Comorbidities and behavioral problems in children with functional articulation disorder / 中国当代儿科杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the incidences of comorbidities and behavioral problems in children with functional articulation disorders.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>One hundred and twelve children with functional articulation disorders (aged 4-11 years) were enrolled. Their comorbidities were identified based on clinical investigations and the DSM-IV diagnosis criteria of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), stuttering, tic disorders and enuresis. Behavioral problems were evaluated by the Conners Parent Symptom Questionnaire and the Child Behavior Checklist.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Sixty-nine patients (61.6%) had one or more comorbidities. The incidence of comorbidity in children with middle-severe functional articulation disorders was higher than in those with mild disorders. The most common comorbidity was language impairment (30.4%), followed by stuttering (16.1%), enuresis (13.4%), and tic disorders (6.3%). In school age children, ADHD (47.5%) was the most common comorbidity. The incidence of behavioral problems was 40.2% by the Child Behavior Checklist and 57.1% by the Parent Symptom Questionnaire.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The children with functional articulation disorders have high incidence of comorbidity and many behavioral problems.</p>