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Neurodiversity and
co-occurring difficulties
It is common for neurodiverse conditions to co-occur, and in the case of dyslexia, comorbidity with other neurodevelopmental differences is often the norm rather than the exception. This means that individuals may experience overlapping profiles that can include a range of differences.
Inattention /ADHD
Learning difficulties such as dyslexia can often co-exist with inattentional difficulties, affecting study, workplace performance, organisation, and everyday tasks. There is a great deal of conflicting information surrounding Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, but it is important to recognise that ADHD is a medical diagnosis and, for individuals under 18, can only be formally assessed and diagnosed by a medical professional such as a paediatrician.
Due to increasing demand, appropriately qualified specialist teacher assessors may also carry out assessments as part of an extended investigation within a Full Diagnostic Report to identify characteristics associated with ADHD for educational purposes, propose Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) and for recommendations to support academic study, apprenticeships or the workplace. These assessments are helpful for educational settings, work tasks and daily life.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder with a worldwide prevalence of
approximately 5% in children and 3% in adults (Fayyad et al, 2017, Faraone et al 2021). ADHD is more common in males than females during childhood (Gaub and Carlson, 1997), but this gender difference is less pronounced during the adult years (Fayyad et al, 2017). There are multiple genetic and environmental risk factors that accumulate in various combinations to cause ADHD (Faraone et al 2021).
The fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) defines ADHD as a persistent pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that interferes with normal functioning or development. [Symptoms experienced by children or adults could include] difficulties sustaining attention when working or during play, or not paying attention when being spoken to directly… excessive talking, fidgeting with hands or feet, or impatience when waiting… The symptoms of ADHD should reflect sustained difficulties with attention, activity levels or impulsive behaviour, and should not occur exclusively during periods of anxiety, or other episodic mental health disorders. The symptoms of ADHD start in childhood with at least several symptoms in either the inattentive or hyperactive/impulsive domain present by the age of twelve years. (Philip Asherson, SASC ADHD Guidance, June 2021)
Helpful resource
Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) /dyspraxia
DCD/dyspraxia can affect coordination, motor planning, organisation and processing skills, often influencing performance in education, employment, and everyday activities. While awareness of DCD/dyspraxia has grown, experiences can vary significantly from person to person, and associated difficulties may overlap with other neurodevelopmental or learning differences. Assessments carried out by appropriately qualified specialist teacher assessors can help identify areas of need and provide evidence to support educational adjustments, workplace recommendations, and applications such as Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA). Understanding an individual’s profile of strengths and challenges allows for tailored strategies that improve independence, confidence, and day-to-day functioning.
What is DCD/dyspraxia?
Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), also known, in the UK, as dyspraxia, is a common but serious disorder affecting movement and coordination in children, young people and adults, with symptoms present since childhood.
DCD/dyspraxia is distinct from other motor disorders such as cerebral palsy and stroke and occurs across the range of intellectual abilities. This lifelong condition is formally recognised by international organisations including the World Health Organisation.
The person's coordination difficulties will affect their functioning in everyday activities, including in the classroom, at work and in leisure activities. Difficulties may vary in their presentation and will also change depending on environmental demands, life experience, and the support provided.
There can be a range of co-occurring non-motor difficulties which can have a substantial adverse impact on daily life. These may include social and emotional difficulties as well as problems with time management, planning and personal organisation, and these may also affect a person's education or employment experiences.
Many of the movement and coordination difficulties will continue into adolescence and adulthood. Although the motor difficulties persist throughout life, non-motor difficulties may become more prominent as expectations and demands change over time. With appropriate recognition, reasonable adjustments and support, individuals with DCD/dyspraxia can be very successful in their lives. DCD/dyspraxia can co-occur with other developmental and specific difficulties.
This definition is quoted as it appears in SASC Guidance 2025.
Helpful resources
Movement Matters provides a working definition for DCD/dyspraxia agreed by consensus and recognised by the NHS.
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/developmental-coordination-disorder-dyspraxia/
Despite an increase in research focus, the problems arising from DCD / dyspraxia are less well understood than co-occurring SpLDs such as dyslexia. Certainly, there has been more research into dyslexia (and in particular, the effect of dyslexia upon literacy) than into other SpLDs such as DCD.
Dysgraphia
In the UK, dysgraphia is no longer recognised as a formal standalone diagnosis, however, difficulties with handwriting, written expression, and fine motor output are commonly identified and explored within a Full Diagnostic Report assessment as part of a broader profile of specific learning difficulties.
The National Handwriting Association has a lot of useful information
Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) and Developmental Language Disorder (DLD)
Speech, Language and Communication needs, including Developmental Language Disorder (DLD), can affect understanding and use of spoken language, vocabulary development, sentence structure, and the ability to organise and express ideas clearly. These difficulties can have a significant impact on learning, social interaction, and access to the curriculum. There is a well-established link between DLD and dyslexia, with many individuals experiencing overlapping challenges in language processing, reading, and literacy development. Recognising these connections is important for ensuring that assessment and support consider the full profile of an individual’s communication and learning needs.
