BusynMember

Well-Known Member
When I read about ADHD and autistic spectrum (high functioning) I don't see much of a difference. ADHD won't make Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) the next time, but I'll bet it eventually will. There is more in common than not. I've talked to professionals who feel this way too.
 

ready2run

New Member
i find alot of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) kids will first be diagnosed with adhd. they have different medications though, so if a child reacts badly to the adhd medications then they should be tested more thuroughly(sp) for Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). i think the differences are in the social aspects and the ability to pick up unspoken language in milder cases. the differences become alot more obvious as the kids get older, although i suspect alot of kids that are adhd diagnosis'd are really Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). it seems to just be easier to give the adhd diagnosis, less of a process involved. either way i agree that it's the end result and the finding effective medications/treatment that is important, not the label itself.
also, i did not mean to come across saying that the symptoms that your son has mean he has to be autistic, just pointing out what seemed to be an obvious possibility to me knowing what i know about the spectrum having 2 kids on it. it is up to a doctor to find that out. if you think it fits then you need to tell them you think that it might be Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD).
 

Malika

Well-Known Member
I am still somewhat confused about the differences/similarities between ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). I can well understand that children are often misdiagnosed and that their ADHD is actually Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) - this seems to me tragic and frankly negligent on the part of medical professionals. But if we are saying that all ADHD children are autistic, what does that actually mean in practice? If an ADHD child has good social skills, is popular, empathetic (I have heard of examples of all of these!), has no language delays, then in what does the autism consist? I think we have to remember that some children grouped under the umbrella diagnosis of ADHD actually just have attention difficulties and nothing else - are not hyperactive, are not overly impulsive, etc.
This seems to me rather complex an area!
 

BusynMember

Well-Known Member
Malika, I agree!
However the majority of kids post here with ADHD have poor social skills, meaning that even if they are friendly they have no idea how to make and keep friends. They have sensory issues. They can not handle changes in routine....etc. etc. etc. Well, those are also symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). The only difference is in the label, really. And most kids with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) got the ADHD label first. It isn't really all that complex either. If a child has those symptoms listed above, he would greatly benefit from Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) interventions, no matter what his label is.
Usually, as a child gets older it is easier to see what is really going on. My son, for example, was very popular in kindergarten due to his good nature and energy. He would run around at recess and act silly and the kids just loved to chase him and laugh with him. As he grew older, and relationships involved two people sitting and having heart-to-heart conversations, and listening to one another, Sonic would get bored listening. He would go off on topics of his own and not pay attention to his little friends. He started losing friends. In his case, he didn't really seem to care, but some Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) kids care very much, but still don't know the magic key to being a good friend.
After years of intervention, Sonic is an easy fit in mainstream school and has a table of friends he sits with at lunch and sometimes texts and talks to. He does considerably worse when forced into a social situation with people he does not know. Whereas, when he was small, he would just talk to anyone (even if they didn't initiate it or even want it), as a young adult, he understands that you don't do that. Instead, he will find a corner to not to noticed in and look down and, if I'm there, ask when we can leave. People don't catch his Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). They just think he is very shy. But when he was younger, he appeared to be very outgoing.
I think, as he realizes there are social norms, he is more self-conscious. He is also a contradiction. Though he will not initiate friendship in a room of strangers, he has no problem going to a store and asking the clerk for help.
Go figure :)
 

beachgirl200621

New Member
Im really starting to understand this ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) stuff now I think. The one concern I still have is that that dr will say there is no way he is autistic and not even offer to test him.. thats my biggest fear right now.. or that he will want to try other ADHD medications first. we are terrified to put him on anymore medications since the reaction he had from his first adhd medications was so bad.. I hope he is open minded, the dr we are seeing on the 13th usually is but I guess we will find out just how much then. Thanks for all of your imput!
 

BusynMember

Well-Known Member
Well, we had nine years of being told we were wrong and given wrong diagnosis. so we just kept persevering. He did not need the medications he was getting (we could see the bad side effects) and he had more going on than just ADHD (as he got older it became obvious that he was very quirky compared to other kids). He did not have bipolar, a serious diagnosis that I feel is thrown around too much. The medications he was put on for that were plain out scary.
Finally when he was 11, and many people had asked me if he was maybe on the autism spectrum (something hub and I knew quite a git about and suspected), we took him to a neuropsychologist. He finally got actual TESTING beyond just the Connors and talking to his teachers. After ten hours, it was obvious. He has recently been re-tested by another neuropsychologist. He didn't even hesitate. My son is finally happy and getting what he needs.
A lot of times ADHD is used because it sounds less scary. Parents with kids who have just regular ADD/ADHD don't tend to post here. The over-the-top behaviors, tantrums, violence etc. indicates a bigger problem or maybe ADHD with a psychiatric component. I know a few doctors have taken ADHD and made it into many different levels...to me that only shows that many ADHD kids are on the spectrum, but that the doctors are afraid to tell the parents that "A" word. I believe there is ADHD, however I think most of the kids who get the diagnosis. yet their parents are so distraught that they have to post here are dealing with something beyond ADHD.
A common diagnosis that often changes is ADHD/ODD.
Hope this wasn't too confusing...lol.
 
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