I’m often asked, “What is the difference between the learning difficulties experienced by a child with an attention disorder and those seen in a child with a specific learning disorder like dyslexia?”
This is a tough question because both can have problems with reading and spelling, and both can have low scores on standardized tests of these skills. To make a distinction between dyslexia and ADHD, one must look beyond test scores and consider the types of errors the child makes.
Understanding Dyslexia
Dyslexia is a specific learning disorder that is diagnosed based on a specific set of developmental and skill deficits including problems sounding out words, difficulty reading accurately, and non-phonetic spelling that is difficult to make out.
Understanding ADHD
An attention disorder may cause a child or teen to struggle with reading too, but her errors typically include contextual substitutions (mom for mother), numerous repetitions, inconsistent reading fluency and variable reading comprehension for details, cause/effect, compare/contrast, and inference. Although dyslexia is limited primarily to reading and spelling, the child or teen with an attention disorder often struggles with multiple-step and multi-faceted tasks such as math procedures (carrying and borrowing), math problem solving, and organizing written narratives.
Comparing, Contrasting, and Embracing Differences
I have developed the following detailed comparison of these two challenges based on research from numerous sources including Yale University and the University of Toronto.
ADHD |
Dyslexia |
|
Phonological ProcessingThe ability to process, isolate, sequence, and segment individual sounds in spoken words. |
Good phonological processing if focused on the task.
May mix up sounds in words due to internal distractibility, variable mental effort, and superficial processing. |
Poor phonological processing.
Often have trouble with rhyming early on. Often mix up sounds and syllables in spoken words. |
DecodingThe ability to sound out words. |
Good skills at sounding out words if focused on the task. | Struggles to sound out words because of poor phonics skills. |
Reading AccuracyThe ability to read words by sight in a list and within the context of a passage. |
Few accuracy errors when reading words in a list.
When reading passages, accuracy errors may include: Substitutions based on the context of the passage. Omissions, Additions, and Repetitions |
Numerous accuracy errors when reading words in a list and within the context of a passage. Errors most often include:
Mispronunciations: the student tries to sound out a word, but comes up with a non-word. Substitutions based on the first or last letters of the word. |
Reading FluencyGood reading fluency sounds smooth as if one is talking. |
Often reads fast, but may have “uneven” fluency due to self-correcting apparent errors, inconsistent mental energy, losing his place, and repetitions to help herself recall for comprehension. | Often reads slowly and fluency is word-by-word, hesitant, or choppy. Prosody lacks expression and intonation. |
Reading ComprehensionThe ability to understand and use what you have read. |
Reading comprehension errors often involve poor recall of details resulting in problems answering questions that involve cause/effect, compare/contrast, predicting outcomes, and inferring.
Inconsistencies may occur because the passage is lengthy and detailed or the topic is outside the student’s interests at the time. |
Might or might not have problems with reading comprehension.
Problems occur when he struggles to read key words needed to answer questions. When language and intellect are strong, he may be able to comprehend despite numerous reading errors. |
SpellingThe ability to spell words correctly. |
Often spell words the way they sound (phonetically).
May overuse recently learned spelling rules (adds silent e to all words). May make errors sequencing sounds in words due to weak working memory. |
Spelling errors are often not phonetic and show poor and highly inconsistent awareness of sounds in words.
Spelling errors are often “far off” and difficult to read.
|
Written ExpressionThe ability to organize one’s ideas into written sentences and narratives. |
Poor handwriting could be due to fast work or often related fine motor coordination problems.
Written work is rarely hampered by spelling. Problems with written work often occur because of poor planning, inconsistent sentence structure (fragments, run-ons), inconsistent use of transition words, rare use of modifiers (adjectives/adverbs), poor organization of ideas, and missing story elements (beginning, middle, ending). |
Poor handwriting could be due to poor spelling or often related dysgraphia.
Numerous spelling errors hamper his ability to share his knowledge in writing. May spell the same word in many different ways within the same written passage. May avoid using age-appropriate words because he cannot spell them.
|
MathThe ability to complete computations, math procedures, and math problem-solving.
|
May struggle with multiple-step math procedures.
May struggle to recall math facts and may have slow computation speed. May use more out-loud self-talk to guide actions (rather than inner speech) May struggle with multifaceted, complex math problem-solving. In word problems, he may not recognize what information is important and what information is not important. |
Rarely struggles with math computations.
May struggle with math word problems due to the inability to read key words. |
ADHD |
Dyslexia |
Developing Different Educational Plans
Because of the clear-cut differences in their struggles, children with dyslexia and children with attention disorders require very different educational plans.
Research shows that the child with dyslexia benefits from explicit and systematic teaching aimed at improving phonological awareness, phonics skills, reading accuracy, reading fluency, and spelling as described in detail by the International Dyslexia Association.
In contrast, the child with attention difficulties benefits most from an education plan that addresses two specific needs: (1) Structuring aimed at helping her build her internal structured approach to dealing with her specific learning and executive functioning challenges, and (2) Flexibility of accommodations for the specific weaknesses associated with her unique attention needs.
Need More Help in Identifying and Addressing Your Child’s Needs?
Call 817.421.8780 or email us to schedule an appointment for an assessment designed to identify and help you with the differences between attention and learning disorders.
(c) 2009-2019, Monte W. Davenport, Ph.D.
