Inflammatory and Biochemical Concepts in Children with Specific Learning Disorders: A Comparative Study

This study aimed to investigate the role of inflammation and biochemical parameters in children with Specific Learning Disorders (SLD) and to evaluate these parameters based on the severity of SLD.The study was planned as a retrospective. 39 children diagnosed with SLD and 32 healthy controls aged 6-16 years, who had hemogram and biochemistry tests performed at their admission, were included in the study. Diagnoses were based on DSM-5 criteria, clinical interviews, family interviews, and assessments of reading, writing, and math skills. The study received ethical approval from the Cumhuriyet University Non-Invasive Clinical Research Ethics Committee.Lymphocyte count and WBC were significantly higher in the SLD group (p = 0.003, p = 0.006, respectively). A significant difference was detected between the groups regarding platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR) (p = 0.047). No significant differences were found in blood parameters (erythrocyte, neutrophil, lymphocyte, WBC, platelet, T4, TSH, folic acid, vitamin B12, PLR, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR)) when evaluated according to the severity of SLD.The results of our study suggest that inflammation may play a role in SLD, but further research with larger sample sizes, longitudinal designs, and comprehensive assessments of inflammatory markers is needed to better understand these associations.