Some Theorize ADHD and AS are both on the ASD

Post Reply New Topic

I think those with Autistic Spectrum disorders exhibit symptoms of ADD and ADHD. I was diagnosed as someone with ADD in 1998 at the age of 22 a few years before the first time I was diagnosed with Asperger's in 2001.

However, those people with Autism/Asperger's do not have ADD. The symptoms that are similar to ADD/ADHD are part of the Autism/Asperger's. Those who do not have Autism or Asperger's may have ADD or ADHD, but those who do have Autism or Asperger's. Therefore, ADD and ADHD by itself is not an Autistic Spectrum Disorder.

Hope I didn't confuse anyone!

I think they're very different but can occour at the same time.

I think I have AS and ADHD, as I have terrible trouble concerntrating and organising myself, doing homework, ect ect.

I've known people with just ADHD and they're loud and interrrupting in class while not doing their work, I was quiet and distressed in class while not doing my work because of AS.

Everyone thought I was a "goody-good" because I was so quiet, but in reality I was probably doing the least work out of everyone in the class.

I've had a few A's, but it has been extremely difficult and distressing for me to accomplish those.

The inattention associated with ASD and ADHD seem to have a different neurological basis. Its even theorised that combined type ADHD (hyperactive and inattentive) has a different neurological basis than inattentive ADHD(ADD).

But that inattention manifest itself in in similar ways in most cases. While the location and the precise mechanisms differ. The net effect is
certain parts of the brain are under active. Which is why CNS stimulants have been useful in treating inattention associated with both ADD/ADHD and ASD.

Last edited by TheMachine1 on 28 Jul 2007, 8:29 am, edited 1 time in total.

I was diagnosed back in 1961 with a disorder befitting Kanners AKA then as autism for a serious lack of affective contact with others. BTW Kanners sometimes can be befitting a child who shows many of the traits of a child who is extremely gifted.

Here is an extract from one of Leo Kanner's papers.

what I ask is "what is an ASD anyways?"

it's just a categorization given to different disorders that happen to be similar, and there is no concrete answer as to whether or not ADHD falls into it... having a poll is kind of silly because we all know what ADHD is and we all know what an ASD is... "is it an ASD?" not if you go by the latest definition. "is it similar to what are currently considered ASDs?" definitely, although there are less symptoms and the actual cause is probably different. in fact, there are supposedly 6 different causes of what is considered ADHD itself! it almost seems like you could consider Asperger's an attention deficit disorder...

included in the 6 types are classic combined ADHD and inattentive ADHD which everyone should know about, but there's also 4 others that you may not have heard of too much... more info can be found here: http://www.aqeta.qc.ca/english/general/types/20.htm

I dont know about you, but it doesn't seem too unreasonable to add AS alongside these types because of a lot of resemblances... their causes are different anyways.

I'm ASD co-morbid with ADHD. I've just starting taking Concerta XL today. It hasn't really done anything. I just felt a small amount of nausia, which is a side effect. I take one again tomorrow. If that doesn't work I'm supposed to up it to two tables. I can go to 3-4 tablets according to the consultant.

My main problem is my executive dysfunction which he says he doubts Concerta will improve. He is just hoping my lifestyle might be better, without inattention. But if I don't improve he said he'll put me on Aricept. That is a drug they use with Alzheimer's patients.

People go on about all the amazing things about AS but rarely talk about cognitive dysfunction that can occur.

I thin ADHD is common with ASD. But not all ADHD are ASD. But even rarer are people on the high end inattentive with bad cognitive dysfunction/sluggish cognitive tempo/executive dysfunction

What I'm saying is ASD can often meet the requirements of ADHD. But it can be unpredictable an messy. They do sort of melt together in this area.

I will never truely able to understand until I get a really decent formal diagnosis....There just aren't the accomodating facilities available it seems where I live.

My ADD diagnosis was not very thorough....but it was enough to get me medicated...

In ADD forums, when AS has been brought up, people have expressed their opinion that I seem very Aspie...in other AS forums, there were those who railed endlessly against the self-diagnosed Aspies...(including me)

AS seemed to explain a variety of symptoms I have that are not necc. ADD, but ADD always seemed like it was the pervasive thing that had affected me my whole life...(till i discovered AS, that is)

ADD/ADHD are cousins to ASD but not siblings. They both effect "executive function". Like with other neurological disorders and some mental illness, people who have trouble with executive functioning may have some things in common; sensitivity, auditory issues, inattention, hyperattention, overcompensation in interests (savant skills), memory issues, and the list goes on.
But this doesn't mean that they are in the same umbrella of neurology. Would you say a brain-injured person (due to trauma or stroke) is on the spectrum? (okay, I know someone who is dx'ed on the spectrum due to stroke but that's for convenience)

I also repeat that the so-called "hierarchy" of "function" in ASD is false, a construction.

