Learning disabilities and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder are two very different types of challenges. However, in some cases they can be seen together. As per a study by Stormom et. al, around twenty to thirty per cent of children suffering from ADHD also seem to possess learning disabilities.[1]
These difficulties include problems understanding certain sounds, and expressing oneself in preschool children. For school going children, they may find difficulty reading, spelling, writing, or solving arithmetic problems.
Thus, ADHD and learning disabilities are two different disorders but ADHD effects learning in almost thirty per cent of the cases. ADHD can influence learning as a whole and puts pressure on all cognitive functions. Early intervention and assistance by teachers, colleagues, and parents can diagnose most learning disabilities. On the other hand ADHD, while it can impact learning, it is a medical condition which must be properly diagnosed by a physician.
To understand the difference more clearly, follow this example. Imagine the brain has twenty different functions only. These functions include reading, writing, reasoning, etc. A child suffering from a learning disability will stop the functioning of just two or three abilities. However, ADHD would soften or minimize the functionality of all abilities. As with learning disorders, ADHD affects the person at all times and not only in times when they are performing certain cognitive activities.
