ADHD comorbidity in preschoolers with developmental language disorder: comparative neurodevelopmental profiles and associated risk factors

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to examine differences in the neurodevelopmental profiles of children with developmental language disorder (DLD) based on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) comorbidity, and to identify ADHD predictors.

Method: A total of 181 children aged 24-60 months diagnosed with DLD participated in this study, including 111 with DLD-only and 70 with comorbid DLD and ADHD. All participants completed the Denver Developmental Screening Test II (Denver II) and the Turkish Early Language Development Test (TEDIL). Sociodemographic and clinical data were obtained through caregiver interviews, and a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation based on DC:0-5 criteria was performed. Parents also completed the Conners' Parent Rating Scale-Revised: Short Form (CPRS-R: S), the Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC), the Dunn Sensory Profile Questionnaire (DSP), and the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS).

Results: Children with DLD and ADHD showed significantly shorter sleep duration (p = .012), more sleep onset delay (p = .001), greater sleep resistance (p < .001), and more night wakings (p = .047) than those with DLD-only. Parents reports also had higher rates of diarrhea (p < .001) and constipation (p = .005), as well as lower expressive language (p < .001) and fine motor scores (p < .001). Behavioral, cognitive, and sensory difficulties, as well as autistic traits, were more pronounced in the children with DLD and ADHD (all p < .050). Logistic regression revealed that lower fine motor skills (p = .005), higher SRS-T scores (p = .032), and ABC-T scores (p = .020) were significant predictors of ADHD comorbidity.

Conclusion: The findings highlight the need for multidimensional assessments across neurodevelopmental domains in children with DLD.

Clinical trial number: Not applicable.