Do children who are diagnosed with ADHD have trouble with their memory? A new study reported in Clinical Psychiatric News, June 2008, vol 36, no. 6., sheds some light on this question. A study included 64 children aged 7 to 12 years old—35 ADHD children and 29 non-ADHD children. Both groups of children were given a test of their working memory called the digit span test. The results of the study were significant. The total score of the control was significant better than the ADHD group. Why is working memory important? The learning process requires that children be able to quickly store and retrieve new information. With impaired working memory capabilities, ADHD children are at a significant disadvantage in the educational environment. Dr. Roychoudhury, the author of the study, states in ADHD children “working memory is low and children have difficulty in remembering material, especially pertaining to dates in social studies and sequencing information appropriately in science and social studies. In mathematics, they have significant problems in procedures since they have to remember in a stepwise fashion how to do the calculation.” This study raises a number of questions, particularly for parents of ADHD children. Should all ADHD children be screened for working memory deficits prior to beginning the educational process? If an AHDH child is discovered to have working memory deficits, what is the best treatment for the child? And what can the parents do in the home environment to help improve the ADHD child’s working memory? All questions that will have to await further study.
The Bottom Line: This date in this study suggest that children who are diagnosed with ADHD may have significant working memory problems significantly impairing their educational performance.
Reference: http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/article/S0270-6644(08)70391-6/fulltext
Dr. Tanya Korkosz
Dr. Jeffrey Speller
Psychopharmacology Associates
of New England
www.psychopharmassociates.com