Clinical characteristics of children with learning disorders in Taiwan

Clinical studies of children with learning disorders (LD) in Chinese-speaking society are still very limited. The aim of this study was to obtain the clinical picture of children with LD in Taiwan.

Medical records of diagnoses-validated subjects in a local children's hospital from 1998 through 2005 were reviewed in detail. Relevant data were collected and analyzed. The diagnoses were made based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR) criteria for learning disorders.

Among the 27 subjects (23 boys and 4 girls) identified, the average age upon diagnosis was 9.6 +/- 2.0 years with school grade of 3.5 +/- 1.9. The percentages of subjects with reading disorders (RD), mathematics disorders (MD) and disorders of written expression (DWE) were 66.7%, 11.1% and 77.8%, respectively. Over half (55.6%) of the subjects had two subtypes concurrently, and the majority of which had both RD and DWE. The overall, psychiatric, and medical comorbid rates were 88.9%, 81.5% and 22.2%, respectively. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) was the most common (66.7%) co-existing condition. Subtypes were slightly different in terms of demographic data, IQ profile and comorbid conditions.

Our LD sample was predominantly male with average levels of intelligence and highly comorbid with ADHD. Each subtype of LD seemed to have its own unique feature in terms of cognitive function, comorbid condition, sexual differences, and other aspects. Further research is eagerly warranted. When evaluating learning problems, clinicians should keep in mind that ADHD often exists. Treating concomitant ADHD and other co-existing problems should bring more favorable outcomes. Due to the heterogeneity of LD, evaluation of each suggested case should be carefully monitored and individually tailored.