Impact of occupational, physical, and speech and language therapy in preschoolers with hyperactive/inattentive symptoms: A naturalistic 2-year follow-up study.

Objective: Impact of speech and language therapy (ST) and occupational/physical therapy (OT/PT) on language and motor skills was examined in hyperactive/inattentive children.

Methods: Preschoolers were divided into those receiving and not receiving ST or OT/PT.

Results: Children receiving ST showed no gains in language functioning relative to those not receiving ST. OT/PT yielded similar results for motor functions. Hours of a service did not predict improvement. However, children who received ST showed improvement in social skills.

Discussion: The apparent lack of benefit suggests the need for further investigation into efficacy of these treatments in hyperactive/inattentive preschool children.