ADHD and Dyslexia: How are they connected?

A Quick Guide

Both dyslexia and ADHD are distinct brain disorders. But they frequently cross over and share a lot of symptoms. A third of those who have dyslexia have ADHD as well. Additionally, having ADHD increases your risk of mental illness and learning disorders like dyslexia by six times when compared to the general population. But having ADHD does not guarantee that you will develop dyslexia. ADHD does not result from dyslexia. The symptoms and risk factors of the two illnesses can be identical. Hence, they can sometimes be difficult to distinguish.

What is ADHD?

ADHD is characterized as a chronic illness that makes it difficult for people to concentrate on activities that call for planning, paying close attention, or following directions. Additionally, individuals with ADHD engage in levels of physical activity that could be considered inappropriate in some contexts.

For instance, a child with ADHD might wriggle around, shout comments, and disrupt their classmates. However, not all children with ADHD are disruptive during class. Some children with ADHD may not perform well on prolonged standardized tests or they may not submit extensive assignments. Additionally, the manifestation of ADHD varies depending on the gender spectrum.

Related: ADHD in women: How do symptoms manifest?

ADHD in adults

These symptoms may last throughout adulthood since ADHD is a lifelong disease. According to studies, 60 percent of children with ADHD develop the disorder as adults. The symptoms may not be as clear in adults as compared to children. Adults with ADHD may experience focus issues. They may be forgetful, fidgety, exhausted, or disorganized, and they may have trouble following through on complex assignments.

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The majority of people with ADHD are born with it, but a tiny percentage of the population may develop the disorder during the prenatal period or throughout their development for a variety of reasons that could negatively impact the brain.

What is dyslexia?

Even if you often use a word in speech, if you struggle with dyslexia you may find it difficult to pronounce it when you see it written. That could be a result of your brain having difficulties with phonemic awareness, which is the ability to connect sounds to the words on the paper. Additionally, you can have problems understanding or interpreting full words.

Even while scientists are discovering more about the way the brain interprets written language, dyslexia’s precise causes are still unknown. It is established that reading involves the cooperation of numerous brain regions. While reading, specific brain regions in people without dyslexia become active and interact. Whereas, people with dyslexia are affected in different areas of the brain and also use distinct neural connections while they’re reading.

What is Developmental dyslexia?

The terms “dyslexia” and “developmental dyslexia” are interchangeable. When someone mentions dyslexia, they typically mean developmental dyslexia, which is a hereditary condition. The other type of dyslexia is known as acquired dyslexia, which occurs when a person develops dyslexia as a result of a brain lesion, such as following a stroke or a severe brain injury.

Dyslexia in adults

Dyslexia is a lifetime condition, much like ADHD. Adults with dyslexia might not have received a diagnosis in school, and they might also be able to hide the condition well enough at the workplace, but they may still have trouble reading the forms, manuals, and exams needed for promotion and certification. Furthermore, they could struggle with short-term memory or planning.

What is the link between ADHD & Dyslexia?

You may have difficulty processing spoken and written words if you have dyslexia. Whereas, ADHD makes you more prone to hyperactivity and hinders your ability to focus and regulate your impulse control. Both disorders have certain characteristics in common which are the following:

Brain attributes 

People with ADHD and dyslexia possess physically and chemically distinct brains compared to healthy individuals. For instance, children with ADHD often have brains that are slightly different and might be less active in specific areas, or their chemical messengers referred to as neurotransmitters may not function as they should. Those with dyslexia often have the left sides of the brain less active, according to brain scans.

Certain Risk factors 

Your likelihood of having ADHD, dyslexia, or both can be increased by specific factors. They consist of the following:

• Low birth weight
• Pregnant women’s exposure to alcohol and tobacco
• Toxin exposure, such as lead, may contribute to ADHD but not dyslexia. Dyslexia may result from a stroke or other type of brain injury.

Heredity

Both disorders are hereditary. Approximately half of those with ADHD also have a relative who suffers from it. For dyslexia, this is true in roughly 30% of all cases.

Similarities and differences between ADHD and Dyslexia

There is no such thing as a typical ADHD or dyslexia symptom. However, the symptoms of the two illnesses can be rather similar.

Difficulty with focus

If someone has dyslexia, reading can be so laborious that it can wear them out. They may find it difficult to focus for very long because of this. A component of ADHD is an attention problem. It’s simple to become sidetracked or lose interest. This is particularly true if a person is reading or listening to someone speak, or if their activity is monotonous or repetitive.

