The Overlap Between ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorder
Mental health conditions don’t manifest as they do in movies and other pop culture. There are countless variables to factor in. One underrated element is how similar some disorders can be to each other. On top of that, there are instances when such conditions are both present. An excellent example is the overlap between attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
As many as 80 percent of those with ASD also present with ADHD. In people initially diagnosed with ADHD first, anywhere between 20 to 50 percent of them are eventually diagnosed with ASD. All of this adds up to an urgent need to understand this intersection.
Some of the Shared Symptoms of ASD and ADHD
Similar signs frequently tend to center around social interactions like:
Impaired language skills
Inability to identify and adhere to social cues
Either being unfocused or hyper-focused on a person or scenario
Being impulsive and hyperactive in social settings
Lack of eye contact
Easily overwhelmed by sensory input
Social problems are something a practitioner looks for when suspecting the presence of ASD. However, while they are not part of the diagnostic criteria for ADHD, they are quite common.
How Are ASD and ADHD Different?
If you’re wondering if your child has either disorder, here are a few important distinctions to be aware of:
Communication
Both ASD and ADHD cause communication challenges, and they may involve different tendencies. With ASD, there is a lack of awareness of the people around them. Children with ADHD are aware but may still behave as if oblivious. Either way, as mentioned above, they both will struggle with making eye contact.
Focus
Kids with ADHD struggle to focus if the task requires their full concentration. Those with ASD can only focus if they like the task or item at hand.
Talking
ADHD can turn a kid into a motormouth. They interrupt and dominate conversations. A child with ASD, however, may alternate between long periods of talking and silence. The talking typically happens when they find something they’re interested in.
Structure (or not)
ASD is known for creating a strong need for order, routine, and repetition. With ADHD, even when a child knows structure is helpful to them, they dislike it and resist it. This is one area where the distinction between ADHD and ASD is more apparent than usual.
How Are ASD and ADHD Diagnosed?
As you can see, this effort requires plenty of observation and context. It requires far more than one person for a diagnosis to be settled on. In the case of children, for example, many people in the child’s life should be consulted. This may include parents, teachers, caretakers, siblings, and more. From there, there will be tests and other methods used to gauge the cause of the symptoms. That’s really the focus here.
People of any age can display signs of a possible mental health disorder. There must be careful discernment before attempting to narrow things down to potential causes. Despite the overlap of symptoms, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder are very different. The treatments they call for are also quite different.
What If ASD and ADHD Exist Together?
As you can see from the numbers up top, this is not uncommon. If this is the case, the person will simultaneously undergo treatment for both, e.g., medications and behavioral therapy. They can also be coached on critical lifestyle changes and self-care choices to complement their treatment. All of this can be incredibly helpful, and it begins with a clarification of diagnosis. Is it ASD or ADHD? Or could it be both? If you have questions like this, we should connect very soon to learn more about ASD or ADHD testing.
