Arithmetic skills in kindergarten children with developmental language disorders.

Abstract Although arithmetic is not a language-based skill, a specific learning disability in arithmetic—dyscalculia—is commonly seen in children with developmental language disorders (DLD). The object of this study was to assess whether kindergarten children with DLD have impaired arithmetic skills and, if so, to correlate the pattern of dysfunction with language syndromes. Forty-two children with DLD attending mainstream kindergartens, and their matched controls, underwent an arithmetic battery, neurological examination, intelligence quotient (IQ) test (WPPSI/WISC–R) and language assessment (CELF–R). Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) was diagnosed by psychological assessment and behaviour questionnaires. Results showed that children with DLD were similar to controls on performance IQ (104.2±12.1 and 109.4±12.7 respectively, p=NS), but inferior on both the CELF-R expressive (74.8±9.3 vs 95.2±15.1, p