ADD (or ADHD) is not only characterized by the inability to pay attention, it is also characterized by the ability to hyper-focus. The issue seems to be that there is inconsistency in the ability to pay attention.

And ADD is in no way, shape, or form related to psychopathy. There are two generally accepted meanings of the word psychopathy: 1) to describe someone who is a psychopath, who has no conscious and is incapable of feeling anything aside from primal emotions such as fear, rage, and lust or 2) any mental disorder. The first one definitely doesn't apply and the second is really too vague and could technically include anything listed in the DSM-IV-TR. Sure, ADD is included in the DSM-IV-TR, but so is Asperger's.

Anyone interested in actually understanding ADD should read Driven to Distraction by Hallowell and Ratey (both MDs).

Personally, I think ADD and AS result in many of the same types of symptoms, both negative and positive.

I should think right on the top echelon of the spetrum is a certain class of gifted children and geniuses like Isaac Newton and Mozzart for their savant like abilities and deeply dedicated obsessions and padantic personalities. Classic Aspergers or HFA is somewhere in the middle and non-verbal autism at the bottom.

GRAWR! No.
Because ADHDers are not autistic.

From Greek "autos;" self.
They might have bad social skills but they are not anti-social in their definition.
Autism is occupation with the self. When "autistic" people say they can empathize and have great social skills and naturally like people and have an inate understanding of nonverbal and implicit communication, and have encyclopedic inability and are always focusing on what is happening short-term, I would wonder very much how they would be diagnosed.

Note: It is OK to call some politicians autistic without them having a PDD. That just means they focus too much with themselves or they're country exclusively or some other thing that involves a single local entity.

(sarc)OH, OK, so almost everyone is autistic! GOT IT! OK guys, let's get rid of this site, 98%+ of all people are AUTISTIC!(/sarc)

NOPE! Politicians are just in love of money/power, like many! If ***I*** had a million dollars, I would pay off all my debts, keep the rest for retirement, and STILL work, but try to work to further some deserving part of humanity. Does that make me LESS autistic?

HECK, as a kid, if I was invulnerable, and super strong, I would have acted EXACTLY like superman! I would have worked to help deserving parts of humanity, and wouldn't have asked for even recognition. Of course, NOW I am tainted by all the garbage that has happened to me, and would probably fly off somewhere and just laugh.

By contrast, many poor people lie/cheat/steal, and will steal many MILLIONS of dollars even though it is unneeded and may land them in prison. Still others lie/cheat and basically steal without even a thought. I am one of the FEW that has been HONEST on my resume! Some tell lies like you would NOT believe! I have LITERALLY seen THOUSANDS of resumes, so I really know about that.

So NO, politicians can NOT be considered autistic for that because then nearly everyone else would have to be, and autism would lose any meaning and sites like this WOULD be senseless.

The problem with your logic though is 75% of autistics are ADHDers though. Also I'm a member of an ADD/ADHD site and can tell you
many people with ADD/ADHD have extreme social skills problems to. To say there is just no relation between ADD/ADHD to ASD is not true. Do they have precisely the same neurological basis and features no. But they do have some common features that suggest some common treatment methods can aid with some similar problems.

I don't mean as a real person but theoretically they are not.
By definition they don't have to be. I ain't talkin' 'bout your "non-neurological" psychology. I'm talkin' 'bouts teh DSM-IV R. Don't says anything 'bout antisocialism. And now you're talkin' statistics. Where do you know that it is 75%? Also, if it ain't neurological it ain't related, because a brainless man is 0xDEADBEEF.

Actually, many adult psychopaths have definite symptoms of the combined type or hyperactive-impulsive type of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder as children (with impulsive and stimulus-seeking behaviors persisting into adulthood as antisocial behaviors). In general, psychopaths, in addition to having a lack of concern with right and wrong, have poor ability to inhibit their momentary impulses (which can lead to impulsive theft) or regulate their emotions (which can lead to violence when acting out aggressive impulses).Note that psychopaths with these symptoms are a different subtype of psychopath than the emotionally cold variety.

Tony Atwood made that 75% ADD/ADHD estimate with ASD. Officially they have little/no relationship. The point of the thread is they do have alot similarities regardless of there neurological basis of each. And yes ADD/ADHD is a neurological condition just like ASD is a neurological condition.