Estimated reading time: 10 minutes
When ADHD and Dyslexia overlap, learning can feel like climbing two mountains at once.
Kids may struggle to sit still long enough to read—or avoid books altogether because the words just don’t “click.”
What often looks like resistance is really frustration from a brain working overtime to focus and decode at the same time.
The good news? With the right evaluation and brain-calming tools, kids with both ADHD and Dyslexia can thrive. When we calm the brain first, learning becomes easier, attention improves, and confidence grows.
In this blog, you’ll learn:
- How to recognize when ADHD and Dyslexia overlap
- Why the brain connection matters more than labels
- Steps to get the right evaluation (without misdiagnosis)
- Practical strategies you can use at home and school right now
Signs That Suggest Your Child Has ADHD, Dyslexia, or Both
Two different issues can look similar on the surface. ADHD shows up as inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity across settings. Dyslexia is a reading and spelling problem. It’s rooted in how the brain processes sounds and print.
Clues You May Be Seeing Both
- Reading red flags: trouble decoding unfamiliar words and slow/effortful reading. It also includes weak spelling and avoidance of reading aloud.
- Attention/executive red flags: loses place, skips lines, and forgets directions. You can also see struggles to start/finish tasks and meltdowns with multi-step work.
- “Looks lazy” moments: Your child isn’t lazy—behavior is communication. They’re likely dysregulated and overwhelmed by tasks their brain can’t process efficiently yet.
Parent snapshot:
Luca, age 9, loved stories but ‘hated reading.’ He’d wiggle, avoid homework, and fight over fluency practice. A thorough evaluation found both an attention regulation issue (ADHD) and a decoding/phonological deficit (dyslexia).
Once we calmed his nervous system and used a structured literacy plan, the nightly battles eased—and progress followed.”
Takeaway:
Kids don’t fake struggle. Calming the brain + targeted instruction changes everything.
How ADHD and Dyslexia Interacts In the Brain
Research shows that ADHD and Dyslexia often occur together. Kids with both face extra challenges in areas like attention, processing speed, and phonological skills. This makes classroom tasks like reading and staying focused even harder.
Brain scans show unique patterns in ADHD and Dyslexia. They also show some features that overlap (Langer et al., 2019; McGrath & Stoodley, 2019; Germano et al., 2010).
Why It Matters
- Attention fuels literacy: When attention wobbles, phonics instruction doesn’t “stick.”
- Phonology fuels attention: When decoding is hard, attention is drained by effort. This leads to frustration and dysregulation.
- Regulate → Connect → Correct: We calm the nervous system first. Then, co-regulate with our child and use the proper reading and executive function tools.
How to Get The Right Evaluation (Not Misdiagnosis)
Misreads happen when inattention is blamed on motivation. Or when reading avoidance is labeled “behavioral.” You need an evaluation that screens both systems.
Ask for These Pieces
- Psychoeducational or neuropsychological testing: cognitive profile, phonological processing, rapid naming, working memory, processing speed, reading/spelling/fluency.
- ADHD assessment: normed rating scales from home and school, clinical interview, developmental/medical history.
- Rule-outs and co-occurring factors: vision/hearing, anxiety, sleep, and sensory processing that can magnify symptoms.
Pro tip for schools:
Request in writing an evaluation for specific learning disability in reading (dyslexia) and ADHD concerns. If you’ve already evaluated, but the results feel incomplete, ask about an Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE).
Parent snapshot:
Sylvia’s 11-year-old was diagnosed with ADHD, but reading was still stuck. Added testing revealed true dyslexia. Once the school shifted to a structured literacy plan and we used text-to-speech, reading confidence returned.
Takeaway:
Right data = right plan.
What Helps At Home When Reading and Attention Are A Struggle?
When your child is dysregulated, learning shuts down. Let’s calm the brain first and reduce cognitive load.
Home Strategies That Work Today
- Regulate: consistent sleep/wake, movement breaks, breath work, sensory input (heavy work, proprioceptive activities).
- Break it down: shorter reading bursts (5–10 minutes), timers, and first-then routines.
- Multisensory literacy practice: tap, trace, build words (magnetic letters), and ear-reading (audiobooks) to preserve comprehension.
- Assistive tech: text-to-speech, speech-to-text, dyslexia-friendly fonts, guided reading rulers.
- Strength-first: draw, build, code, music—confidence fuels resilience.
The “Calm → Coach → Complete” Micro-Routine
- Calm: 90 seconds of paced breathing or wall push-ups.
- Coach: “We’ll read 1 page, then LEGO.” (Predictable rewards help a dysregulated brain.)
- Complete: Celebrate effort, not perfection. Behavior is communication—notice wins.
School Accommodations That Reduce Stress and Improve Learning
Accommodations should lower barriers, not expectations.
High-Impact Supports (IEP/504)
- Reading/Spelling: structured literacy instruction (e.g., Orton-Gillingham-based), decodable texts, explicit phonics + fluency practice.
- Access: audiobooks, guided notes, text-to-speech, reduced copying, chunked directions.
- Assessment: extended time, read-aloud tests, alternative output (oral responses, projects).
- Attention supports: preferential seating, movement breaks, shorter work intervals, and visual schedules.
- Executive function: task lists, check-ins, graphic organizers, “finish bin” to reduce incomplete-work stress.