AFASIC supports and provides information for families with children and young adults who have
SLCN with a focus on DLD.
Social interaction and multisensory difficulties
Differences in social interaction, communication style, and sensory processing can significantly influence how individuals experience education, work, and daily life, particularly when multisensory environments feel overwhelming or hard to interpret. These traits are associated with neurodevelopmental profiles typically identified through a comprehensive clinical assessment. Formal identification is carried out by appropriately qualified clinicians, such as multidisciplinary teams within NHS services or privately depending on age and pathway. Further information and referral guidance can usually be found through NHS services or recognised national organisations such as the National Autistic Society. These differences in social, communication and sensory processing may be observed alongside other differences assessed within a Full Diagnostic Report assessment and a referral on to the appropriate professionals may be made.
For further information on these difficulties: National Autistic Society website.
Self-esteem
Learning differences can have a significant impact on self-esteem, particularly when individuals experience repeated challenges with academic tasks, organisation, or communication without fully understanding the underlying cause. Over time, this can affect confidence, motivation, and willingness to engage in learning or new experiences. Support can be beneficial at different levels, ranging from emotional support within educational settings academic such as mentoring/coaching, ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support Assistant) provision and counselling services that help individuals develop coping strategies and resilience. With the right understanding and support in place, individuals can begin to recognise their strengths and build a more positive sense of self.
GROOOPS is a charity which offers support to those suffering the emotional repercussions of dyslexia. For more information visit www.grooops.org .
The UK’s leading charity fighting for a world where no young person feels alone with their mental health https://www.youngminds.org.uk/.
Maths difficulties
Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD) in Mathematics, including dyscalculia, refer to persistent difficulties in understanding number concepts, learning arithmetic, and developing fluency with mathematical reasoning. These difficulties often co-occur alongside other neurodevelopmental differences such as dyslexia, and may be linked with difficulties such as working memory, processing and reading comprehension.
Mathematical attainment is sometimes explored within Full Diagnostic Report assessments, however, the assessment of Mathematical cognition and the identification of dyscalculic-type profiles require appropriately qualified specialist assessors. A formal definition helps to clarify how these difficulties are recognised and distinguished from general gaps in learning or teaching experience.
A specific learning difficulty in Mathematics is a set of processing difficulties that affect the acquisition of arithmetic and other areas of Mathematics. In dyscalculia, the most commonly observed cognitive impairment is a pronounced and persistent difficulty with numerical magnitude processing and understanding that presents in age related difficulties with naming, ordering and comparing physical quantities and numbers, estimating and place value.
Some individuals may not present with a specific cognitive impairment in numerical magnitude processing but have an equally debilitating specific learning difficulty (SpLD in Mathematics) due to other processing difficulties. Difficulties in language, executive function (verbal and visuo-spatial working memory, inhibitory control) and visual-spatial processing may also contribute.
Impact: Mathematics is a very varied discipline. Difficulties with learning Mathematics may present in specific areas (for example, basic calculation) or across all of the Mathematics studied by the individual in relation to age, standard teaching and instruction, and level of other attainments. Across education systems and age groups, difficulties in arithmetic fluency and flexibility and Mathematical problem solving are key markers of a SpLD in Mathematics. Persistent difficulties in Mathematics can have a significant impact on life, learning and work. This may also have a detrimental impact upon an individual’s resilience to apply Mathematical skills effectively.
Presentation: The presentation and developmental trajectory of a specific learning difficulty (SpLD) in Mathematics depends on the interactions of multiple genetic and environmental influences. It will persist through life but may change in manifestation and severity at different stages.
A SpLD in Mathematics frequently co-occurs with one or more of the following: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyslexia, developmental language disorder (DLD) and developmental coordination disorder (DCD).
Maths anxiety commonly co-occurs with a SpLD in Mathematics but is not an indicator in itself.
SASC (2025)
Helpful resources
Steve Chinn is a specialist educator in dyscalculia and Mathematical learning difficulties. After leaving mainstream teaching in 1981, he focused on supporting students with severe specific learning difficulties at a time when little was known about dyscalculia. He has since written award-winning books and resources, founded a specialist school, and trained teachers in more than 30 countries. His work is grounded in practical, research-informed methods developed through decades of experience. https://www.stevechinn.co.uk/.
BBC Bitesize Maths provides specialist Maths support and resources designed to help learners build confidence and understanding through clear, interactive and visual teaching methods. https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/zqhs34j
The BDA lists some helpful resources and further information:
https://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/dyscalculia/assessment-and-support/helpful-resources
Referrals on to other professionals
Screening tools, structured observations, standardised testing, pupil voice, and background information
can all help build an initial profile of need, and when findings indicate concerns outside the specialist teacher assessor’s
area of expertise, they may appropriately justify onward referral, written into the Full Diagnostic Report,
to specialist services for further investigation.
