Untangling the Link Between ADHD, Dyslexia & Dyscalculia

Have you ever noticed how ADHD (a neurodivergence associated with difficulty with attention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity), dyslexia (a learning difficulty associated with reading and writing), and dyscalculia (a learning difficulty associated with numbers and maths) tend to co-occur? 

Not everyone with one of these neurodivergences has another, but they occur together more often than you’d expect by chance. 

Dyscalculia is perhaps not as widely understood as ADHD and dyslexia. Watch the video below to get an idea of what dyscalculia is. 

Several studies have tried to calculate exactly how often ADHD, dyslexia, and dyscalculia occur together. They have found that 25- 45% of children with ADHD also have a learning disability. 

This means that if a child has ADHD, there’s a significant chance they also struggle with reading, writing, or math. 

Why This Matters

Understanding this connection can help parents, teachers, and professionals provide the right support early on, so kids don’t fall behind.

Image by Tara Winstead

Unfortunately, scientists at the University of Colorado found children with a combination of these conditions are at a higher risk of social and educational difficulties than those with just one.

This can lead to:

• Frustration
• Low self-esteem
• Feeling ‘left behind’ in school

Making children believe they’re ‘not smart enough’ when in reality, they just need the right support. 

Anthony Mackie, actor and star of Captain America, has dyslexia. Here, he describes the struggles he had with reading, due to dyslexia. https://t.co/IEul2iUeSg #dyslexia #ADHD #dysgraphia pic.twitter.com/qNpJMDQm5u

— Dyslexia Connect (@ConnectDyslexia) February 20, 2025

Early recognition doesn’t just improve learning. It can mean the difference between years of silent struggle and a future where a child feels seen, supported, and capable.

 It’s therefore incredibly important to discover just how often ADHD, dyslexia and dyscalculia co-occur and why. 

Why do ADHD, dyslexia and dyscalculia often co-exist. 

There are three possible explanations for why ADHD, dyslexia, and dyscalculia co-occur:

1. One condition may trigger another
   • For example, a learning difficulty like dyslexia or dyscalculia could make the classroom overwhelming and cause concentration issues.
   • ADHD symptoms may also affect the ability to learn and manifest as a learning disability.
2. Environmental risk factors
   • Something in the school or home environment may increase the risk of all the conditions.
3. A shared genetic link
   • Certain genes may increase the risk for both ADHD and learning difficulties.

Here Dr Fumiko Hoeft talks through how these conditions overlap and the possible reasons why.

To tease apart exactly why these conditions overlap and what role genetics and the environment play, researchers in the Netherlands conducted a large study.

A Study to Explore the Cause

Led by Dr Elsje van Bergen, conducted a study using twins and siblings at the ages of 7 and 10.

Researchers worked with schools to assess:

• Reading
• Spelling
• Math skills
• ADHD symptoms

Key Findings:

• Children with ADHD were 2.7 times more likely to have dyslexia.
• Children with ADHD were 2.1 times more likely to have dyscalculia.
• Children with dyslexia or dyscalculia were also more likely to have ADHD or another learning difficulty.

Updated preprint on the co-occurrence & causality among #ADHD, #dyslexia, & #dyscalculia! Inspired by your votes, we revised the terminology. Same conclusion: these conditions co-occur due to correlated genetic risks, not causality. https://t.co/G6JsO3yFZ0 1619 views and counting https://t.co/620yMLBuF7 pic.twitter.com/6D5Bp86M30

— Dr Elsje van Bergen (@drElsje) May 29, 2024

The Big Discovery:

Incredibly, the researchers found that these conditions don’t just trigger each other, nor is the overlap between them shaped by school or home environments. They share a genetic foundation. 

They found that having certain genetic factors that increase the chance of an ADHD diagnosis also raises the likelihood of dyslexia or dyscalculia and vice versa.

What Does This Mean for Neurodiversity?

 Traditionally neurodivergences like dyslexia, dyscalculia and ADHD have been studied separately.  Maybe it’s time we took a more holistic view.

Instead of viewing dyslexia, dyscalculia, and ADHD as distinct conditions, it may be more accurate to see them as interconnected within a broader neurodivergent spectrum.

