A study of more than 5,000 Minnesota youths shows that children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder have far higher rates of reading disabilities than youths without the disorder.
According to the study, which was published in the October issue of the journal Pediatrics, the incidence of reading disabilities among boys with ADHD was 51 percent, and among girls it was 46.7 percent. Among children without the disorder, reading disabilities were seen in 14.5 percent of boys and 7.7 percent of girls.
The magnitude of increased risk for reading disabilities associated with girls who have ADHD is nearly twice that among boys.
The authors say their findings demonstrate the need for testing all children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder for possible reading disabilities.
