Is Adhd Considered A Form Of Autism

Summary And Future Directions

Autism vs ADHD (The Difference between ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorder)

Research specifically focusing on co-occurring ADHD and ASD has only recently evolved, being previously limited by the DSM-IV exclusion criteria. What we have so far learned is that both disorders frequently co-occur, and when they do, they cause greater morbidity, and create a more complicated clinical challenge. The new DSM-V, allowing for a dual diagnosis, will hopefully facilitate research, by eliminating the exclusion of many patients and allowing the study of broader phenotypes. Most recent research focuses on etiology and clinical presentations, with less direct work on treatment and early intervention protocols. Very few studies have looked at pre-school children presenting with both conditions, on the impact of early intervention in this age group and its effect on developmental trajectory. Furthermore, many of the above quoted studies have used parent and/or teacher rating scales to assess clinical profiles, rather than direct clinical diagnoses of the two co-existing disorders. In the future, as a dual diagnosis is officially possible, studies using direct clinical assessment of both comorbid diagnoses are essential.

How Is Adhd Diagnosed

There are clear criteria used to diagnose ADHD. If your child has 6 or more symptoms for at least 6 months to a degree that it interferes with their everyday life, they may be diagnosed with ADHD.

The diagnosis is usually made by a specialist paediatrician or child psychiatrist after referral from a doctor.

In order to diagnose ADHD in adulthood, it needs to be established that the symptoms began in childhood.

To make a diagnosis of ADHD, a specialist will need to follow strict criteria. These include that the ADHD symptoms:

began before the age of 7 and have persisted for 6 months or more
are present in more than one setting
have caused significant impairment, at school, home or socially
are unusual for the childs age and developmental level
are not better explained by another mental or physical condition, family circumstances or stress

Neuropsychological Characteristics Of Children With Mixed Autism And Adhd

Costanza Colombi

1University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

Abstract

Clinical heterogeneity is a well-established characteristic of autism spectrum disorder . While the comorbidity of ASD and ADHD is well known in clinical practice, relatively little research has examined the neuropsychological profile of children with ASD + ADHD. Our study showed significant differences in the neuropsychological characteristics of children with ASD + ADHD compared to those with ASD only. Children with ASD + ADHD showed higher symptoms of anxiety, worse working memory, and less empathy, as measured by the Reading the Mind in the Eyes. This suggests that having ADHD brings further challenges to individuals with ASD and may negatively impact their management and outcome. Our findings may have implications for clinical assessment as well as for intervention.

1. Introduction

It is crucial to identify the comorbidity between ASD and ADHD because of its treatment implications. For example, compared with children with ADHD only, those with ADHD and ASD symptoms have a lower adaptive functioning and a poorer quality of life . In addition, children with ADHD and ASD symptoms, compared with those with ADHD only, tend to be prescribed more medications and respond less to stimulants and may respond better to alternative agents such as atomoxetine .

2. Methods

2.1. Participants

Variable

2.2. Procedure

2.3. Statistical Analysis

3. Results

Variable

4. Discussion

Disclosure

Conflicts of Interest

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What Are Some Common Signs Of Asd

Even as infants, children with ASD may seem different, especially when compared to other children their own age. They may become overly focused on certain objects, rarely make eye contact, and fail to engage in typical babbling with their parents. In other cases, children may develop normally until the second or even third year of life, but then start to withdraw and become indifferent to social engagement.

The severity of ASD can vary greatly and is based on the degree to which social communication, insistence of sameness of activities and surroundings, and repetitive patterns of behavior affect the daily functioning of the individual.

Social impairment and communication difficultiesMany people with ASD find social interactions difficult. The mutual give-and-take nature of typical communication and interaction is often particularly challenging. Children with ASD may fail to respond to their names, avoid eye contact with other people, and only interact with others to achieve specific goals. Often children with ASD do not understand how to play or engage with other children and may prefer to be alone. People with ASD may find it difficult to understand other peoples feelings or talk about their own feelings.

Challenges And Difficulties In Learning Sounds Letters And Sight Words

If a child has a family history of dyslexia and he/she is also a late talker the child may have an elevated risk of developing dyslexia and the child should be monitored. Further signs to look out for include:

Challenges in remembering easy nursery rhymes and/or difficulty recognizing rhyme
Continued use of baby talk and constant mispronunciation of common words
Difficulty with sequence, logic order, and following directions
When the child starts learning to read, deficits become more apparent. He/she may struggle with the learning of letter names and continuously muddle up similar looking letters. Later spelling difficulties may lead to great frustration
Word recognition will be challenging for a child with dyslexia. He/she may guess at certain words, omit others and stumble over words in addition to showing deficits in decoding words
Its important to note that while letter reversal and reading backwards may occasionally be a sign of dyslexia, its actually pretty common for children to reverse letters as they learn to read and write

A struggle with acquiring language is a symptom of autism and dyslexia, but unlike dyslexia autisms non-social cognitive processes could be to blame for notable constraints on language development . Language impairment is considered a core characteristic of ASD, some autistic children never acquire functional language and remain nonverbal or nonvocal.