Forgetfulness 

Adults with dyslexia frequently pronounce people’s names incorrectly, have problems remembering specific places, or confuse related words. But having ADHD can worsen a person’s day-to-day forgetfulness. They may forget about crucial appointments, lose their keys, or just have vague recollections of their early years.

Reading challenges 

This could be a sign of either illness. However, it may appear differently for each. Those with dyslexia frequently take more time to sound out words on a page. Or perhaps they misinterpret what is written down. Their reading speed may be slowed by ADHD. However, they typically read correctly. Instead, they are more prone to lose track of where they are on the page or simply just skip past punctuation and endings.

Writing challenges

With dyslexia, it might be challenging to correctly spell, proofread, organize, and apply grammar. Organizing their ideas and identifying mistakes in their writing may be the most difficult tasks for someone with ADHD. It is challenging for people with both disorders to write clearly.

Contrary to dyslexia, ADHD has a far larger range of potential effects on a person’s life. Missed deadlines as well as other issues at work, disputes with family members, difficulties with financial management, and other daily duties can all result from untreated ADHD.

Could you have both ADHD and Dyslexia?

Previously, it was thought that ADHD and dyslexia may exist separately. However, recent studies have nonetheless revealed a link between dyslexia and executive function problems linked to ADHD.

Even though ADHD and dyslexia are two distinct conditions, if a person has both, it indicates they suffer from both general executive function impairments (such as difficulties focusing including using memory skills) as well as specific deficits of the skills required for reading, such as the ability to process symbols quickly. Various specialists frequently diagnose the two disorders in different ways. An ADHD diagnosis is made by a psychiatrist, psychologist, neurologist, and occasionally a family doctor. ADHD is regarded as a mental condition.

Education professionals frequently spot dyslexia in students, and they may then recommend them to a physician or psychologist for a diagnosis and additional evaluation. A clinical psychologist, school psychologist, educational psychologist, or neuropsychologist typically makes the dyslexia diagnosis. An assessment for dyslexia is generally not covered by medical insurance since it is not a medical problem.

Dyslexia can range in severity from mild to severe, which is also true for those who have ADHD. This implies that almost no two people will experience the same symptoms precisely.

How to cope if you have both ADHD and Dyslexia? 

Here are a few steps you can take to cope better if you or your child have both ADHD and dyslexia.

Collaborate with a reading interventionist

According to studies, if you utilize interventions that focus on your decoding abilities and your understanding of how sounds are produced, your reading ability will increase.

Early intervention

Meeting with the entire educational team, including teachers, administrators, educational psychologists, counselors, behavior experts, and reading specialists, is essential if your child has both ADHD and dyslexia. Your child is entitled to an education that satisfies his or her needs. In the US, this entails an individual educational plan (IEP), specialized testing, classroom modifications, tutors, intensive reading instruction, behavior programs, and other services that may significantly impact academic progress.

Take into account all of your available ADHD therapy alternatives

According to the CDC, medication, parent education, and behavior therapy are all crucial components of helping children with ADHD.

Take up the fiddle or the flute

According to research, practicing an instrument consistently can help improve synchronizing brain regions that both ADHD and dyslexia impact.

Treat both conditions

To see improvements in both disorders, different types of therapies are required. Some data suggest ADHD medications may facilitate reading by enhancing focus and memory.

Getting the right support

Dyslexia and ADHD can each be treated on their own, though neither disorder is curable. Both dyslexia and ADHD can be handled using a variety of reading techniques that emphasize decoding and articulation. ADHD can be managed with behavior therapy and medication. Many people with ADHD also struggle with dyslexia. Since the symptoms of attention, irritability and reading problems are so similar, it can be challenging to distinguish between them. The phrase “early intervention is crucial” is frequently used while discussing dyslexia. Of course, early diagnosis of any problem is beneficial. But don’t feel bad if you find out your child has dyslexia later in life. It’s never too late to get checked out and get the help you need.

If your child has both dyslexia and ADHD, the symptoms of ADHD may obscure the dyslexia warning signs. Furthermore, some smart kids may even find ways to get around and hide their problems, making it more difficult for you to catch them.

You can still receive a dyslexia evaluation even if you are reading this article as an adult and suspect that you may be dyslexic. Realizing the source of your difficulties is beneficial for your self-esteem, profession, and confidence even if you’re no longer in school or a university. The Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) covers both ADHD and dyslexia. You can request that your employer make a reasonable adjustment to your work environment, including giving you more time to complete projects. Depending on how badly your symptoms prevent you from doing your job, some people might not be eligible for ADA protection.

We hope you found this article useful in learning more about the link between ADHD and Dyslexia, and how you can identify the symptoms, cope, and get treatment for them.

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