ON THE DIFFERENTIAL-DIAGNOSIS OF READING, ATTENTIONAL AND DEPRESSIVE-DISORDERS

Children may present with reading and/or attentional and/or affective (depressive) disorders in childhood. Although reading problems are mor e readily identifiable, childhood attentional and affective disorders can be difficult to recognize and diagnose. Here are discussed a numbe r of complex and potentially confusing ways in which reading, attentio nal and affective disorders may be related: a primary problem in one a rea may result in problems in another; one disorder may look like anot her; and/or a child may simultaneously present two or all three primar y disorders. Current clinical practice and recent and ongoing research is presented to clarify the changing definitions and potential relati onships of these three childhood disorders to aid the process of diffe rential diagnosis.