Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and preschool children

This article presents a review of the literature on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and preschool children. A review of the research revealed a predominant focus on pharmacological intervention, with considerably less research on other intervention approaches to ADHD in preschoolers. In particular, there was limited research related specifically to characteristics and best treatment of language-impaired preschool children with ADHD. The available literature did provide important information to further the understanding of the nature of ADHD in preschool-age children and to guide more effective assessment and intervention, both in a general sense and in the practice of speech-language pathology. The more general features of ADHD in preschool children (nature, diagnosis, intervention) are presented first, and then language service delivery implications are discussed. There is limited literature to guide language assessment and intervention for preschool children with ADHD; however, extrapolating from the literature on school-age children would suggest a focus on pragmatic skills, social skills, and emergent literacy.