When Reading Is Hard: Dyslexia, Visual Processing & ADHD Support (with Diane Gutierrez)
Mon Feb 02 2026
If reading turns into tears, avoidance, or exhaustion in your home, this episode offers a fresh, practical angle: instead of forcing the brain to adjust to the text, what if the text adjusted to your child?
Host Kate Brownfield sits down with Diane Gutierrez (co-founder of Cognition Labs and a mom in a neurodiverse family) for a two-part conversation on reducing reading strain for dyslexia/visual-perceptual differences, and on real-life parenting strategies for ADHD families. Diane shares how adjustable text tools can lower cognitive load and improve comprehension, plus the lived wisdom that helped her family navigate school, stress, mental health, and the long haul of raising kids with ADHD and dyslexia.
In this episode, we cover:
Why “the text should adjust to us” (and how that supports comprehension + reduces fatigue)
How Cognition Labs transforms books, PDFs, notes, and scanned images with 15+ adjustable settings
Tools families use most: syllabication support, confusable-letter fixes (b/d/p/q), and visual settings that reduce strain
Why these supports may help kids with ADHD, by reducing cognitive load during reading
Parenting wisdom from a home where ADHD affects nearly everyone: meaning over pressure, consistency over perfection, rest as a requirement
When to consider therapy/coaching support and why it’s okay to switch if it’s not the right fit
Advocacy and testing: how understanding a child’s brain can change the path forward
Resources mentioned: Cognition Labs: https://www.cognitionlabs.com/
Connect with Kate, certified ADHD/Executive Function Parent Coach: ADHDKidsCanThrive.com | Coaching inquiries: https://adhdkidscanthrive.com/appointment/
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If reading turns into tears, avoidance, or exhaustion in your home, this episode offers a fresh, practical angle: instead of forcing the brain to adjust to the text, what if the text adjusted to your child? Host Kate Brownfield sits down with Diane Gutierrez (co-founder of Cognition Labs and a mom in a neurodiverse family) for a two-part conversation on reducing reading strain for dyslexia/visual-perceptual differences, and on real-life parenting strategies for ADHD families. Diane shares how adjustable text tools can lower cognitive load and improve comprehension, plus the lived wisdom that helped her family navigate school, stress, mental health, and the long haul of raising kids with ADHD and dyslexia. In this episode, we cover: Why “the text should adjust to us” (and how that supports comprehension + reduces fatigue) How Cognition Labs transforms books, PDFs, notes, and scanned images with 15+ adjustable settings Tools families use most: syllabication support, confusable-letter fixes (b/d/p/q), and visual settings that reduce strain Why these supports may help kids with ADHD, by reducing cognitive load during reading Parenting wisdom from a home where ADHD affects nearly everyone: meaning over pressure, consistency over perfection, rest as a requirement When to consider therapy/coaching support and why it’s okay to switch if it’s not the right fit Advocacy and testing: how understanding a child’s brain can change the path forward Resources mentioned: Cognition Labs: https://www.cognitionlabs.com/ Connect with Kate, certified ADHD/Executive Function Parent Coach: ADHDKidsCanThrive.com | Coaching inquiries: https://adhdkidscanthrive.com/appointment/ Enjoyed this episode? Follow, rate, and share with a parent who could use practical, hopeful tools.