Jun 16
My son Markus has always been incredibly introspective and self-aware, so when he took an especially difficult calculus class and announced that there was something else going on beyond ADHD, I believed him. For years Markus and I had suspected that dyslexia was the underlying cause of his inconsistent gaps in learning, yet whenever he was evaluated these gaps were overlooked or attributed to his ADHD. Learning challenges such as dyslexia, dyscalculia, and dysgraphia are very common comorbidities with ADHD, so why weren’t these evaluators ever digging deeper?
Enter: the incredible Laurie Peterson, a brilliant Educational Diagnostician who you may recognize from Episode 61 of ADHD for Smart Ass Women, and my guest this episode. Laurie evaluated Markus a third time, and to his relief, his suspicions were confirmed--it was dyslexia all along. Having the complete picture of his brain finally allowed Markus to advocate for his needs, which is exactly why Laurie does the work she does. Join me for another wonderful conversation with Laurie as she provides an overview of the different learning disabilities that can co-occur with ADHD, explains why whole-picture interventions are so important, and dispels some common myths surrounding learning disabilities. Hint: It has nothing to do with intelligence.🐿⭐️
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"These kids are gonna find their way, they’re gonna find their thing, the thing that they’re good at. You just gotta help them focus on those positives, keep allowing them to have those wins so they can get through and get to the stuff they love."
- Laurie Peterson
"There’s something to be said about mom gut, you know, a mom gut that there’s just something else [beyond ADHD]. I mean usually, if your mom gut tells you that, there is."
- Laurie Peterson
"Those with learning disabilities have to start learning how to advocate for themselves because you’re exactly right, they can learn it, they just maybe need it [taught in] a different way."
- Laurie Peterson
- Laurie provides personalized learning assessments for children and adults, using a unique approach that encourages self-discovery and empowerment.
- Laurie discusses common comorbid learning challenges in children with ADHD, including dyslexia, which is often misunderstood as letter reversals rather than a broader learning disability.
- Laurie debunks the myth that dyslexia is solely about letter reversals, emphasizing its connection to broader learning challenges in children with ADHD.
[24:02 - 31:35] Dyslexia and Its Impact on Reading and Spelling Abilities
- Laurie explains that dyslexia is an inability to understand how letters make sounds, making reading and spelling difficult for affected individuals.
- Laurie highlights the importance of identifying and addressing dyslexia in children, as it can significantly impact their reading and spelling abilities.
- Laurie discusses the myths surrounding dyslexia, including the idea that B and D reversals are a sign of dyslexia, and the different types of dyslexia that some people claim exist.
- Laurie emphasizes the importance of early intervention for dyslexia, as it can significantly impact a child's self-esteem and academic performance.
- Laurie explains that dyscalculia (difficulty with math) is unrelated to dyslexia, but is common in children with ADHD due to gaps caused by their ADHD.
- Laurie explains that students with ADHD may struggle with math due to gaps in their understanding of fundamental concepts, which can make it difficult to solve problems or remember formulas for later use.
Website:Ediagnosticlearning.com
Diagnostic-learning.com
Email: laurie@diagnostic-learning.com
Apps mentioned: Snap Type; Mod Math
