Dyslexia and ADHD: Similarities and Differences

Your child sits down to do a reading assignment for school, but they’re clearly frustrated. They can’t seem to concentrate on the material that’s in front of them. They take so long to sound words out that they want to give up. They beg you to let them take a break.

Many parents and teachers have witnessed this situation. But is it dyslexia or ADHD?

ADHD and dyslexia are both brain-based disorders that can affect your child’s ability to read. Although they share some symptoms, they are unique disorders that need to be addressed differently.

In this article, I’ll explain how dyslexia and ADHD are connected. I’ll talk about the similarities and differences in their symptoms, as well as third-party factors that can raise the risk for both.

Are ADHD and Dyslexia Connected?

ADHD and dyslexia are both disorders that can affect the brain and the way kids learn. They aren’t the same disorder, nor do they belong to the same category of disorders. They’re very different in many ways.

But these two disorders do appear together quite frequently; kids with ADHD also have a co-existing learning disability, the most common of which is dyslexia. And according to the International Dyslexia Association, around a third of people with dyslexia also have ADHD.

ADHD and dyslexia can also share some symptoms, which can make it hard at first for teachers and parents to tell what’s going on.

That doesn’t mean that ADHD causes dyslexia or vice versa. There are a few possible explanations for why these two conditions appear together so frequently, including: Genetics

Both dyslexia and ADHD have a high genetic component. This means that if you have a family member with ADHD or dyslexia, then you’re more likely to have it, too. Studies have shown there may be some genetic correlations between ADHD and dyslexia.

Neural Overlap

There are also studies being conducted to examine the brain differences between people with dyslexia and/or ADHD and people without these conditions. We need more research to be able to say exactly how ADHD and dyslexia affect the brain, but there might be some neural overlap between these two conditions.

Shared Risk Factors

There’s also the explanation that the same risk factors contribute to both ADHD and dyslexia. Some examples of risk factors that can increase the risk for both ADHD and dyslexia include low birth weight and exposure to alcohol and cigarettes in the womb.

What Is ADHD?

To fully understand the link between ADHD and dyslexia, we need to have a clear picture of how both of these conditions are present.

ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) is a neurodevelopmental condition that makes it difficult for people to sit still, pay attention, follow instructions, and organize their thoughts, space, or time. The ADHD iceberg gives a complete picture of what it's like to have ADHD.

Symptoms

According to the DSM-V (the authority on psychiatric diagnoses), there are 3 presentations of ADHD: inattentive, hyperactive-impulsive, and combined (having features of both).

Kids with inattentive-type ADHD are often daydreaming or “spacey.” The symptoms of inattentive ADHD are:

• Often makes careless mistakes as a result of a lack of attention to detail
• Can’t pay attention to tasks
• Doesn’t appear to be listening even when spoken to directly
• Doesn’t follow through on instructions or finish tasks
• Constantly loses things
• Hates or avoids tasks that require sustained attention
• Easily distracted and forgetful

Kids with hyperactive-impulsive type ADHD are the ones who are “bouncing off the walls.” The symptoms of this type of ADHD are:

• Has a lot of restless energy, as if they’re “driven by a motor”
• Constantly fidgeting or squirming
• Gets up out of their seat in situations when they’re expected to be seated (like in the classroom)
• Has a hard time sitting still or playing quietly
• Talks excessively and interrupts others
• Has a hard time waiting their turn

Diagnosis

Because ADHD is considered a mental health disorder, it’s usually diagnosed by a psychologist, psychiatrist, or other mental health professional. The diagnosing professional will look at how ADHD shows up in the child’s life – not only at school but in every aspect.

Treatment

The most effective treatment for ADHD is stimulant medication. Other types of treatments include behavior therapy, parent training, and other medications (like antidepressants).

What Is Dyslexia?

Unlike ADHD, which is a neurodevelopmental disorder, dyslexia is a learning disability. Learning disabilities are disorders that affect kids’ ability to understand and learn anything from language to mathematics. Dyslexia specifically affects reading.

Dyslexia is caused by differences in the brain, although researchers still haven’t identified a specific part of the brain that causes dyslexia. Symptoms

Since dyslexia is not considered a mental disorder, it isn’t included in the DSM. It could appear differently in kids of different ages. Parents and educators often don’t catch dyslexia until the child is a bit older and starts to struggle with reading assignments.

Some of the widely recognized signs of dyslexia include:

• Difficulties learning to speak, read, and write
• Difficulty pronouncing letters and sounds
• Difficulty organizing written and spoken language
• Difficulty memorizing facts, including number facts
• Reading too slowly to understand the meaning
• Mixing up letters, especially those that look similar to each other like “p” and “q”

The exact signs and symptoms of dyslexia depend on each child and the severity of their learning disability. The idea that dyslexia is a disorder that causes kids to “read backward” is a myth.

Diagnosis

Learning disabilities like dyslexia are often first noticed by the child’s teacher. If it’s suspected, then your child’s school may recommend a thorough assessment by an educational psychologist (or school psychologist). 

There’s no one test that can determine if a child has dyslexia; the diagnosis process often includes close observation of the child and interviewing adults in the child’s life.

Treatment

There’s no cure or treatment for dyslexia. Kids with dyslexia can work with specialists to learn new reading skills. They are also entitled to accommodations at school.

ADHD vs Dyslexia

Both ADHD and dyslexia can make it difficult for a child to do well at school, especially in reading. 

When it’s dyslexia, this difficulty comes from neurobiological differences in the brain that make it hard for them to process language and words. They could confuse different sounds, letters, and words. They could also read so slowly that they don’t understand the meaning.

In the case of ADHD, a child may have a hard time reading because they can’t sustain their attention on the material. They could feel restless or fidgety, and avoid reading tasks that require long periods of attention. They could skip ahead on the page. But kids with ADHD are able to process the information and read accurately.

Writing can also be a challenge for both dyslexia and ADHD. The same challenges apply to writing for kids with dyslexia; they confuse words, letters, and sounds, so they may have a hard time with spelling. 

Kids with ADHD can have writing problems. They might have a hard time focusing for long enough to write long passages. They may also have psychomotor difficulties that make it hard to hold a pencil.

But the key difference between ADHD and dyslexia is how widely it affects kids’ lives. Dyslexia affects kids’ ability to read and write. But outside of these tasks, they’re usually able to focus. 

ADHD has a wider impact on a child’s life. Not only do they face challenges at school, but they present with symptoms in every aspect of their life.

Neither dyslexia nor ADHD affects a child’s overall intelligence. And kids with both ADHD and dyslexia go on to lead successful lives.

Can You Have Both?

As the previous statistics show, many children live with both dyslexia and ADHD.

If you suspect your child has either or both of these conditions, then early intervention is key. Talk to your child’s school about getting them tested. According to United States law, kids with disabilities (including dyslexia and/or ADHD) are entitled to school accommodations, including an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or 504 plan.

Read more about how to get a 504 plan for ADHD.

Although there is no medication or treatment that addresses dyslexia, children can learn new reading and study skills that can help them succeed academically. 

As for ADHD, there are many different treatment options that can help. Research shows that the most effective treatment for ADHD is prescription medication paired with cognitive behavior therapy. Talk to an ADHD therapist, school counselor, or pediatrician about all of their treatment options.

Takeaway

ADHD and dyslexia are common brain conditions that affect kids. They can both make it hard for kids to read and write, although for different reasons. It's still unclear what causes ADHD and dyslexia but if you suspect that your child has one or both of these conditions, then it’s vital that you get them seen as early as possible. Early intervention can greatly increase your child’s odds of success.