In fact, ADHD is the most common coexisting condition in children with ASD. On the flip side, up to a quarter of children with ADHD have low-level signs of ASD, which might include having difficulty with social skills or being very sensitive to clothing textures, for example.
It may seem obvious, but the study is the first in the world to show that people with both ADHD and autism are double-burdened with a genetic risk of receiving both diagnoses, whereas people who only have one of the diagnoses for the most part only bear the genetic risk variants for this one condition.
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.
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. Given the size of the overlap, scientists are beginning to rethink the relationship between the two conditions and to look for common biological roots.
1. Eye contact: Avoidance of eye contact is ADHD behaviour – your child/young person may look as if they are ignoring you but some find making eye contact really difficult.
Causes of ADHD
Recent studies link genetic factors with ADHD. In addition to genetics, scientists are studying other possible causes and risk factors including: Brain injury. Exposure to environmental risks (e.g., lead) during pregnancy or at a young age.
Rather, the rise seems to be due to an increase in access to healthcare; a decrease in stigmatization about receiving mental health care; and greater awareness of the symptoms of ADHD among clinicians, guardians, educators, and patients. In the past, ADHD was only diagnosed in children who were hyperactive.
Is ADHD inherited from Mom or Dad? You can inherit genes that boost risk for ADHD from your mother, from your father or from both parents.
The impact of ADHD on parenting
Parents with ADHD may feel overwhelmed and stressed, which can impact their mental health and well-being. They may also struggle to provide a stable and consistent home environment for their children, which can impact their emotional and social development.
Research shows that childhood trauma can shape how certain areas of your brain form. That includes stress-sensitive structures and connections that control how you think, feel, and act. Early life stress may result in changes that cause you to have common ADHD symptoms, including: An ongoing sense of fear.
ADHD can be harmful to an individual's social relationships and work and school performance, but effective treatments are available to manage the symptoms of ADHD. Learn about the signs and symptoms of ADHD and when to discuss it with your health care provider.
Why Are There So Many Successful People with ADHD? It is known that people with ADHD have specific strengths, as a result of their brain functioning difference. They are more spontaneous, creative, energetic, intuitive, imaginative, and inventive.
While ADHD appears to be more common in males, females are often underdiagnosed or misdiagnosed due to differences in symptoms. Understanding the gender differences in ADHD may help you become more aware of how symptoms present among women and girls versus men and boys.
Adults with ADHD may find it difficult to focus and prioritize, leading to missed deadlines and forgotten meetings or social plans. The inability to control impulses can range from impatience waiting in line or driving in traffic to mood swings and outbursts of anger. Adult ADHD symptoms may include: Impulsiveness.
However, there is no correlation between this condition and intelligence. In fact, according to one study , ADHD affects people in the same way across high, average, and low IQ score ranges. ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition that can make it difficult for people to focus and to control impulsive behaviors.
He is one of the most successful and well-known entrepreneurs of modern times. Bill Gates the co-founder of Microsoft is known to have ADHD and has admitted to struggling with ADHD symptoms. He's also one of the wealthiest people in the world.
You can have a successful life with ADHD; however, like anything else, it will present challenges. But there are positive aspects of ADHD. And when you can see these as benefits, resources, skills or strategies you can begin to use it to overcome many challenges.
1- Leonardo Da Vinci:
The difficulty of focusing on one single thing due to ADHD caused him to be interested in many different subjects. He was an artist, sculptor, inventor, scientist, musician, architect, anatomist, astronomer, and a mathematician.
It's easy to focus on the negative impacts of ADHD, but there are benefits to the condition, as well. People with ADHD report being energetic, creative, courageous, and resilient. Learning how to lean into these strengths while controlling symptoms can help you reach your full potential, despite ADHD.
For instance, among the 18 studies under scrutiny that did not explicitly state an IQ cut-off point the mean range of IQ among individuals with ADHD reported in the studies is from 102 to 110. Given that lower IQ is associated with ADHD this suggests that individuals with ADHD may be inaccurately represented.
Adults diagnosed with ADHD often blame themselves for their problems or view themselves in a negative light. This can lead to self-esteem issues, anxiety, or depression.
“Nobody has perfect memory… but for [people with ADHD], it's extreme. They feel like they're lost all the time,” Almagor said. He believes this is why people don't take ADHD seriously. “I think that's why some people don't respect the severity of what [a person with ADHD] can experience,” he said.