as soon as a language disorder is suspected \u2014 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.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n When faced with ADHD, the reflex is often to see a child psychiatrist or a neuropsychologist \u2014 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.<\/p>\n\n
ADHD and language disorders: a close and often underestimated link<\/h2>\n
The signs that should alert you: ADHD and language difficulties<\/h2>\n
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What does the speech therapist actually do for a child with ADHD<\/a>?<\/h2>\n
1. The assessment: distinguishing what is due to ADHD from what is due to a language disorder<\/h3>\n
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2. Therapy: work that goes far beyond reading<\/h3>\n
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The speech therapist, one link in the multidisciplinary ADHD pathway<\/h2>\n
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Why not to wait<\/a>: the impact of delayed support<\/h2>\n
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FAQ \u2014 ADHD and speech therapy<\/h2>\n
My child already takes Ritalin: do they still need a speech therapist?<\/h3>\n
My child sees a psychologist: is that enough?<\/h3>\n
Is a speech therapy assessment possible if my child finds it hard to concentrate for long?<\/h3>\n
At what age should a child with ADHD have a speech therapy assessment?<\/h3>\n
Conclusion: the speech therapy assessment, a key step in the ADHD pathway<\/h2>\n