ADHD and Other Conditions: An Overview
There are a number of conditions that can occur in someone with
ADHD. Some of these common conditions include:
Learning Disabilities
Many children with ADHD -- approximately 20% to 30% -- also have a specific learning disability (LD). In preschool years, these disabilities include difficulty in understanding certain sounds or words and/or difficulty in expressing oneself in words.
In school age children, reading or spelling disabilities, writing disorders, and arithmetic disorders may appear. A type of reading disorder, dyslexia, is quite widespread. Reading disabilities affect up to 8% of elementary school children.
Tourette Syndrome
A very small proportion of people with ADHD have a neurological disorder called Tourette syndrome. People with Tourette syndrome have various nervous tics and repetitive mannerisms, such as eye blinks, facial twitches, or grimacing. Others may clear their throats frequently, snort, sniff, or bark out words.
These behaviors can be controlled with medication. While very few children have this syndrome, many of the cases of Tourette syndrome are associated with ADHD. In such cases, both disorders often require treatment that may include medications.
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