Psychiatric Comorbidities in Children with Specific Learning Disorder-Mixed Type: A Cross-sectional Study.

Abstract

Background Specific learning disorder (SLD) is a neurodevelopmental condition which frequently exhibits with comorbidities of other disorders, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), conduct disorder, anxiety, and depression. SLD with any comorbidity may affect the expression and severity of the SLD and may make its management difficult. Thus, the present cross-sectional study was planned to examine the psychiatric comorbidities among children with SLD. Materials and Methods The sample consisted of 41 patients aged between 7 and 12 years with a diagnosis of SLD-mixed type. Clinical and psychological assessment included the following tests for behavioral, anxiety, mood, and interpersonal problems: child behavior checklist, Mini-international Neuropsychiatric Interview for Children and Adolescents (MINI-KID), and Conner’s 3 Parent Short form-45. Results The mean age of the participants was 9.8 years (standard deviation [SD] = 1.5). About 75.6% of participants were male, and their mean years of education was 5 years (SD = 1.5). Twenty-four percent of children had a history of delayed developmental milestones. Among comorbidities of SLD, association with attention deficit disorder (ADD)/ADHD has been found to be significant along with difficulties in executive function, peer relation, and aggression. Conclusion Children with SLD are likely to exhibit signs of ADHD/ADD and dysfunction in executive function, peer relation, and aggression. The management of comorbid conditions is recommended along with remediation of learning problem to overall educational and behavioral achievements and development of child.