October is Dyslexia & ADHD Awareness Month
Dyslexia and ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) are two of the most common learning differences that can impact a student's learning, affecting about one in five students in the U.S. About half of the students who have ADHD also have a learning difference, such as dyslexia. The signs can be hidden and often go undetected until later school years when academic demands increase, impacting self-esteem and motivation.
What Is Dyslexia?
Dyslexia is a language-based learning difference that is neurological in origin. It affects the organization in the left part of the brain that controls the ability to process the way language is heard, spoken, read, or spelled. It is also genetic and can be passed down to children through their parents, and ranges on a continuum of mild to severe.
What are the Signs of Dyslexia in Teens?
- Reading, including reading aloud
- Writing
- Spelling
- Mispronouncing names or words, or problems retrieving words
- Summarizing and comprehending a story
- Understanding jokes and (idioms), such as "piece of cake"
- Learning a foreign language
- Memorization
- Organization
- Doing math problems
What Can Parents Do If They See Signs of Dyslexia?
- Talk with your doctor who might recommend types of testing to diagnose dyslexia.
- Reach out to your student's teacher and school in a letter; state your concerns and describe what you are observing and mention if reading challenges and/or dyslexia runs in the family. Request a comprehensive evaluation for language based learning disabilities.
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After being evaluated, your child may qualify for an Individual Education Plan (IEP). See resource links below for more information.
What is ADHD?
ADHD is a common neurodevelopmental disorder that affects children and adults.
While no child with ADHD will show symptoms in the same way, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) outlines the following symptoms:
- daydreaming a lot
- forgetting or losing things
- squirming or fidgeting
- talking too much
- making careless mistakes or taking unnecessary risks
- having a hard time resisting temptation
- having trouble taking turns
- having difficulty getting along with others
ADHD Can Be a Strength
With the proper diagnosis and treatment, ADHD can be a strength; people with ADHD tend to be creative thinkers and can give lots of energy and focus on subjects that hold their interest.
What Can Parents Do If They See Signs of ADHD?
Talk with your doctor and your school if you see symptoms of ADHD and to coordinate a proper evaluation and diagnosis done by either psychologists, neuropsychologists, or developmental pediatricians. These professionals will then come up with a treatment plan that could include pharmacological interventions (medication), and/or behavioral interventions, which provide teens with strategies to manage their symptoms at home and school.
You also will need to work with your teen's school to ensure that they get accommodations and support services they need through a 504 Plan or Individualized Education Plan (IEP). See resources below for more information about this process.
Resources:
For more information about evaluations and about the IEP eligibility process, go to the LexSEPAC/SEPTA website (Lexington Special Education Parent Advisory Council/Special Education PTA)
Parent Support Groups in Lexington:
(Information and resources compiled by the Lexington Dyslexia Parents' Group)
