Most often, many people mistake ADHD and dyslexia for the same thing. However, ADHD and dyslexia are two different disorders. ADHD is concerned with attention and behaviour, while dyslexic children face difficulties with reading. Still, there are some related causes. Both have a few of the same symptoms, so they can be mistaken for each other when not diagnosed properly. However, these two are different. Today, we’ll discuss both disorders and how they are different. With this blog, parents can understand the difference between ADHD and dyslexia.
What is dyslexia?
Dyslexia is a learning disorder in which dyslexic students face difficulties with reading comprehension, spelling, sounding out words, reading fluency, and pronouncing words aloud. Dyslexia is noticed when a child starts school. Many times dyslexic students are intelligent but still have difficulty with basic literacy skills. A Toronto tutor supports dyslexic students to overcome challenges with reading comprehension, writing, and spelling.
What causes dyslexia?
Dyslexia is a result of the way a child’s brain is organized. Learning to read requires making connections with words and sounds. These connections become fixed in memory for reading to be fluent. Dyslexic students have trouble making these connections. Additionally, dyslexia often appears in families across generations.
Symptoms of dyslexia
Dyslexic children will have the following symptoms:
- Struggle with reading and sounding out words
- Difficulty with writing or spelling
- Reading more slowly than expected for their age
- Hard time remembering number facts
As a parent, you may start noticing symptoms when your child starts school. The symptoms are not because of vision problems or other problems. If your child is struggling with any one of these symptoms, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they are dyslexic. However, if your child has more than one symptom and reading issues, your child may have dyslexia. If so, tutoring in Toronto for dyslexic children can support your child in overcoming these issues.
What is attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)?
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that has a negative impact on social, personal, academic, or occupational functioning. It often affects attention, perception, memory, language, or social interaction. There are three types of ADHD:
- Predominantly inattentive
- Predominantly hyperactive-impulsive
- Combined presentation
Symptoms of ADHD
- ADHD children often find it difficult to focus on any one task.
- ADHD children may have trouble sitting still even for a short time span. They often feel restless. They don’t like reading or other quiet activities.
- Children with ADHD often talk too loudly. They cannot wait for their turn, which makes it difficult for them to play with other children.
Similarities between ADHD and Dyslexia
- Both ADHD and dyslexia can be hereditary.
- They both cause reading difficulties and can lead to self-esteem issues for children.
- Forgetfulness is a common symptom of both conditions, although it may present differently in each case.
- Both conditions benefit from early diagnosis, understanding, and extra support and tutoring from tutors. An Orton-Gillingham tutor can support dyslexic students in learning to read, write, and spell.
ADHD and dyslexia are different disorders that can present challenges in children and persist into adulthood. However, with thoughtful and supportive learning instruction, both children and adults can learn to overcome their difficulties and excel in a learning environment.
Class in Session has experienced tutors who can support dyslexic students. We use a variety of techniques to support children with dyslexia to improve their reading, writing, and spelling skills. If your dyslexic child finds it difficult to read, write, and spell, you can contact us.