Accommodations by ADHD/Dyslexic Needs:
| Student Challenge | Helpful Accommodations |
|---|---|
| Decoding difficulties | Structured literacy (Orton-Gillingham, Wilson), decodable texts, audiobooks, text-to-speech |
| Working memory issues | Graphic organizers, step-by-step directions, guided notes, and frequent check-ins |
| Sustained attention | Shorter work intervals, preferential seating, movement breaks, and visual schedules |
| Processing speed | Extended time on tests, reduced copying demands, alternative formats (oral responses) |
| Spelling/writing output | Speech-to-text tools, word banks, reduced spelling lists, dictation options |
Will ADHD Medication Fix Reading Difficulties?
Medication can improve attention and impulse control for some children with ADHD. But it doesn’t teach reading.
Dyslexia needs explicit, systematic instruction. Many families find help in natural, science-backed tools that calm the brain.
What To Know
- Medication: may make it easier for a child to learn. Parents should watch appetite, sleep, and mood, and always combine it with skill-building.
- Regulation tools: Neurofeedback, PEMF, good nutrition, and healthy sleep help regulate the brain. These tools support processing speed, working memory, and a calmer nervous system, allowing learning to stick.
- Bottom line: Regulate → Connect → Correct. Medication alone won’t remediate phonological deficits. Literacy instruction alone won’t solve severe dysregulation.
“Dyslexia intervention must be explicit and systematic; kids need many correct repetitions.” — Dr. Nadine Gaab, developmental neuroscientist
How To Talk To Your Child About ADHD and Dyslexia
Kids read our nervous systems. Lead with calm and strength.
- Normalize: “Your brain learns differently. We’re going to use tools that fit your
- Name strengths: curiosity, creativity, 3-D thinking, empathy.
- Share the plan: “We’ll do short reading bursts, then build. You can always ask for a break.”
- Model hope: “It’s not bad parenting—it’s a dysregulated brain. And it’s gonna be OK.”
Parent snapshot:
After we reframed ‘behavior’ as stress, not defiance, bedtime reading went from tears to 10-minute wins.
Takeaway:
Shame shuts down learning. Safety opens it.
Read more: Explaining ADHD to a Child: A Quick Guide to Breaking Down the Facts
How to Keep Hope Alive?
With the right support, kids with ADHD and Dyslexia thrive. Many become innovators, entrepreneurs, and creators who think in powerful, non-linear ways.
Keep Momentum
- Revisit the plan every 8–12 weeks—adjust instruction and accommodations.
- Track function (stress, homework time, independence), not just grades.
- Build village support: teacher meetings, trusted therapists, and a community that sees your child’s strengths.
Studies consistently document overlap and additive challenges across ADHD and reading disability groups. It highlights shared executive function demands and distinct phonological needs (Germanò et al., 2010; Langer et al., 2019; McGrath & Stoodley, 2019).
Turning Challenges Into Hope: Your Next Steps
When ADHD and Dyslexia show up together, it can feel like your child is climbing a mountain with no end in sight.
But here’s the truth: it’s not misbehavior, laziness, or a reflection of your parenting. It’s a brain-based pattern of dysregulation. And with the right tools, kids can and do thrive.
The path forward begins with Regulate. Connect. Correct.™ Calm the brain first, build emotional safety. Then layer on the structured supports that unlock learning.
Every step you take—no matter how small—helps your child move closer to calm, confidence, and progress.
Start here: Listen to It’s Gonna Be OK! Podcast — weekly calm-brain strategies and encouragement.
FAQs About ADHD and Dyslexia
How common is it for ADHD and dyslexia to occur together?
They frequently co-occur. The exact percentage varies by study, but overlap is well established in neuroscience and clinical research.
Can my child outgrow dyslexia?
Dyslexia is a lifelong learning difference. But skills improve with structured literacy and accommodations. Many adults read well with the proper support.
What if the school doesn’t “see it”?
Put your request in writing, describe functional impacts, and ask for a comprehensive evaluation. You can seek an IEE if you disagree with the findings.
Does screen time make symptoms worse?
For many children, unstructured screen time before homework can increase dysregulation. Use timers, transition routines, and calming activities to prepare students for literacy tasks.
Terminology
- Phonological processing: how the brain recognizes and plays with speech sounds—key for decoding and spelling.
- Processing speed: how quickly the brain takes in and uses information; slow speed makes everything feel effortful.
- Executive function: mental “air traffic control” for focus, working memory, planning, and self-monitoring.
- Structured literacy: explicit, systematic teaching of phonics/phonemic awareness, spelling, and fluency.
Citations
Germanò, E., Gagliano, A., & Curatolo, P. (2010). Comorbidity of ADHD and dyslexia. Developmental Neuropsychology, 35(5), 475–493. https://doi.org/10.1080/87565641.2010.494748
Langer, N., Benjamin, C., Becker, B. L. C., & Gaab, N. (2019). Comorbidity of reading disabilities and ADHD: Structural and functional brain characteristics. Human Brain Mapping, 40(9), 2677-2698. https://europepmc.org/article/MED/30784139
McGrath, L. M., & Stoodley, C. J. (2019). Are there shared neural correlates between dyslexia and ADHD? A meta-analysis of voxel-based morphometry studies. Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders, 11(31). https://jneurodevdisorders.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s11689-019-9287-8
Always remember… “Calm Brain, Happy Family™”
Disclaimer: This article is not intended to give health advice, and it is recommended to consult with a physician before beginning any new wellness regimen. The effectiveness of diagnosis and treatment varies by patient and condition. Dr. Roseann Capanna-Hodge, LLC, does not guarantee specific results.
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