Separate diagnostic labels are given by professionals to dyslexia, dyspraxia, attention-deficit / hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autistic spectrum disorders (ASD). Even though the core patterns of behavioural and learning difficulties that define them are different, nevertheless there is much overlap between them. For dyslexia the main problem is specific difficulty with learning to read and write; for dyspraxia, it is specific difficulty with the planning and coordination of movement; for ADHD, persistent and age-inappropriate difficulties with attention, hyperactivity-impulsivity, or both; and for ASD, marked social and communication deficits and a restrictive, stereotyped range of behaviours.

Because of the different ways in which these conditions are defined, identification and management of each is usually carried out by different professional specialists. Dyslexia is usually managed by educational psychologists, and interventions typically focus on specialist teaching of reading, spelling and component skills. Dyspraxia is usually managed via behavioural approaches aimed at improving physical coordination, such as physiotherapy or occupational therapy. ADHD is normally diagnosed by psychiatrists, with stimulant medication as the standard treatment; and the diagnosis of autistic spectrum disorders also has a medical orientation, and management involves a combination of pharmacological, behavioural and psychosocial treatments.

Unfortunately these developmental conditions are remarkably common, affecting up to 20 per cent of the school age population to some degree, and they account for the vast majority of children with special educational needs. The associated difficulties usually persist into adulthood, and cause great misery for the individuals affected, their families and society as a whole.