Is ADHD a Learning Disability?

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) can have an impact on all areas of life, including learning and education, but it is not a learning disability.

In this article, I’ll walk through what a learning disability is, whether or not ADHD is a learning disability, the connection between ADHD and learning disabilities, diagnosis and treatment.

What Is a Learning Disability?

Learning disabilities disorders that affect the ability to understand or use spoken or written language, do mathematical calculations, coordinate movements, or direct attention. Learning disabilities can be mild, moderate, or severe impairments and may impact people in many different ways.

Also called specific learning disorder (LD), learning disabilities include dyslexia, dyscalculia, and dysgraphia. Dyslexia is the most common learning disability, and it makes up for around 80% of specific learning disorder diagnoses. Between 8% and 10% of children in the United States have a learning disability.

Is ADHD a Learning Disability?

ADHD is not a learning disability, but is considered a neurodevelopmental disorder. However, ADHD can cause some additional challenges in learning and mental health that people without ADHD might not endure.

For example, it might be expected that inattention symptoms contribute to difficulty learning for many people, but hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms can impact the learning process, too. People with ADHD also have lower executive function compared to people who don’t have ADHD; which can make it more difficult to focus.

Challenges such as difficulty sitting still or restlessness and blurting out answers to questions can make time in the classroom tough. Additionally, although ADHD isn't a learning disability itself, it is possible for someone to have a learning disability in addition to ADHD.

The Correlation Between ADHD and Learning Disabilities

30-50% of kids who have ADHD also live with a specific learning disability. This is significantly higher than the prevalence of learning disabilities across the general population. Although ADHD is not a learning disability, it can be considered a related disorder.

Early intervention can help individuals with a learning disability thrive and get the help that they need. Both ADHD and specific learning disability (LD) are considered neurodevelopmental conditions, and both are very common.

Diagnosis

Most of the time, multiple specialists will work together to perform an evaluation for a learning disability. This can include a psychologist, a pediatrician, a speech language pathologist, and a special education expert, for example.

Learning disabilities are most frequently identified once a child starts school, but they can be diagnosed at any age. The process of diagnosis for a learning disability will typically include a medical exam, questions about family history, psychological and academic testing, and a thorough review of the child's social, developmental, and educational performance.

For adults, the process is similar, but the screening may include information about work history and other problems that learning difficulties have caused in a person's life, such as those that relate to managing finances and other parts of life.

In any case, medical professionals will rule out any other potential causes of a person's challenges and experiences prior to providing the diagnosis of a learning disability. Additionally, for someone to receive a diagnosis of a specific learning disorder, they must experience challenges for six months or more despite targeted help.

Treatment for Learning Disabilities

When a learning disability is identified, children in schools can receive monitoring and support that helps them succeed.

Forms of treatment that can help with learning disabilities can include but aren't limited to:

Special education

Children who are diagnosed with a learning disability can access special education services. With the IDEA act in place, it is required that public schools in the United States provide special education support free of cost to children with disabilities who qualify for services.

A child will be evaluated by the school system and must meet federal and state guidelines in order to qualify for special education services.

Individualized education programs

An individualized education program or IEP can be used both for kids with learning disabilities as well as conditions like ADHD. An IEP is more or less exactly what it sounds like and refers to an individualized plan for a person's education designed with their needs, challenges, and appropriate goals, in mind.

If a child qualifies for special education services, they may be able to receive an IEP. An IEP is different than a 504 plan in that an IEP also includes specialized instruction (e.g., small classroom instruction). A 504 plan only includes accommodations typically.

Accommodations

Accommodations for learning disabilities may be implemented at times. Examples of accommodations for a learning disability might include verbal instructions or an audio recording of test questions (for someone with dyslexia), a quiet space to take tests at school, or additional time to complete tasks and exams.

Tutoring

Tutoring can help individuals with learning disabilities and other concerns that interfere with learning succeed. Many people benefit from tutoring in K-12 as well as higher education, including those with and without disabilities. To compliment a tutor, an ADHD coach could help your student cope with symptoms and build better studying habits.

Special tools

Tools such as electronic devices and games may help a child learn. For example, people with dyslexia may use word processing programs and audio books as opposed to paper books. Similarly, those with dysgraphia might use computer software to aid their ability to provide written text.

Monitoring from education and healthcare professionals helps to mark a child's progress and identify areas they can continue to work on. Various professionals a child might work with, such as an occupational therapist or school psychologist, may monitor progress in a child with a learning disability.

If a child has another co-occurring condition, this may inform their treatment plan. It is important to mention that individuals with a learning disability can still receive support past K-12 education.

Colleges and workplaces may also offer accommodations. If someone gets an official learning disability diagnosis in adulthood, they may receive recommendations that can help them with work and daily living activities.

FAQs

Here are some frequently asked questions on ADHD and learning disabilities:

Who can diagnose learning disabilities?

Although a number of different professionals might be involved in the process of diagnosis, not every professional a child works with is qualified to give a diagnosis. It could be a number of different professionals, including but not limited to neurologists, pediatricians, and psychiatrists, who provide the official diagnosis for a learning disability.

How can ADHD impact learning?

Here are some of the possible ways that ADHD can impact learning:

• Forgetfulness. Symptoms of ADHD such as general forgetfulness and misplacing or forgetting items that could be needed in an educational setting (IE, pens, electronic devices, or textbooks) may impact the learning process.
• Challenges with sustained mental focus. If a person has difficulty with tasks that require sustained concentration or mental focus, it can make classwork and homework a challenge. An individual with ADHD may "space out" during class, or they may be unable to concentrate - even if they want to desperately.
• Hyperactivity/impulsivity. Someone who blurts out answers to questions, faces trouble remaining seated, fidgets, or faces challenges that relate to other hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms may be seen or marked as behavioral problems, which can make school frustrating and may lead to feeling misunderstood.

Treatment and support for ADHD can help with these challenges, as well as some of the others that a person might face in their life, both in and out of educational settings. Help for ADHD can include but isn't limited to behavior therapy, medication, occupational therapy, parent training or techniques, apps and games for ADHD like Joon.

Since ADHD is recognized as a disability, a child who lives with ADHD can qualify for special education services and an IEP with or without the presence of a learning disability. Similarly, adults may benefit from accommodations in addition to treatments recommended by a professional.

Takeaway

ADHD is not a learning disability. However, learning disabilities are significantly more prevalent among individuals who have a diagnosis of ADHD. ADHD affects learning in some ways, even if it's not considered a learning disability in and of itself.

If you believe that you or someone in your care, such as a child or adolescent, may have a learning disability or ADHD, make sure to reach out to a psychiatry professional who can help. The correct diagnosis can open the door for someone to get the support they need, and it is possible for those with a specific learning disability, ADHD, or both, to succeed.