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Predictors Of Adaptive Functioning

An additional five-step hierarchical linear regression analysis using the VABS composite scores as the dependent variable was applied to identify variables that contributed to the variance in the child’s adaptive behavior. Independent variables included age and sex in the first step, maternal education in the second step, cognitive scores in the third step, ADI-R SI, Communication and RRB subdomain scores in the fourth step, and CPRS Inattentive, HI and Anxiety scores in the fifth step. As presented in Table 9, the total model explained 44.0% of the variance. In the final step, when all predictors were entered together, age, IQ scores, ADIR SI and Communication scores, and CPRS inattention scores were significant independent predictors over and above all the other variables entered.

Table 9. Linear regression model for the VABS composite scores.

What Research Is Being Done

The mission of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke is to seek fundamental knowledge about the brain and nervous system and to use that knowledge to reduce the burden of neurological disease. The NINDS is a component of the National Institutes of Health , the leading supporter of biomedical research in the world. NINDS and several other NIH Institutes and Centers support research on autism spectrum disorder.

Nearly 20 years ago the NIH formed the Autism Coordinating Committee to enhance the quality, pace, and coordination of efforts at the NIH to find a cure for autism. The NIH/ACC has been instrumental in promoting research to understand and advance ASD. The NIH/ACC also participates in the broader Federal Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee , composed of representatives from various U.S. Department of Health and Human Services agencies, the Department of Education, and other governmental organizations, as well as public members, including individuals with ASD and representatives of patient advocacy organizations. One responsibility of the IACC is to develop a strategic plan for ASD research, which guides research programs supported by NIH and other participating organizations.

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Is Adhd On The Autism Spectrum

Characteristics of autism spectrum disorders and ADHD sometimes overlap. More than half of children on the autism spectrum have symptoms of ADD, according to CHADD difficulty settling down, social awkwardness, the ability to focus only on things that interest them, and impulsivity. ADHD itself, however, is not part of the autism spectrum.

A mother I previously met summed up her confusion and eventual enlightenment: John is smart and quick to learn something new if he is interested, she says. But he has a terrible time focusing on things he doesnt find interesting. When this happens, he starts rocking or pacing around the room. For years, we thought it was ADHD, but, at his last evaluation, his teachers suggested that he might have a form of autism. After seeing a pediatrician, he received a diagnosis of Aspergers. Knowing he has it and working to manage the symptoms is a relief.

How Is Asd Diagnosed

Thinking twice about ADHD and autism spectrum disorder

ASD symptoms can vary greatly from person to person depending on the severity of the disorder. Symptoms may even go unrecognized for young children who have mild ASD or less debilitating handicaps.

Autism spectrum disorder is diagnosed by clinicians based on symptoms, signs, and testing according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-V, a guide created by the American Psychiatric Association used to diagnose mental disorders. Children should be screened for developmental delays during periodic checkups and specifically for autism at 18- and 24-month well-child visits.

Very early indicators that require evaluation by an expert include:

no babbling or pointing by age 1
no single words by age 16 months or two-word phrases by age 2
no response to name
excessive lining up of toys or objects
no smiling or social responsiveness

Later indicators include:

impaired ability to make friends with peers
impaired ability to initiate or sustain a conversation with others
absence or impairment of imaginative and social play
repetitive or unusual use of language
abnormally intense or focused interest
preoccupation with certain objects or subjects
inflexible adherence to specific routines or rituals

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What Parents Can Do For Gifted Children With Autism

The suggestions for parents of gifted children with autism are similar to those mentioned earlier for parents of ADD children. Start by discussing the combination of giftedness and disability with your child.

If a twice-exceptional child has a strong interest in some field, the parents should show an interest in this field, allowing the child to explore and develop knowledge in it. Parents can expand the childs knowledge by encouraging a branching out into different but related areas.

If the child has trouble with the general population of students and peers, parents should try to help with socialization skills. Introducing the child to other gifted children will increase comfort levels as well.

Gifted and autistic children are not interested in imaginary play. They think more literally. They may not be interested in team sports but would like instead to do individual activities like swimming or biking.

Working with school teachers and officials, parents can participate in the kind of individual development plan needed for their child.

Social And Communication Skills

Impairments in social skills present many challenges for individuals with ASD. Deficits in social skills may lead to problems with friendships, romantic relationships, daily living, and vocational success. One study that examined the outcomes of adults with ASD found that, compared to the general population, those with ASD were less likely to be married, but it is unclear whether this outcome was due to deficits in social skills or intellectual impairment, or some other reason.

Prior to 2013, deficits in social function and communication were considered two separate symptoms of autism. The current criteria for autism diagnosis require individuals to have deficits in three social skills: social-emotional reciprocity, nonverbal communication, and developing and sustaining relationships.

