The Effect of Multidisciplinary Therapy on Language and Communication Skills in Children with ADHD: A Clinical Study

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Psychology Department

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https://doi.org/10.21608/ejchem.2025.356177.11225

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Rasha Sami Sherine Ramzy Hebatalla S. Hashem

Document Type

Research Article

Publication Title

Egyptian Journal of Chemistry

Publication Date

10-1-2025

doi

10.21608/ejchem.2025.356177.11225

Abstract

Background: Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder.It is among the most prevalent mental health conditions in children. It is characterized by symptoms such as inattention (difficulty maintaining focus), hyperactivity (excessive movement inappropriate to the setting), and impulsivity (acting quickly without thinking). ADHD is a long-term, often debilitating condition that can significantly affect an individual's life, including academic and career success, social relationships, and everyday functioning. Research shows children diagnosed with ADHD have language impairments . clinical studies have shown that through multidisciplinary treatment including includes speech therapy, occupational therapy (OT), behavioral therapy, and educational support, the results are more effective than Speech Language Therapy (SLT) alone. Methods: The study was conducted on 30 children diagnosed with ADHD, ages 5 to 7, recruited from the phoniatrics and neurology clinics, Center of Medical Excellence, National Research Centre, Cairo. Egypt. All participants went through the entire history-taking and examination process before starting therapy. They all undertook the Receptive Expressive Arabic Language Scale (REAL Scale) and the standardized Arabic Stanford Binet test, 5th edition (SB5); after both groups had completed a 6-month planned therapy by a speech and language pathologist with 17+ years' experience, their language skills were reassessed post-therapy. Results: All variables increased after treatment in the two groups, but the magnitude of change of all variables was significantly higher in the study group than in the control group. Total Receptive Language Score (RLS) and RLS percentile Rank after treatment are the only two variables that show statistical significant differences between the two groups. The two variables were significantly higher in the study group than in the control group (p=0.019 and p=0.045, respectively). Conclusion: This study indicates that a multidisciplinary approach to treatment is significantly more effective than speech-language therapy alone for improving the language and communication skills of children with ADHD. Children whose treatments included speech therapy, occupational therapy, behavioral therapy, and extra help in school improved their receptive and expressive language skills.

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