ADHD and Dyslexia: Why Do They So Often Co-Occur?

What's the connection between ADHD and dyslexia? Why are so many kids diagnosed with both? We’re still learning a lot about these learning and thinking differences and the reasons why they may so often co-occur.

Fumiko Hoeft MD, PhD, professor of psychiatry at the Weill Institute for Neurosciences at UCSF, breaks down some of the possible reasons for this co-occurrence. Find out what leading researchers know and don’t know about the parts of the brain that each of these learning differences stem from. That research could lead to better ADHD treatment and dyslexia treatment in the future.

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[rjsway]

I felt relieved and happy when I was diagnosed with ADD & Dyslexia. Because it explained the reason why I struggled so much when I was in school.

[evanjali]

My asian parents belive that these terms are excuses for the lazy ones... I tried to talk to them as my younger brother is dyslexic. But, mental health terms, learning differences everything is taboo here. My brother is a freshman in highschool but he still has basic problem like sentence formation and other dyslexic symptoms along with ADHD. But here, the solution to that problem is physical punishment, demotivating the child with words such as looser, useless, trashbag**, and negligence when the child needs his parent's support!

[JustaSpaceCowboy]

I have Dyslexia & ADHD. My parents thought I was more ADHD so they focused on treating that, but they were wrong. I'm more Dyslexic and if they knew that I would have had better help at school. I was always the naughty kid, I struggled to read so I lost all focus.

[loo]

I'm glad I found this video. My daughter has ADHD. I believe she has dyslexia. The Pandemic and virtual learning has not helped my daughter academically. My daughter has had some great tutors, but they were not able to help her. She is not able to retain information. She is being assessed for Dyslexia and other learning disabilities. Hopefully, we will get some answers and directions. Right now, I don't know what to do.

[notneeded]

I have dyslexia and ADD. The combination of having both of these makes me suffering with a learning disability. This disability doesn't allow me to retain information when read and sometimes spoken. It also causes me to have gaps in memory and to zone out for large periods of time. This also causes me to deal with anger issues as I feel this is not a representation of my intelligence or my capacity to learn. In writing this message alone my frustrations of dealing with technology just to get my point across via Speak to text Made me wanna quit a few times. As it's stupidly keeps capitalizing words that those that need to be capitalized in the middle of sentences. Had I had the ability to spell them by own I would not frustratingly had to deal with this speak to text design. For over a decade I have been intrested in researching how I read? how to make it easier for me read? But sadly this disability is a true disability the has robbed me from many successes and unfortunately I don't have the support systems I need to make my dreams or To share knowledge a reality. I do not use the Internet do not listen to the radio I do not read and not watch TV as all these are affected by this. The ability to simply partake in video gaming is also affected by this. It's frustrating to know that it's hard to accomplish anything when you're always standing in your own way.

[krimsonocean]

I’ve always thought I was weird until I decided to look further into my weird habits turns out I have ADD and dyslexia

[Ash-wnws]

Omg thank you for that post. I and 45y old with dyslexia and have recently started taking Ritalin for adhd symptoms. It’s been eye opening.
My son has adhd and his Ritalin is also working great and I now see some dislexic things coming out. I hope people start talk about the connections more here in Australia as it was missed when I was young. Thank you 😊

[evindalton]

I have ADHD and dyslexia and I HATE it

[peachsncream]

My heart aches for you and your child . I’m 50+ now. For me it’s been a soul crushing experience living with the ADD non hyperactive- withe the dislexia topped with this ridiculously frustrating memory problem on-top of the learning problems 💔 it hurts me to know I’m intelligent - and have such potential and no way so far to use it consistently. In rare moments of clarity and when the planet’s are in alignment - it’s great …sometimes for an hour at most everything seems clear -I feel inspired and I can actually think …… in those rare moments I think to myself this must be what it feels like to have a normal brain …..then the moment passes and I’m me again . Inconsistency is the only consistent aspect of ME . My wife once asked me …after I tied a wheelbarrow down on her UTE ……how many different knots DO YOU KNOW ? Me …. I don’t know why is that ? She said just about every time I tied her Wheelbarrow onto her Ute I used a different knot than the previous one. I have no idea why that happens . It happens with many many random things . I struggle to learn things then finally something seems to stick in my brain for a few days weeks or year’s ….then without warning it’s simply gone from my brain . I tought myself to do the rubix cube . I Did it every day for years as it calmed my mind, For some reason I stopped doing it for a few weeks . When I picked up the rubix cube weeks later ….I could not do it . It’s just gone from my brain. That was about 5 years ago. This crap drives me crazy. Please keep an eye out for childhood depression . I hope you find the answers you need .

[nikolugo]

I was diagnosed with ADHD when I was in first grade but I truly believe that I have dyslexia too because I struggle with reading and writing and spelling all my life

[gracieayers]

That makes since, because if your brain needs lots of breaks from "over working" it could be perceived that you have an attention deficit?

[crazycanecorsolady]

Weird! I have A.A.D.D and dyslexia I had no idea they went hand in hand 😳

[tainii-san]

I don't know if I have ADHD, my mother told me that when I was young they suspected that I had it but the doctors said that I was simply dyslexic.

[bellacanelli]

I have adhd and dyslexia and just started to take medicine for my adhd after about 6 years I feel so sick I’m not sure if it’s from the medicin or the fact o got a shot the other day but I feel like trash 😫

[kikyozoldyck]

im sorry i keep thinking of demigods right now

[sophieelizabeth]

I will accidentally spell simple words like the wrong I’ll get the letters mixed up like teh is one I do a lot. It’s so hard to type

[jennifernybergpixie]

I didn't know I had ADHD growing up. But I knew I had learning disabilities. I also have autism and didn't know until the last few years.

[Michael.Moran.]

I am 45 years of age and ive got ADHD and i struggled at school big time i couldnt read or wright but they thought i was a bad kid but know i no why

[OFFICERMCCOMACK]

I know that i have dyslexia and adhd. And have had it all through my life, along with parents who were way to young back in the 70’s. I was actually born in late 1970 and have grown up with this. My parents had no idea what the heck was going on with me. My Dad was mostly frustrated with me and would call me stupid and spank me often. Almost every day. I did me no favors. It only compounded my already damaged self esteem and even today at 48 years old, I won’t try to go out on my own and even try to work for myself. I know i can do it, I’m just terrified to try. I excel at my job, and i can usually out think my supervisor as the wish to called. However it is sad to be terrified to try and move up the ladder because of the response i get, which is shunned because, I imagine that they think im inadequate when really I’m the only one who thinks I’m inappropriate. When in fact I completely capable. But i just cant convince myself that I’m better than this. It is soooo painful to be this way. Help. Not sure where to go from here.

[JamieHumeCreative]

DHD, Autistic and LD. I'm highly creative, but struggled with the memory issues until now. currently on medication for ADHD for the first time. I don't want to loose the gifts that come with these differences. I just want to be able to function better in a chaotic noisy hostile world.