Social skills

Some of the symptoms related to social reciprocity include:

Lack of mutual sharing of interests: many children with autism prefer not to play or interact with others.
Lack of awareness or understanding of other people’s thoughts or feelings: a child may get too close to peers without noticing that this makes them uncomfortable.
Atypical behaviors for attention: a child may push a peer to gain attention before starting a conversation.

Symptoms related to relationships includes the following:

Defects in developing, maintaining, and understanding relationships.
Difficulties adjusting behavior to fit social contexts.

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Prevalence Of Clinically Elevated Adhd And Anxiety Symptoms

The current study found an increased frequency of clinically elevated ADHD symptoms as reported by the parents in a large, well-characterized group diagnosed with ASD. Both clinically elevated ‘inattention’ symptoms and ‘hyperactivity/impulsivity’ symptoms were documented at high rates in the ASD group . These findings were emphasized when comparing the current study’s ASD group with the CRS manual’s non-clinical group. This was in accordance with our hypothesis. The current study supported previous studies that reported higher ADHD symptom frequencies in ASD .

In addition, increased frequency of clinically elevated anxiety symptoms was found in the entire ASD group of the current study. These findings were emphasized when comparing the current study’s ASD group with the CRS manual’s non-clinical group. The clinically elevated anxiety symptoms are in accordance with previous reports and with our initial hypothesis. Furthermore, the ASD participants with clinically elevated ADHD symptoms in the current study had almost twice the frequency of clinically elevated anxiety symptoms than the participants with ASD without ADHD symptoms . Craig et al. also reported similar findings in a subgroup of ASD and ADHD.

Can The Ada Help Me

Many countries have laws that protect workers with disabilities at their jobs. In the United States, the law is called Americans with Disabilities Act .

While the ADA and the subsequent Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008 are designed to protect employees with disabilities from workplace discrimination, it can be confusing to understand how they apply to individual employees.

Verywell reached out to Melanie Whetzel, Lead Consultant on the Cognitive Team at the Job Accommodation Network , who provided answers to some of the most common questions people have about their rights as an employee with ADHD.

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Could Dyslexia Be A Comorbidity Of An Autism Spectrum Disorder

Both autism spectrum disorders and dyslexia can be classified as neurodevelopmental conditions with rising prevalence amongst children. Officially an autism spectrum disorder is an exclusionary criterion for a diagnosis of dyslexia and vice versa .

There are, however, significant symptoms that are shared by these two conditions and which inform the opinion that, although autism and dyslexia are distinct conditions, they can occur in the same individual. Research concerning the connection between ASD and dyslexia is scant, but studies have explored a gene shared between the two neurodevelopmental conditions.

How Is Autistic Spectrum Disorder Diagnosed

Our neurologists make a comprehensive assessment based on parental reports, direct observations of children, and neurological, behavioral, and psychological evaluations.

Our clinicians may also diagnose additional disorders that accompany autism, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder , intellectual disability, epilepsy and depression, certain genetic disorders, and tuberous sclerosis complex .

What Strategies Can Help An Adult With Adhd Succeed In The Workplace

If you struggle at your job, it may be because your job requires strong organization, focus and decision-making skillsthe very skills that people with ADHD struggle with. Your healthcare provider can help. Ask your provider for referral to other professionals, such as a professional ADHD Coach, who can offer the following tactics that can help you thrive at your job:

Time-management training to help get to work on time, handle tasks and attend meetings at designated times and meet deadlines.
Relaxation and stress management training to help cope with new and difficult situations and people.
Occupational therapy to teach strategies for organizing home and work activities.
Job coaching or mentoring to support better working relationships and improve on-the-job performance.

What questions should I ask my childs healthcare provider about ADHD?

Does my child have a learning disability in addition to ADHD?
What type of ADHD does my child have?
Does my child have a psychiatric illness in addition to ADHD?
How do I explain to my child what ADHD is?
Whats the best medicine for my child?
How do I improve my childs self-esteem and self-efficacy?
How do I talk to my childs teachers about his/her ADHD?
How do I judge if a medication is worth the side effects that come with it?
What are the side effects of the prescribed medications?
What are my childs strengths? What are my childs weaknesses?

What questions should I ask my healthcare provider about ADHD?

Neuroticism And The Overlap Between Autistic And Adhd Traits: Findings From A Population Sample Of Young Adult Australian Twins

Autism and ADHD | Do I Have BOTH?

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 20 July 2017

Shin-Ho Park: Affiliation:Autism Clinic for Translational Research, Brain and Mind Centre, Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
Adam J. Guastella: Affiliation:Autism Clinic for Translational Research, Brain and Mind Centre, Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
Michael Lynskey: Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
Arpana Agrawal: Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
John N. Constantino: Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
Sarah E. Medland: Genetics & Computational Biology Department, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Yun Ju C. Song: Affiliation:Autism Clinic for Translational Research, Brain and Mind Centre, Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
Nicholas G. Martin: Genetics & Computational Biology Department, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Lucía Colodro-Conde*: Genetics & Computational Biology Department, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
*: address for correspondence: Dr Lucía Colodro Conde, Genetics & Computational Biology Department QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute ,

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