| About 30% of children with ADHD also | | | | have a known reading disability, |
| have some form of reading disorder, such | | | | treating his ADHD may still improve his |
| as dyslexia. Recently, a study was done | | | | reading ability significantly. |
| to examine whether or not ADHD treatment | | | | The results of the study were not all |
| helped these children with their reading | | | | good, however. A number of children had |
| problems. The study was funded by the | | | | side effects from taking the medication, |
| pharmaceutical company, Eli Lilly and | | | | though none of them serious. Yet |
| Company and was done using their | | | | Strattera is known to cause some serious |
| flagship product, Strattera. | | | | side effects, including abnormal mood |
| In this 16 week study compared two | | | | fluctuations and even suicidal thoughts. |
| groups of ADHD children. The first | | | | Conclusion |
| group consisted of 20 children with ADHD | | | | The results of this study suggest that a |
| who had no diagnosed reading disorder. | | | | child's ADHD interferes with the child's |
| The second group consisted of 36 ADHD | | | | normal ability to read. I say this |
| children who also had a diagnosed | | | | because even children with no known |
| reading disability. | | | | reading disability were able to make |
| After taking Strattera for 16 weeks, | | | | significant gains in reading level just |
| both groups of patients showed almost | | | | by receiving treatment for their ADHD. |
| 50% improvements in their ADHD symptoms | | | | If this is true then it should not |
| like inattentiveness, hyperactivity and | | | | matter how you treat the ADHD, as long |
| impulsivity. Additionally, children who | | | | as you do something to treat it. |
| had a reading disorder jumped two years | | | | With that in mind, significant |
| in reading skills from their level | | | | improvements in reading ability should |
| before the study. Interestingly, the | | | | occur when you use other treatments for |
| children without reading disabilities | | | | ADHD, such as Ritalin, other stimulants, |
| also improved their reading skills by | | | | or even natural ADHD treatments. Since |
| almost a year and a half. Improvements | | | | no one has yet to investigate the use of |
| in reading ability as well as reading | | | | other treatments for treating ADHD and |
| comprehension were shown in both groups. | | | | reading disorders, no one can say for |
| Also, advances in spelling ability were | | | | sure whether or not this speculation is |
| recorded for both groups. The ADHD | | | | true. |
| group jumped almost nine months and the | | | | All that we really know so far about the |
| group who had a reading disorder along | | | | connection of ADHD and reading disorders |
| with ADHD jumped almost 10 months. | | | | is that in one small study, ADHD |
| This study is significant for a number | | | | children both with and without reading |
| of reasons. First of all, up to 30% of | | | | disabilities were able to make |
| ADHD children also have reading | | | | significant gains in their reading level |
| disabilities. While there is no real | | | | when their ADHD was treated. This study |
| evidence that having a reading disorder | | | | points out that it is extremely |
| makes a child's ADHD symptoms any worse, | | | | important to treat ADHD and that such |
| it definitely has a negative impact of | | | | treatment should help school |
| school performance. The study also | | | | performance. |
| shows that even if your child does not | | | | |