ADHD concerns attention, activity levels and impulse control, whilst dyslexia concerns reading, spelling and the information processing that underlies them. The NHS describes ADHD as a condition where the brain works differently to most people, so a child may find it hard to concentrate or sit still. Dyslexia is a common learning difficulty that mainly affects reading, writing and spelling, and the British Dyslexia Association describes it as being about information processing; the NHS notes that it does not affect intelligence.
Both can show up as a child who struggles to keep up in lessons, and the two often occur together. Working out which pattern fits, or whether both apply, starts with a conversation with the class teacher or the school's SENCO, who can advise on next steps and arrange support in class regardless of whether a formal diagnosis follows later.
How do ADHD and dyslexia look similar in the classroom?
ADHD and dyslexia can look similar in class because both can involve a child who seems to lose track of instructions, struggles to finish work or appears disorganised, even though the underlying difficulty is different. ADHD signs usually start before the age of 12 and fall into two patterns, which most children with ADHD show together, though some show only one.
Dyslexia signs centre on reading, writing and the order and planning of schoolwork. Where the two can genuinely overlap in what a teacher notices is organisation: an ADHD-related tendency to forget everyday tasks and a dyslexia-related difficulty planning and organising schoolwork can both show up as a child who seems behind or scattered, which is why the pattern needs proper assessment instead of a guess based on classroom behaviour.
- ADHD (inattentive): easily distracted, finds it hard to listen or follow instructions, forgets everyday tasks
- ADHD (hyperactive-impulsive): high energy, fidgeting, restlessness, finds it hard to wait a turn, interrupts
- Dyslexia: reads below the expected level, slow and hesitant reading aloud, messy written work with many spelling mistakes
- Dyslexia: difficulty with the order of things such as days of the week, finds it hard to plan and organise schoolwork
How often do ADHD and dyslexia occur together?
ADHD and dyslexia occur together often enough that the NHS and the British Dyslexia Association both flag the overlap directly. The NHS notes that people with ADHD often have other conditions too, such as depression, anxiety or a learning difficulty such as dyslexia. The BDA's Delphi consensus definition of dyslexia states that dyslexia frequently co-occurs with other developmental difficulties, including developmental language disorder, dyscalculia, ADHD and developmental coordination disorder, and that dyslexic difficulties exist on a continuum and can be experienced to different degrees of severity.
Who assesses ADHD in a child?
ADHD is assessed by one or more ADHD specialists, such as a paediatrician or a child and adolescent psychiatrist, following a referral. The usual route starts with the class teacher, who will typically involve the school's SENCO to discuss support in class or with homework; if concerns continue, a GP appointment is the next step, and the GP or SENCO can make a referral for an ADHD assessment if support at home and school is not enough on its own.
During the assessment, the specialist talks with the parent and child, asks about the child's development, may use forms and a computer-based test, and usually contacts the school SENCO or teacher for their observations. Waiting times vary and can run to several months or years; in England, the Right to Choose scheme, used through a GP, may help a family find a clinic with a shorter waiting list.
Who assesses dyslexia in a child?
Dyslexia is diagnosed through a diagnostic assessment by a certified assessor, either an educational psychologist or a specialist teacher, instead of by a doctor. The starting point is the same as for ADHD concerns: talk to the school's SENCO first. A GP cannot diagnose dyslexia, though a GP can check for other conditions that may affect a child's performance at school, such as hearing problems, and may suggest an eye test. The SENCO can arrange a screening test at school, but the British Dyslexia Association is clear that screening tests and checklists can only indicate possible dyslexic difficulties; they cannot provide a diagnosis.
A formal diagnosis needs a diagnostic assessment from a certified assessor: an educational psychologist, or a specialist teacher whom the BDA recommends should hold active AMBDA status and a current Assessment Practising Certificate. Most people have to pay for the assessment.
How does school support work for ADHD or dyslexia?
