Are Autism and ADHD related?
My answer to the question ' Are Autism and ADHD related?' would be 'Yes'. Both conditions are classified, according to world-recognised and agreed diagnostic criteria, as neuro-developmental disorders'. Importantly, however, this does not mean that if your child has Autism, they automatically have ADHD too. Or vice versa. They are separate conditions (disorders) which both affect the workings of the brain.
That said, there is a lot of overlap in the criteria used to diagnose these conditions and so this also explains how Autism and ADHD are related. There is a high chance that a child diagnosed with one condition will meet the criteria for having further conditions in this diagnostic group . Researchers¹ have suggested that this likelihood is between 50 -70 %. If other neuro-developmental conditions, such as Dyspraxia or Dyslexia, were also included in this analysis, then the overlap may perhaps be higher still.
Certainly in my own practice, it was more likely than not that the children I saw had more than one neuro-developmental condition.
Having a diagnosis of more than one condition can certainly increase the complexity of a child's personal profile of strengths and challenges. However, the opportunities to build their skills, increase their well-being, and strengthen their functioning in everyday life, is ever-present. Don't give up!
Understanding ASD and ADHD
Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), ADHD, and other neuro-developmental disorders, are essentially conditions where differences can be seen in the 'workings' of the brain. They are not a mental illness nor 'bad behaviour'. There is a high degree of of overlap between the various neuro-developmental conditions. Therefore, there are a number of similarities in any behaviour 'challenges' which may be seen too.
At an individual level, these brain differences can cause significant problems in everyday life. For example, if your 8 year old child can't lose at a game of anything without having a huge meltdown, then they will benefit from learning the skill of self-regulation. And it is a skill. And it can be learnt.
The brain is malleable (and amazing!). It constantly learns, adjusts, and forms new patterns and brain 'pathways', particularly in children and young people. Scientists call this 'neuroplasticity'.
Brain differences can also mean that your child may have their own unique talent or skill. I have met some fantastic future poets, actors, mathematicians, musicians, sports people, and authors, to name but a few. No two children are the same and developing areas of strength are of equal importance to shoring up and building on areas of weakness. By focusing on both areas, you can support your child to develop a positive self-identity and strong sense of well-being.
What is a Neurodivergent child?
Medical diagnostic criteria for each of the neuro-developmental conditions are somewhat narrow. As such, a diagnosis alone fails to capture the 'whole picture' of your child's functional strengths and difficulties. I'm not against diagnosis. Not al all. It's just important to recognise that it fails to provide you with all the information you, as a parent, need to support your child's development.
Autism is so much more than purely 'difficulties with social communication, interactions and interests'. Just as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is not only about 'problems with paying attention'. Of course, you may already know this, but if you are just beginning your journey into the world of neurodiversity, it can be incredibly confusing.
This is where the concept of 'neurodivergence' comes in. It is a non-medical term which describes people whose brains develop or work differently. I personally prefer the term 'neuro-different', but that's just me!
Unfortunately, as our neuro-different children get older, they can develop troubling additional mental health problems, such as anxiety and depression. Research (2) has indicated the incidence of these clinical conditions in teens to be tenfold higher than for young people without ASD or ADHD.
So, how can we help the development of children with Autism or ADHD?
Improve their skills in everyday life?
Since neuro-developmental conditions are about the workings of the brain, and we know that brain pathways can be strengthened, we can use this knowledge to help support our children's development. So that our children and young people grow and learn to thrive. Working towards living life to the full (whatever that means to them) is a laudable goal.
To achieve this, we can take complex principles of brain function from neuroscience. Then translate them into everyday life 'brain skills'. Apply them in daily family life. Right place, right time : a cornerstone of 'doing things differently'. This takes some planning, but I will help you along the way.
First: the priority is in-depth understanding. Sometimes, behaviours can be perplexing. Frustrating. Confusing. Even scary. Common problems in everyday life can affect all kinds of functional skills. Getting a good grasp of your child's personal 'mix' of strengths and challenges is an essential starting point.
In the course of my clinical practice I have found far too often that, for children with ASD et al, behaviour challenges in everyday life are attributed to the child's 'choice' to behave in that way ie. that the bahaviour is within their conscious control. Nine times out of ten the explanation lies far more in the stage and state of the child's brain development.
Too great a focus on academic abilities and attainment within our current education system neglects and undermines the vital need to build functional skills in everyday life alongside formal academic learning (in my opinion!).
Sensory issues, executive functions, everyday cognitive skills, movement skills, physical health concerns, strong emotions, social perceptions, and other brain 'wiring' differences, are far more likely to be the underlying reason for the child's difficulty.
This is why untangling and understanding your child's 'brain skills' is a vital first step to helping them.
Second: learning how to 'grow' specific skills, so that your child may move forwards in their development with greater confidence.
Is it possible to 'grow' skills? Absolutely. Every time your child masters something they couldn't do before, however small the accomplishment, they have 'grown' their skills.
Reference:
1. Hours C, Recasens C, Baleyte JM. ASD and ADHD Comorbidity: What Are We Talking About? Front Psychiatry. 2022 Feb 28;13:837424. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.837424. PMID: 35295773; PMCID: PMC8918663.
2. Accardo AL, Pontes NMH, Pontes MCF. Heightened Anxiety and Depression Among Autistic Adolescents with ADHD: Findings From the National Survey of Children's Health 2016-2019. J Autism Dev Disord. 2024 Feb;54(2):563-576. doi: 10.1007/s10803-022-05803-9. Epub 2022 Nov 3. PMID: 36327018; PMCID: PMC9630808.