2007-01-19 02:05:51 · 7 answers · asked by zoebethckz 1 in Health ➔ Mental Health
To some extent, yes. Adhd is much more than not being able to concentrate, it's affected by sensory issues just as autism is. Usually kids with adhd are very easily visually overstimulated, and this can happen with autism, too. But, there's something called co-morbidity, which means that there are several disorders that when a child has one, it is common that they will have another as they occur in the same part of the brain. Kids with autism often have adhd as well. So, while they can resemble each other, it could be that the child has both disorders at the same time. Now, the examples you've been given of autism are typically more severely affected autism. But kids with high-functioning autism typically have a lot of the same issues as adhd with not being able to focus, being easily over-stimulated and hyper. My son is high-functioning autistic, but at night for some reason, he bounces off the walls, is almost uncontrollable. It takes a lot of work for us to help him focus and calm down, just like an adhd child. So, yes, and no. You really have to take each child and see how autism is affecting them, or adhd is affecting them, or both! If more people were aware that sensory input can be a factor in triggering adhd, there would be fewer kids on drugs. There is therapy available for kids with autism, but none for kids with adhd,and that's just sad. Read the book The Out of Sync Child and you'll learn how sensory input can affect both of these disorders.
2007-01-19 07:51:14 · answer #1 · answered by Angie 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. Both conditions have a wide range of behaviours associated with them. Autism tends to be characterised by an inability to empathise or to understand social behaviour. A person with autism will ahve difficulty relating to others. They interpret things literally, so find it difficult to deal with hints, jokes, irony etc. Many people with autism find it difficult to focus on one thing and 'tune out' everything else, so they are constantly overloaded with incoming information. They may find the social world so frightening that they need routines and rituals to cope (such as rocking, or making lists). On the positive side, some people with autism can be very gifted in music, art or maths.
A person with ADHD usually does not have difficulty relating to others, but finds it impossible to focus and concentrate for long, and is very easily distracted. A person with ADHD will act impulsively, without thinking through the consequences and so may take risks or be easily led by others into dangerous behaviour. This can put them at risk of criminal behaviour. On the positive side, people with ADHD who learn to channel their energy positively can be highly creative, uninhibited and successful in life. Richard Branson is a well known example.
2007-01-19 10:24:18 · answer #2 · answered by Felida 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Think of adhd as a really really short attentioon span and nothing more. In essense that's all it really is. My husband has had it since a child, and it can be frustrating at times. He'll start cleaning the room, and he'll pick up a shirt and then start telling me about the shirt and where he got it, then will completely start doing something else.
2007-01-19 10:15:25 · answer #3 · answered by just wondering 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am not sure of the intricacies of Autism, I believe it is to involuntarily focusing heavily on one thing while ignoring everything else around you.
ADHD is more of a lack of focus on any thing for any decent period of time. The "H" is Hyperactive, meaning that person is a veritable fireball of energy and hard to control either by you or by themselves.
One of my sons is ADD, He can concentrate, but not for long and becomes bored/frustrated, he has mostly A's and B's, the classes he can't concentrate on is where he has D's and F's.
One of my daughters is ADHD, she can complete her class work assignments very quickly and is on the A/B Honor roll but she has to work on more than one thing at a time in order to get everything done. Also, I have found the best way to help her with her hyperactivity is duct tape.
2007-01-19 10:14:56 · answer #4 · answered by cobra2140 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Not really .. altho some autistic children do have adhd ...
a lot of mental health issues are associated with autism ...
2007-01-19 10:14:33 · answer #5 · answered by jizzumonkey 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Both have a difficult time keeping still at times.But with autistic children,it is often due to their preference for the 'rocking motion'.
2007-01-19 10:09:46 · answer #6 · answered by MaryBeth 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No.
2007-01-19 10:09:13 · answer #7 · answered by voodooprankster 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