School support for either condition runs through SEN support, which does not require a formal diagnosis first. The SEND Code of Practice lists dyslexia among specific learning difficulties under the cognition and learning area of need, and lists attention deficit disorder and attention deficit hyperactive disorder under social, emotional and mental health needs. The purpose of identifying a need is to decide what action the school takes, without fitting a pupil into a single category, and the Code is clear that needs often cut across areas, so the full range of a pupil's needs should be identified, extending beyond the primary need alone.
A pupil has SEN where they need provision that is different from, or additional to, what is normally available to pupils of the same age. Support runs through the assess, plan, do, review cycle led by the SENCO. A diagnosis is the outcome of a health or specialist assessment, but school support itself is decided on need, so it can start before, alongside, or without a formal diagnosis.
What exam access arrangements apply for ADHD or dyslexia?
Exam access arrangements are decided by the school's SENCO, based on evidence of need and the candidate's normal way of working in class, internal tests and mocks; the school applies for arrangements, not the parent, and a diagnosis on its own does not entitle a candidate to one. For a learning difficulty such as dyslexia, 25% extra time rests either on an EHC plan supported by centre-based evidence, or on a JCQ Form 8 assessment carried out by a qualified access arrangements assessor from the start of Year 9, showing below-average scores in two different areas of speed of working, such as speed of reading, speed of writing, cognitive processing or fluency.
Where a candidate has attention difficulties, the JCQ regulations direct the SENCO to consider supervised rest breaks before applying for 25% extra time, as they may be more effective.
What practical steps can a parent take?
The first step for either concern is a conversation with the class teacher, who will usually involve the school's SENCO to discuss what support can be put in place in class or with homework straight away. If concerns are about attention, activity or impulse control, a GP appointment is the next step if worry continues after school-based support. If concerns are about reading, spelling or organising written work, the SENCO can arrange a screening test at school, with a fuller diagnostic assessment from an educational psychologist or specialist teacher as the next step if needed.
Practical support that schools and families can put in place for ADHD includes short task slots broken up with breaks, clear single instructions given one at a time, written to-do lists and praise when the child does well. Any ADHD medicine must be started and monitored by an ADHD specialist, and not every child with ADHD needs or wants medicine as part of their support.
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Frequently asked questions
- Is ADHD recognised as often in girls as in boys?
- ADHD is thought to be recognised less often in girls than boys, according to the NHS, possibly because girls more commonly show inattentive signs, such as difficulty concentrating, with the more visible hyperactive or impulsive behaviour appearing less often.
- My child is easily distracted and full of energy, is that ADHD?
- Many children are easily distracted, impulsive and energetic, particularly under the age of five, and the NHS is clear that this does not mean they have ADHD. It can be a sign of something else, such as tiredness, anxiety or stress. If the behaviour is affecting school or home life and ordinary support isn't helping, talking to the class teacher or a GP is the way to find out more.
- What else might a GP check for before referring a child for an ADHD assessment?
- A GP considering an ADHD referral may also think about other conditions that can produce overlapping signs, such as autism, Tourette's syndrome or anxiety. This sits within the standard NHS pathway: the GP is the next step after talking to the teacher and SENCO, and can refer for a specialist ADHD assessment if support at home and school is not enough on its own.
- Does support stop while a child is waiting for an ADHD assessment?
- No. The NHS is clear that support at school and at home should continue while a child is waiting for an ADHD assessment, and waiting times vary, sometimes running to several months or years depending on the local service. In England, the Right to Choose scheme, used through a GP, may help a family find a clinic with a shorter waiting list.
- Can a private ADHD or dyslexia assessment be used to get exam access arrangements?
- No, if it was carried out without the school. A privately commissioned assessment carried out without the school's involvement cannot be used to award access arrangements; the school's SENCO must apply, based on evidence of the candidate's normal way of working in class, internal tests and mocks. A diagnosis, private or NHS, does not by itself entitle a candidate to extra time or another arrangement.
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