Spectrum between ADHD and ASD?

Post Reply New Topic

Do you think there is a spectrum between ADHD and ASD, which isn't really recognized yet?

I know that rates of comorbidity between the two are super high. And there was a semi-recent study where 18.18% of people with ADHD who participated showed autistic "traits", even if they didn't quite qualify for a spectrum diagnosis, while only 0.87% of people without ADHD showed autistic traits. http://psychcentral.com/news/2013/10/18 ... 60851.html

So. I know that ADHD is a spectrum. And Autism is a spectrum. I feel like there is also a spectrum between the two of them. Like, they're separate but really really related.

I wish this spot between ADHD and ASD was more recognized.

(For context, I feel like this is where I am. I recently took the ADOS test and met the spectrum criteria in the communication category (2/2), was one point short of meeting the spectrum criteria in the social interaction category (3/4), and two points short in total (5/7). 5/7 isn't nothing. But what is it?)

One thing you'll probably hear a lot when the topic of people "getting rid"(don't mean for this to sound negative" of their ASD comes up is that they don't lose their ASD, they simply no longer qualify for the ASD diagnosis. You may have an ASD but just have good enough control over it or you may just not be good in social interactions.


I feel like a formation of a medical spectrum for this would just be redundant. The people who need to know about the relation between ASDs and ADD/ADHD already know of it.

I have ADHD and ASD. As I've posted elsewhere, I think ADHD and ASD can produce some internal conflict : impulsive behaviour v logic. I also think there they are on a spectrum - hyperfocus, special interests and obsessive behaviour.

Here's a UK National Health Service report on ADHD/ASD combination.
Page 9 shows frequency. Pages 13-15 shows overlap of symptoms.
http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/pdf/Whitwell%2 ... pdates.pdf



Interesting comments about your ADOS test. For ADOS test, I think they have thresholds.

My ADOS test was:
Communications - 1 (autism spectrum threshold - 2, autism threshold - 3)
Reciprocal social interaction - 5 (autism spectrum threshold - 6, autism threshold - 4)

It's almost certain that there's some overlap between ASD and ADD/ADHD. I say this because both are neurodevelopmental disorders where the cause is of a genetic nature. The male/female ratio in both cases is significantly higher in favor of males. Also, many of the symptoms overlap, mainly but not limited to concentration problems and uncontrollable behaviour. I'd eat my shoes if a scientist stood up one day and proved there was no relation between the two.

I think the part, might be that ADHD might cause some Autistic like traits though, most people with ADHD aren't autistic. And understand social interaction and conformity. Autistics don't.