Dyslexia and executive function are more closely linked than many people realise, and for those who also have dyspraxia, the picture can be more layered. If deadlines feel impossible to track, instructions slip away before you act on them, or the gap between understanding something and getting it done seems wider than it should be, there are good reasons for that and practical ways forward.
Where Dyslexia and Executive Function Can Overlap
Dyslexia is primarily a literacy difficulty, but NHS guidance notes that people with dyslexia may also experience difficulties with planning, memory and organisation.1 These are executive function skills. Someone may lose track of multi-step instructions, miss deadlines even when they know about them, or find it very difficult to plan an essay or project from start to finish.
These difficulties are not a sign of lower intelligence. NHS guidance is explicit on this point: dyslexia does not affect overall ability.1
Executive functioning with dyslexia can become more visible in adult contexts where self-directed scheduling and written communication are expected.
Dyspraxia Is Different, Although Needs Can Overlap
Dyspraxia, also known as developmental coordination disorder (DCD), affects movement and physical coordination. NHS adult guidance describes its main features as difficulties with balance, coordination and fine motor skills, while also recognising that planning, time management and working memory may be affected.3
Dyspraxia time management difficulties may benefit from practical environmental adjustments; literacy-focused support is not the right fit where the barrier is physical coordination. Dyslexia and dyspraxia support, when both are present, needs to address each condition’s specific challenges. The two can also co-occur with ADHD; mapping which difficulty connects to which area helps people access appropriate help rather than a catch-all intervention.
Dyslexia, Dyspraxia and Executive Function: What Adults and Children Notice
Adults may notice that tracking multiple projects at work is harder than it appears to be for colleagues. Keeping appointments, responding to messages and managing paperwork may need more effort and external support. Dyslexia and organisation difficulties often become most visible when the structure of education falls away and self-management takes over.
Children with dyslexia often find following classroom instructions difficult, particularly when instructions are spoken quickly or involve several steps. For children who also have dyspraxia, tasks requiring written output add a physical difficulty to the literacy one. Neither condition reflects how clever a child is.
Match the Support to the Actual Barrier
Knowing which difficulty is causing the most disruption helps everyone agree on the right kind of help.
| Barrier | Type of support |
| Reading and literacy | Specialist literacy teaching; assistive technology |
| Movement and coordination | Occupational therapy; physical adaptations |
| Planning and organisation | Practical coaching; external prompts and structure |
| Emotional distress, anxiety or low confidence | Psychological therapy |
For a broader explanation of executive function difficulties across conditions, see our explaining what is executive dysfunction.
Practical coaching for organisation sits alongside specialist assessment, not in place of it. Where a child has not received a formal assessment, routes through the SENCO (the school’s special educational needs coordinator) or the GP are appropriate starting points. Formal assessment by an educational psychologist can clarify the profile and open access to accommodations in exams.
When Therapy Can Help Alongside Practical Support
Therapy is not a treatment for dyslexia or for the motor coordination difficulties in dyspraxia. Where it can help is with the emotional impact: the frustration of feeling misunderstood, the low confidence that can build over years, the anxiety that often accompanies learning differences in academic settings.
Therachange offers practical coaching and CBT-based support entirely online, with no waiting list. This can sit alongside specialist literacy teaching or occupational therapy where those are already in place.
For study-specific strategies, explore the executive function and learning difficulties guide; it covers that in more detail.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can dyslexia affect planning and organisation?
Yes. NHS guidance on dyslexia notes that difficulties with planning, memory and organisation can occur alongside literacy challenges.1 The pattern varies from person to person; not everyone with dyslexia experiences all of these difficulties. An assessment can help identify an individual’s specific profile.
Does dyspraxia only affect movement?
Movement and coordination are the central features of dyspraxia, but NHS adult guidance also recognises that planning, time management and working memory may be affected.3 The practical experience can extend beyond physical tasks into daily organisation.
Can someone have both dyslexia and dyspraxia?
Yes. The two conditions are distinct but can occur together, with or without ADHD. When they do co-occur, support needs to reflect the individual’s specific profile. Assessment by an appropriately qualified professional clarifies what is present and what kind of support is relevant.
Can CBT treat dyslexia or dyspraxia?
CBT does not address literacy or motor coordination difficulties. It can help with the anxiety, low confidence or low mood that sometimes develops alongside these conditions. CBT-based support is a useful part of a wider plan that also includes specialist teaching or occupational therapy.
Who should I ask for help with these difficulties?
Different professionals address different barriers. A specialist literacy teacher or educational psychologist can help with dyslexia. An occupational therapist is relevant for coordination and practical support in dyspraxia. A GP can refer to relevant services and rule out other explanations. For emotional distress, an accredited therapist is appropriate. No single provider covers everything.
Refrences
[1] NHS (2026) Dyslexia. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/dyslexia/
[2] NHS (2026) Dyslexia in adults. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/dyslexia-in-adults/
[3] NHS (2026) Developmental coordination disorder (dyspraxia) in adults. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/developmental-coordination-disorder-dyspraxia-in-adults/
