Relationship between ADHD and Central Auditory Processing Disorder - A review of the literature

It is increasingly apparent that differential diagnosis of children with Attention-deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is, at best, difficult, with a majority of children identified as ADHD also diagnosed with co-occurring developmental learning disorders. Most notably, children with ADHD have been found to have a high prevalence of language problems. Research has further indicated that children with ADHD demonstrate significant difficulty on tasks used to assess central auditory processing skills and that these difficulties are ameliorated by the use of stimulant medication. Early findings raised the question of whether ADHD and Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD) can be differentiated, or if they represent a singular disorder. Literature highlighting the similarity of psychoeducational and behavioral sequelae of children with CAPD and those with ADHD are presented. Studies of central auditory processing abilities in children diagnosed as having ADHD as well as a more recent study investigating the prevalence of ADHD in children diagnosed as CAPD are reviewed as well. Given the overlap in etiology and symptomatology of ADHD and auditory/linguistic disorders such as CAPD, the need for a collaborative effort on the part of professionals who work with these children (school psychologists, speech-language pathologists, audiologists) in diagnosis and intervention planning as well as other implications of this research are presented.