Sunil Karande1, Kirankumar Bhosrekar. 1. Learning Disability Clinic, Department of Pediatrics, Lokmanya Tilak Municipal Medical College & General Hospital, Mumbai, India. karandesunil@yahoo.com
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of co-occurring attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) on the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of children with newly diagnosed specific learning disability (SpLD). METHODS: From September 2005 to March 2006, 150 parents (either mother or father) of children consecutively diagnosed as having SpLD were enrolled. The Child Health Questionnaire-Parent Form 50 (CHQ-PF50) was used to measure parent-reported HRQOL. CHQ-PF50 mean domain and summary scores computed for "SpLD/ADHD" and "SpLD only" children groups were compared using Independent Samples t-test. RESULTS: HRQOL of "SpLD/ADHD" children was significantly poorer in four domains: emotional impact on parents (mean difference: -11.0; 95% CI: -18.75--3.25; P = 0.006), general behavior (-9.61; 95% CI: -15.44--3.78; P = 0.002), time impact on parents (-9.51; 95% CI: -18.42--0.60; P = 0.038), and, self esteem (-7.62; 95% CI: -13.98--1.26; P = 0.020); and in overall psychosocial functioning (-5.34; 95% CI: -8.49--2.19; P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Co-occurring ADHD adversely impacts the HRQOL of children with newly diagnosed SpLD especially in domains related to their psychosocial functioning.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of co-occurring attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) on the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of children with newly diagnosed specific learning disability (SpLD). METHODS: From September 2005 to March 2006, 150 parents (either mother or father) of children consecutively diagnosed as having SpLD were enrolled. The Child Health Questionnaire-Parent Form 50 (CHQ-PF50) was used to measure parent-reported HRQOL. CHQ-PF50 mean domain and summary scores computed for "SpLD/ADHD" and "SpLD only" children groups were compared using Independent Samples t-test. RESULTS: HRQOL of "SpLD/ADHD" children was significantly poorer in four domains: emotional impact on parents (mean difference: -11.0; 95% CI: -18.75--3.25; P = 0.006), general behavior (-9.61; 95% CI: -15.44--3.78; P = 0.002), time impact on parents (-9.51; 95% CI: -18.42--0.60; P = 0.038), and, self esteem (-7.62; 95% CI: -13.98--1.26; P = 0.020); and in overall psychosocial functioning (-5.34; 95% CI: -8.49--2.19; P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Co-occurring ADHD adversely impacts the HRQOL of children with newly diagnosed SpLD especially in domains related to their psychosocial functioning.