Sleep Disorders in Specific Learning Disabilities

Specific learning disorders, or SLD, are cognitive and behavioral conditions that emerge during childhood and involve significant difficulties in acquiring and performing specific intellectual, motor, language, and social functions. These disorders impact personal, social, academic, and professional functioning throughout life. In France, between 6% and 8% of the population, including both children and adults, are affected by at least one type of SLD. SLD are also frequently associated with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), with prevalence rates ranging from 33% to 70%, depending on the study. This comorbidity leads to more severe attention and learning difficulties than when ADHD or SLD occur independently. ADHD is a common neurodevelopmental disorder that affects cognitive attentional processes, with or without hyperactivity. It is estimated to affect approximately 5.3% of children and adolescents worldwide and about 3% of adults. The assessment of these disorders is conducted through a neuropsychological evaluation, which determines the type and severity of cognitive impairments. Several studies report that 55% to 74% of children with ADHD experience sleep difficulties. To date, only two studies have examined the prevalence of sleep disorders among children with SLD disorders. One of these studies focused exclusively on dyslexia, with or without ADHD. The results revealed significantly higher scores among dyslexic children compared to controls when completing sleep disorder assessment questionnaires (SDSC). The main difficulties were related to "sleep onset and maintenance disorders," "sleep-related breathing disorders," and "wakefulness disorders." The second study, using the same questionnaire, compared children with ADHD, SLD disorders, and both combined. The group with co-existing SLD and ADHD disorders exhibited significantly more sleep disturbances than the other groups, primarily sleep onset and maintenance disorders. Despite the impor