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Learning disabilities

A learning disability (LD) is a neurological condition that affects how the brain sends, receives, and processes information. It can make it highly difficult to learn specific academic skills. The most common specific learning disabilities include:

  • Dyslexia: difficulty with reading, spelling and recognising words.

  • Dyscalculia: difficulty with understanding numbers, math concepts and calculations.

  • Dysgraphia: difficulty with handwriting, fine motor skills and organising thoughts on paper.

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A learning disability has absolutely nothing to do with intelligence. People with LDs are just as smart as their peers; their brains simply process certain types of information differently.

The link: The 'double whammy' of ADHD

The connection between ADHD and learning disabilities is profound. Research shows that up to 50% of children and adults with ADHD also have a co-occurring learning disability. While ADHD itself is not a learning disability (it is an executive function and self-regulation difference), the two conditions frequently share genetic and neurodevelopmental roots. When a person has both, it creates a 'double whammy' effect in the classroom or workplace:

  • Working memory overload

    • Dyslexia makes reading physically difficult, requiring immense concentration. If you also have ADHD, your working memory struggles to hold onto the beginning of the sentence by the time you reach the end, meaning you have to read the same paragraph five times to understand it.

  • Processing speed

    • Both ADHD and LDs can cause slower cognitive processing speeds. When forced to perform under timed conditions (like exams), the brain can entirely freeze.

    • The 'lazy' label

    Because people with ADHD and LDs are often highly intelligent and articulate, teachers and managers frequently assume their struggles with reading, writing, or math are due to a lack of effort. This leads to the devastating, repeated accusation that they are 'just being lazy'.

    What it looks like in everyday life

    Learning disabilities in the ADHD community often hide behind behavioural responses. Because struggling is embarrassing, individuals will go to great lengths to mask their difficulties:

  • Extreme avoidance

    • Refusing to do homework, skipping classes or constantly 'forgetting' assignments to avoid the shame of failing at them.

  • The 'class clown' persona

    • Using humour, disruption or impulsivity to distract teachers and peers from the fact that they cannot read the material on the board.

    • Physical exhaustion

    Arriving home from school or work completely drained, leading to emotional meltdowns. Masking an LD requires monumental cognitive energy.

    • Everyday struggles

    Dyscalculia doesn't just affect algebra; it affects a person's ability to budget their money, read an analogue clock or estimate how long a drive will take (worsening ADHD time-blindness).

    Coping strategies and support

    01.

    Treat the ADHD first

    Medical professionals often recommend treating the ADHD symptoms (via medication or behavioural therapy) first. While this will not 'cure' the dyslexia or dyscalculia, improving focus and working memory frees up the cognitive energy needed to tackle the learning disability.

    02.

    Implement accommodations (levelling the playing field)

    Accommodations do not give an unfair advantage; they remove unfair barriers. Essential tools include:

    • Text-to-speech and speech-to-text software.

    • Extra time on exams to accommodate slower processing speeds.

    • Allowing typed notes instead of handwritten ones (vital for dysgraphia).

    • The use of calculators for basic math in non-math-specific settings.

    03.

    Uncouple Intelligence from Academics

    For parents and educators, the most important strategy is changing the narrative. Actively remind the individual that their grades do not reflect their worth or their intelligence. Celebrate their neurodivergent strengths such as creative problem-solving, deep empathy and out-of-the-box thinking.

    Addressing learning disabilities in the presence of ADHD requires a supportive, multi-tiered approach that prioritises self-esteem just as much as academic success.

    Timely detection matters

    When an individual goes through life with an undiagnosed learning disability and ADHD, the repeated cycle of academic failure and harsh criticism destroys their self-worth. This internalised shame is a direct pipeline to school dropout, severe depression, anxiety and an increased risk of addiction and suicidal ideation later in life.

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    At the Matthew Lock ADHD Charity, we believe that early screening and validation are life-saving. By naming the struggle, we remove the shame, allowing individuals to access the tools they need to unlock their incredible potential.

    Lived experience: ADHD and learning disabilities

    "For my entire childhood, I was told I wasn't applying myself. I would stare at my math homework until I cried because the numbers literally looked like a foreign language. Because I was smart in other areas, my teachers just thought I was being defiant. Finding out at 25 that I had ADHD and dyscalculia didn't make me feel broken; it was the biggest relief of my life. I wasn't lazy. I was trying harder than anyone else in the room."

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    "Having ADHD and dysgraphia is incredibly frustrating. My brain moves at a million miles an hour, and I have all these amazing, complex ideas. But when I try to write them down, my hand can't keep up, my handwriting is illegible, and the thoughts vanish. Getting permission to type my exams changed my entire life."

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    "The hardest part about dyslexia and ADHD is the exhaustion. Reading takes so much energy, and my ADHD means my focus is already spread thin. By the end of a workday, my brain is so fried from pretending I understand written reports that I have nothing left for my family when I get home."

    Source references

    CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder)

    Fact supported: Up to 50% of children with ADHD also have a co-occurring learning disability (LD), compared to just 5% of children without ADHD. The combination makes academic and workplace environments uniquely challenging.

    Reference detail:

    CHADD National Resource Center on ADHD. (n.d.). Coexisting Conditions: Learning Disabilities.

    Learning Disabilities Association of America (LDA)

    Fact supported: Learning disabilities like dyslexia, dysgraphia, and dyscalculia are neurologically-based processing problems that do not reflect a person's intelligence but heavily impact their ability to perform basic academic and life skills.

    Reference detail:

    Learning Disabilities Association of America. (n.d.). Types of Learning Disabilities.

    Understood.org

    Fact supported: Undiagnosed learning and thinking differences (including ADHD and LDs) frequently lead to the 'lazy' or 'defiant' label, which significantly damages self-esteem and increases the likelihood of secondary mental health issues like depression and anxiety.

    Reference detail:

    Understood. (n.d.). The Connection Between ADHD and Learning Disabilities.

    National Institutes of Health (NIH) / PubMed

    Fact supported: Deficits in working memory and processing speed are central to the overlap between ADHD and specific learning disorders, meaning treatments must address the executive dysfunction to improve learning outcomes.

    Reference detail:

    DuPaul, G.J., Gormley, M. J., & Laracy, S. D. (2013). "Comorbidity of LD and ADHD: Implications of DSM-5 for Assessment and Treatment." Journal of Learning Disabilities, 46(1), 43–51.

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