Are Dyslexia and ADHD related?

Every year the number of diagnoses for Dyslexia and ADHD is rising. With more information is available than ever, a lot of parents are still wondering if the two are related. At Walron, where we specialise in tutoring children with ADHD and Dyslexia, we can provide you with some first hand experiences to answer this question.

Dyslexia or ADHD?

Let's first understand Dyslexia 

Dyslexia is a learning disability which creates difficulty in processing, organising and interpreting written information represented in qualitative methods (such as paragraphs.) For students, particularly, this becomes a big block to their learning, often due to causing stress, anxiety and/or lack of confidence in the student and their abilities. When left unsupported, and unmanaged, there can be significant consequences such as low grades, falling behind on homework or 'failed' exams. 

Now, let's understand ADHD 

ADHD (Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), is a behavioural disorder which is associated most commonly with symptoms such as irritability, lack of attention, inability to focus and impatience. Once again, in a mainstream environment this can disrupt a student's learning when not supported, leading to disengagement, tiredness and annoyance within their place of learning. 

So where is the link?

From a diagnosis point of view, ADHD and Dyslexia are not related. If your child is diagnosed with ADHD, this does not mean they are diagnosed automatically with Dyslexia; and vice versa. The two diagnoses are independent from one another. However, with both learning difficulties rising in numbers each year, there are more tendencies for the same child to be diagnosed with multiple disorders such as Dyslexia, ADHD, Anxiety etc. Children can have more than one diagnosis, without it being a rule that if they have one, they have the other. It is on an individual basis, however it is always worth going through the diagnosis assessment if you have reason to believe they may have another condition. 

Diagnose, diagnose, diagnose

This being said, the best first step you can take if you suspect your child may have Dyslexia and/or ADHD is to carry out independent assessments for both disorders. Correct diagnosis is key to removing your child's limitations to reaching their educational goals. When diagnosed, your child can benefit from extra support such as additional text/exam times, resources, specialised tutoring (Walron Ltd) and much more. If your child is diagnosed, you then hold control over further assistance available to your child. This comes in many forms, from knowing to switch all text to friendly fonts (for Dyslexia) or creating to-do lists (for ADHD). Now you will be sure to look outside the box. 

Where to go next 

If your child has a new diagnosis, or you are considering assessment for ADHD, Dyslexia, or both, contact us at Walron for more advice, diagnosis centres or tutoring support to get your child back on track with their education. ADHD and Dyslexia are both widely understood, prevalent diagnoses, which means there is plenty of help and guidance out there. What may seem like a difficulty, can be viewed as a unique way of learning and progressing. At Walron we find the way that works for your child, and no matter what, guide them to reaching their goals. 

With love,

Ronnie Krupa

Founder of Walron LTD