Why is this important:

This discovery, and others exploring the genetics of neurodiversity, are incredibly important. It confirms that children who struggle with reading, math, or attention are often wired differently, and now we have a better understanding of why.

What’s crucial is this:
Because these conditions share a genetic basis, they don’t simply cause one another. That means you can’t assume treating one will fix the others.

For example:

• Treating ADHD symptoms alone won’t necessarily improve a child’s dyslexia or dyscalculia, and vice versa.
• Each condition has its own unique challenges, and each requires targeted support.

This also highlights why it’s so important to avoid blame when discussing these neurodivergences. These are not character flaws or the result of poor effort, they’re rooted in how a child’s brain is built.

The role of the environment in ADHD, Dyslexia and Dyscalculia

Although this study does not find an environmental cause for the link between ADHD, dyslexia and dyscalculia, this doesn’t mean the individual neurodivergences don’t have an environmental influence.

Exposure to certain environmental factors, like lead or drug use during pregnancy, may increase the likelihood of ADHD or learning difficulties. As can certain aspects of the home environment.  

These increase the likelihood, but:

• They’re not guarantees.
• Not everyone exposed to certain conditions will be neurodivergent
• Not every neurodivergent person was exposed to these environmental factors.

A person’s neurodivergence comes from a complex mix of genetic and environmental influences.

It’s all a game of chance.

The Ethics of genetics screening for Neurodivergence. 

Strong evidence, including this study, suggests ADHD, Dyslexia and dyscalculia have a heavy genetic influence. This raises some interesting ethical questions. 

If scientific progress carries on at its current pace, genetic screening for neurodivergence likelihood could become a reality. We could see a world in which blood samples are taken from babies, their genetics are analysed, and parents are told the percentage chance of that child having a neurodivergence. 

If you want to delve deeper into the world of genetic information and explore how doctors use AI to unlock genetic secrets and discover new treatments, check out our blog on how AI is revolutionizing healthcare next.

Is this something we want? 

Genetic screening for conditions like autism and breast cancer has already sparked debates over privacy, early intervention, and discrimination. Similar concerns could arise for neurodivergence.

Photo by Los Muertos Crew

On one hand, neurodivergent brains often bring strengths, such as creativity and problem-solving. Many of history’s greatest innovators had ADHD, dyslexia, or dyscalculia. Would genetic screening change how we perceive these differences?

While it could help with early support, there’s also the risk of misuse;

• Could this lead to discrimination in schools or workplaces? 
• If neurodivergences were identified before a child even started school, would this shape how teachers, society or even parents treat them—perhaps unfairly lowering expectations or pushing certain career paths over others? 
• If parents knew from birth that their child had a high likelihood of a neurodivergence, would this create unnecessary anxiety? 

These big questions need to be addressed to ensure we are using science to help each individual reach their full potential.

Or Could It Be a Game-Changer?

On the other hand, earlier identification could be a game-changer for support systems. Early genetic markers could lead to quicker diagnosis and support, sparing families the long struggle for recognition. 

Many parents of children with these conditions know the long and often painful process to get a diagnosis. Parents often go through years of assessments before their child receives the help they need. Facing unnecessary obstacles that could have been avoided with earlier intervention. 

Earlier identification could lead to timely interventions, reducing social and educational challenges. If genetic screening could help fast-track resources, education plans, and workplace accommodations, it could significantly improve the lives of many neurodivergent people.

Early diagnosis could prevent some of the issues these women faced, when their ADHD was missed until adulthood. 

Ultimately, as science advances, we must consider not just the possibilities but also the responsibilities that come with them. How we use genetic knowledge will shape the future of neurodiversity. The key will be ensuring that any advancements prioritise the well-being, individuality, and dignity of neurodivergent people.

What comes next? 

This study reinforces the strong genetic link between neurodivergences. Future research will refine our understanding of these genes, how they interact with the environment, and most importantly, how we can use this knowledge to provide better support for neurodivergent individuals.

 Because every child, no matter how their brain is wired, deserves the chance to reach their full potential.

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