As the 2024 Neurodiversity Celebration week has wrapped up, we would like to discuss the presentations of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Symptoms and presentation of both these conditions can overlap, and in doing so, can pose many challenges in correct diagnosis and also treatment. Several studies found that 22-83% of Autistic children meet the diagnostic criteria for ADHD and 30-65% children with ADHD diagnosis experience symptomatology of Autism.
Both conditions may involve difficulties in social interactions, attention, and executive functioning. Individuals with ADHD may struggle with impulsivity, hyperactivity, and inattention, while those with Autism may exhibit social communication challenges, restricted interests, and sensory sensitivities. However, ADHD tends to emphasize impulsivity and inattention, while autism focuses more on social communication deficits and repetitive behaviours. Despite these distinctions, some individuals may exhibit characteristics of both conditions, highlighting the complexity of diagnosis and the importance of individualised assessment and support.
A high percentage of our clients at The Body Image Treatment Clinic present or are found to display combinations of neurodivergent symptomatology which require individualised adaptations to the standard evidence based or informed treatment protocols. There is a growing evidence base linking these conditions to body image related dysphoria, eating disorders as well as challenges with emotional regulation, self worth and self esteem.
While we used the official terms like ADHD and Autism in the current post, many professionals and individuals are now shifting away from using 'disorder' in identifying the neurodiverse conditions. Terms such as "Variable Attention Stimulus Trait" is gaining popularity in place of ADHD title and using "On the autism spectrum" or "Autism" rather than stating Autism Spectrum Disorder helps us to move away from the stigma of neurodiverse conditions being a 'disorder', but rather a different way some of our brains work.
If you yourself display overlapping symptoms or come across these in your daily life or clinical experience please share these with us on this platform.
References:
Craig, F., Lamanna, A. L., Margari, F., Matera, E., Simone, M., & Margari, L. (2015). Overlap between autism spectrum disorders and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: searching for distinctive/common clinical features. Autism research, 8(3), 328-337.
Rau, S., Skapek, M. F., Tiplady, K., Seese, S., Burns, A., Armour, A. C., & Kenworthy, L. (2020). Identifying comorbid ADHD in autism: Attending to the inattentive presentation. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 69, 101468.
Sokolova, E., Oerlemans, A. M., Rommelse, N. N., Groot, P., Hartman, C. A., Glennon, J. C., ... & Buitelaar, J. K. (2017). A causal and mediation analysis of the comorbidity between attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 47, 1595-1604.
Ronald, A, Simonoff, E, Kuntsi, J, Asherson, P, Plomin, R: Evidence for overlapping genetic influences on autistic and ADHD behaviours in a community twin sample. vol. 49, pp. 535-542. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry and Allied Disciplines (2008). doi: 10.1111/j.1469-7610.2007.01857.
Matson, J. L., Rieske, R. D., & Williams, L. W. (2013). The relationship between autism spectrum disorders and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: An overview. Research in developmental disabilities, 34(9), 2475-2484.
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