Attention span Children with ADHD often have difficulty paying attention to the same thing for too long, and they may get distracted easily. Autistic children may have a limited scope of interest. They may seem to obsess over things that they enjoy and have difficulty focusing on things that they have no interest in.
Although 2019 research suggests some symptoms of ADHD and ASD overlap, there are distinct differences. A person with ADHD may have attention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity challenges. But an autistic individual may have difficulties with communication, social interaction, and restricted or repetitive behaviors.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism can look a lot alike. Children with either one can be very active and impulsive, and can have trouble focusing and interacting with other people. In fact, it can be hard to tell the difference between the two.
But in fact, autism and ADHD often coincide. An estimated 30 to 80 percent of children with autism also meet the criteria for ADHD and, conversely, 20 to 50 percent of children with ADHD for autism.
Hallmarks of autism spectrum disorder and ADHD often overlap. Many autistic children also have symptoms of ADHD — difficulty settling down, social awkwardness, only focusing only on things of interest to them, and impulsivity.
People with ASD often have problems with social communication and interaction, and restricted or repetitive behaviors or interests. People with ASD may also have different ways of learning, moving, or paying attention. It is important to note that some people without ASD might also have some of these symptoms.
Reasons for Misdiagnosis
Many symptoms of autism and ADHD overlap, such as difficulty concentrating, poor social skills, frequent pacing, and repetitive behaviors. Many children with these symptoms receive an ADHD diagnosis before their doctor eventually concludes that the true cause is autism.
Self-stimulatory behavior, often called “stimming,” is when a child or adult repeats specific movements or sounds as a way to self-soothe or remain engaged in a situation, often referred to as “fidget to focus.” Many people assume that only individuals with autism engage in self-stimulatory behaviors.
There's a real overlap between the symptoms of both conditions. Things like hyperactivity, inattention and social interaction can be common to both. A child with either autism or ADHD may be impulsive, or they might find it hard to share and take turns in games.
Mild Autism Symptoms
Common symptoms of autism include: Difficulty with back-and-forth communication: An autistic person can find it hard to hold a conversation and use or understand body language, eye contact, and facial expressions.
Masking is a word used to describe something seen in many children with ASD – when they learn, practice, and perform certain behaviours and suppress others in order to be more like the people around them.
Characteristics of Mild Autism
Repetitive or fixated behaviors, interests, or activities: Autistic people often repeat movements or words as a way to self-regulate, a behavior often referred to as “stimming.” They may also adhere to specific routines and have specific and intense interests.
While autism is most often diagnosed in toddlers, it's possible for autistic adults to go undiagnosed.
You absolutely are neurodivergent if you have been diagnosed with a developmental or learning disorder, such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia, or Tourette's syndrome. You may decide to consider yourself neurodivergent if you have no diagnosis but think, behave, or interact in ways that are outside the norm.
The difficulty of obtaining a formal diagnosis of autism in adulthood means many are going to self-diagnose, and in some cases self-diagnosis will be accurate. But the case against self-diagnosis is strong, leading to many asking if there is a middle ground.
Stimming – or self-stimulatory behaviour – is repetitive or unusual body movement or noises. Stimming might include: hand and finger mannerisms – for example, finger-flicking and hand-flapping. unusual body movements – for example, rocking back and forth while sitting or standing.
Autistic people may: find it hard to communicate and interact with other people. find it hard to understand how other people think or feel. find things like bright lights or loud noises overwhelming, stressful or uncomfortable.
“High-functioning autism” isn't an official medical term or diagnosis. It's an informal one some people use when they talk about people with an autism spectrum disorder who can speak, read, write, and handle basic life skills like eating and getting dressed. They can live independently.
Diagnosing autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can be difficult because there is no medical test, like a blood test, to diagnose the disorder. Doctors look at the child's developmental history and behavior to make a diagnosis. ASD can sometimes be detected at 18 months of age or younger.
If you believe that either you or a member of your family might be on the autistic spectrum and you need professional or clinical support, you will need to obtain a diagnosis. Your GP will be able to make a referral to a clinical psychologist or a paediatrician who will carry out an assessment.