I was wondering if anyone has a child with both diagnoses and how did they differentiate between the two. I feel as if my lil guy may have both but I’m not sure because I feel the two have so many similar symptoms. Thank you for any and all information.
@A MyAutismTeam Member, no, you don’t need meds for ADHD. Behavioral intervention can help, meds will just put a bandaid on the problem.
I have both and it sometimes hard to tell what symptoms come from what. My hyperfocus can be a symptom of asd or adhd. My social anxiety is caused by asd. Feeling antsy can come from an outward overstimulation or internal stimuli. When my attention span is short it can be because I am overwhelmed or it can be because I am not stimulated enough.
Adhd meds were awful for me. My brain felt focused but I could constantly feel the blood pumping through every vein. So a focused brain and an antsy body. A person who has body sensory issues most likely shouldn’t be put on stimulants.
@A MyAutismTeam Member I agree that you don't necessarily need medication for ADHD. My older daughter was diagnosed at 4 and she is now 20. I never put her on meds. I did have an IEP to help support her in school. It wasn't easy dealing with her behaviors but I managed. The hyper part of the diagnosis stopped when she got to middle school. Now as an adult she still struggles sometimes with her focus but she is doing well.
I don't think an ADHD diagnosis means medication any more than an ASD diagnosis does. G has an ASD disgnosis and he is also on guanafacine. There are kids with an ADHD diagnosis that are unmedicated as well.
Hello
My son has been diagnosed with both ASD and ADHD. From my understanding the ASD is the delays he has had (like speech, fine motor skills, and sensory) although he is high functioning. And now he gotten so much better with the proper therapies. The ADHD part is the hyper activity. He finds it hard to stay still at times and always moving. I was told by the doctor, that ADHD is a part of ASD in some children. My son has therapy for ADHD that which helps him to know how to manage and calm down some.
I am trying therapy instead of medicine. And holistic treatment if any. I hope this help and excuse any typos.