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Sometimes Dyslexia Won' t Be the Only Diagnosis
By Valencia HigueraMedically Reviewed by Justin Laube, MDReviewed: September 4, 2018Medically ReviewedIndividuals with dyslexia may also be diagnosed with other learning disabilities.Getty ImagesDyslexia is a learning disorder that makes reading difficult. Often, individuals with the condition may also have other learning disorders or neurological disorders, such as:Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)DyscalculiaDysgraphiaVisual processing disorderAuditory processing disorder As with dyslexia, symptoms of these co-occurring conditions will begin to appear early in a child’s life. Treating dyslexia can be difficult when other problems occur with the disability, but with the right support team and treatment plans in place, a person living with dyslexia and other difficulties will not have to struggle alone. There’s a term for children who are living with a disability like dyslexia but who are highly gifted in art, science, math, or another creative pursuit — “twice exceptional,” meaning that they have a condition that sets them apart and they also have great talent in a specific area. (1) Perhaps, with time, support, and encouragement, a person living with dyslexia and the conditions described below can see themselves as twice — or several times — exceptional. What Is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Dyslexia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) frequently occur together. Scientists aren’t sure yet why, as the regions of the brain thought to be implicated in ADHD and dyslexia are not the same. According to the International Dyslexia Association, an estimated 30 percent of those with dyslexia also have ADHD, which is a neurological disorder marked by hyperactivity and lack of focus. (2) ADHD may lead a child to avoid or dislike school, which dyslexia can also do. (3) But if your child displays any of the following, they may have ADHD:Inattention Individuals have trouble focusing on tasks and details.Hyperactivity They may also talk rapidly, constantly fidget, or shake their legs.Impulsivity Individuals may find it difficult to think before they act, and may make hasty decisions that could result in self-harm or long-term damage. Because ADHD creates problems with focus, it may be hard for people with dyslexia to follow their education or reading plan. ADHD symptoms improve with age, but it’s possible that problems may continue to affect individuals into adulthood. (4) Unfortunately, there’s no cure for ADHD, but medication and psychotherapy can help individuals cope with its symptoms. Editor s Picks for Conditions Related to Dyslexia
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What Is Autism Spectrum Disorder
Dyslexia may occur in individuals who have been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). (5) ASD is a developmental disorder that affects communication and behavior; the word spectrum is used because the condition’s symptoms may appear more severe in some individuals and less severe in others. (6) Symptoms of ASD include: (6,7)Restricted number of interestsAn intense focus on those interestsRepeating words over againAvoiding eye contactIntense reactions to smells, sounds, and sightsDifficulty comprehending and responding to social cues But those with ASD may have an ability to remember large amounts of detail, and some excel at math, art, and science. Researchers aren’t sure why exactly autism and dyslexia occur together, but it’s thought that they may share the same genetic or neurological origins. (8) Specific screenings for autism are part of the well-child examinations that occur at 18 and 24 months, according to the National Institute of Health. (7) As with ADHD, autism will have to be treated separately from dyslexia; similarly to ADHD, medication and therapy are used to help treat individuals with the condition. Most Popular
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Other Learning Difficulties That May Accompany Dyslexia
Along with having problems related to sounding out letters, reading, sequence, and decoding, some people also develop learning disorders that are not dyslexia, but are closely related to dyslexia. Dyscalculia Children and adults who develop this math-related learning issue struggle with numbers, counting, and calculation. This is sometimes called math dyslexia, and while it does often occur with dyslexia, it is not a form of dyslexia. Dysgraphia Individuals with dysgraphia have difficulty spelling and writing, and their handwriting may appear irregular. Some people with this learning difficulty have trouble gripping a pen, or their hands may become tired after writing a few words, and they may write more slowly. This can make it difficult to take tests, write essays, or take notes in class. Auditory processing disorder This makes it difficult for a person to distinguish between sounds and to comprehend the sounds they hear. (9) Visual processing disorder This makes it hard for individuals to process information taken in by sight. They may have trouble distinguishing between similar sizes, shapes, or objects, and they may also have poor spatial awareness. (10) What Do Depression and Anxiety Have to Do With Dyslexia
Research on students in grade school and college with dyslexia has shown higher rates of anxiety than in students without. (11,12,13) Anxiety is the emotion most commonly reported by dyslexic adults. (14) Even if they try their best and study hard, children with dyslexia may not perform the way they hope to in school, and frustration with this and other setbacks in the classroom can lead to anxiety and depression.More About Anxiety What Is Generalized Anxiety Disorder GAD
Children may feel singled out because they may have to use different tools to learn, or may feel apprehensive when getting up to speak in public, or just feel different in general and even ridiculed by their peers. Teachers may not be as understanding as they need to be, especially if children have not yet been diagnosed. Dyslexia can frequently cause anxiety and depression in the families of those living with the condition. A study published in 2017 in Frontiers in Psychiatry found that mothers of children with dyslexia showed higher rates of stress than mothers who did not have children with dyslexia. (15) But with diagnosis and treatment, feelings of anxiety and depression may improve as a person acquires new ways of learning information and new ways of coping. Resources We Love
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ReferencesGifted and Dyslexic: Identifying and Instructing the Twice Exceptional Student Fact Sheet. International Dyslexia Association.Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) and Dyslexia. International Dyslexia Association.Why Do ADHD and Dyslexia Co-occur So Often? Understood.Related Conditions. National Autistic Society.Autism Spectrum Disorder. National Institute of Mental Health. March 2018.Learn the Signs of Autism. Autism Speaks.Russell G, Pavelka Z. Co-occurrence of Developmental Disorders: Children Who Share Symptoms of Autism, Dyslexia and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. In: Fitzgerald M, ed. Recent Advances in Autism Spectrum Disorders. IntechOpen. 2013.What Is Auditory Processing Disorder? Churchill Center & School.What Is Visual Processing Disorder? Churchill Center & School.Haft SL, Duong PH, et al. Anxiety and Attentional Bias in Children With Specific Learning Disorders. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology. July 2018.Jordan JA, McGladdery G, Dyer K. Dyslexia in Higher Education: Implications for Maths Anxiety, Statistics Anxiety and Psychological Well-Being. Dyslexia. August 2014.Carroll JM, Iles E. An Assessment of Anxiety Levels in Dyslexic Students in Higher Education. British Journal of Educational Psychology. September 2006.What Does the Dyslexic Person Feel? DyslexiaHelp at University of Michigan.Carotenuto M, Messina A, Monda V, et al. Maternal Stress and Coping Strategies in Developmental Dyslexia: An Italian Multicenter Study. Frontiers in Psychiatry. 2017. SourcesDyslexia Basics. International Dyslexia Association.Dyslexia: Overview. Mayo Clinic. July 22, 2017.Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: The Basics. National Institute of Mental Health.Understanding Dyslexia. Understood.Kelly K. The Difference Between Dyslexia and Auditory Processing Disorder. Understood.Show Less The Latest in Dyslexia
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