ADHD and dyslexia frequently co-occur. Research shows they appear together in up to 25–40% of cases (Willcutt & Pennington, 2000).
This overlap is not random. A 2024 genetic study identified 49 genomic regions shared between dyslexia and ADHD, indicating common biological influences. However, at the same time, the study found unique genetic contributions, with dyslexia more strongly associated with reading– and learning-related areas (Ciulkinytė et al., 2024).
Brain-based studies show a similar pattern. Dyslexia is more closely linked to differences in the left-hemisphere reading network. ADHD is more consistently associated with difficulty suppressing the default mode network (the brain’s “daydreaming” system) and with challenges in frontoparietal executive networks. Many individuals have both, but others have one and not the other.
Working Memory Patterns
What about working memory?. Dyslexia is most strongly associated with weaknesses in the phonological loop (holding and manipulating speech-based information). ADHD is linked more to the central executive—the system that manages attention, planning, and cognitive control. When both are present, the effects tend to be additive (Maehler & Schuchardt, 2016).
Different Profiles Call for Different Supports
A student may have ADHD only, dyslexia only, or both. Recognizing which profile (or combination) is present helps us choose the right supports.
ADHD treatment—medication, behavioral strategies, and parent training—can reduce inattention and hyperactivity. It does not, however, address the specific reading difficulties associated with dyslexia. Structured, systematic reading instruction produces better outcomes for word reading and decoding than ADHD supports alone. When both are provided, students benefit in both areas; the reading progress comes from the reading instruction (Tamm et al., 2017).
The Risk of Misattribution
A common classroom challenge is attributing persistent reading difficulties solely to inattention or lack of effort.
A student who struggles with decoding may look distracted, restless, or unmotivated. When ADHD has already been identified, it can be easy to stop looking further. Persistent reading difficulties should still prompt consideration of dyslexia, even when ADHD is present. Supporting attention is important, but it does not replace the need for explicit, systematic reading instruction when word-level reading is the bottleneck.
ADHD and Creative Strengths
ADHD is not only a set of challenges. Research has also linked ADHD traits to certain creative strengths, including divergent thinking (generating many ideas from a single starting point), the production of original ideas, and conceptual expansion—the ability to think beyond conventional category boundaries.
Studies by Holly White and colleagues have shown that adults with ADHD often perform better than peers without ADHD on tasks requiring unconstrained idea generation and the ability to move past existing examples or knowledge constraints. In real-world measures, higher rates of creative achievement have also been reported (White & Shah, 2006, 2011; White, 2020).
These findings do not erase the real difficulties many students with ADHD face in school. They do, however, remind us that the same cognitive style that can make focused, sequential work harder can also support flexible, original thinking when the environment allows it.
The Role of 504 Plans
Section 504 plans do not carry the same intensity or specialized instruction requirements as IEPs, but they can be a valuable tool for many students with dyslexia, ADHD, or both. A well-designed 504 helps students’ work better reflect what they know and can do.
For students with dyslexia, extra time is often essential. Reading, re-reading for accuracy and comprehension, retrieving words, and producing written responses all take longer. Without that time, the finished product can underestimate the student’s understanding.
For students with ADHD, extra time is also important. It allows for short breaks, opportunities to refocus, and the chance to complete work without the unfinished sections that often result from lapses in attention or mental fatigue. The submitted work then more accurately shows the student’s true fund of knowledge.
When both profiles are present, the same accommodation—extended time—supports both needs.
Classroom Implications
When dyslexia and ADHD co-occur, the demands on the student are higher. Weaker phonological working memory combines with weaker executive control, so tasks that require sustained attention while decoding text are especially challenging.
Helpful responses include:
- Explicit, systematic reading instruction that targets word-level reading and decoding directly.
- Shorter instructional segments with clear structure and frequent opportunities for successful practice.
- Reduced simultaneous cognitive load—breaking multi-step directions, providing visual supports, and minimizing the need to hold large amounts of verbal information while reading.
- Careful observation of whether reading difficulties remain once attention supports are in place. If they do, the reading profile itself still needs targeted instruction and appropriate accommodations.
- The aim is to understand the full learning profile so that supports for attention and supports for reading can work together. When we do this well—and when we also make room for the creative strengths that often accompany ADHD—students are better able to show what they know and to grow as readers.
