to wonder why attachment disorder is so often dx in children with neuro diversity? n

[staydazzling]

its something i read a lot of, especially children, dx coming from CAHMS with parents saying their children were dx with Attachment Disorder. Im a bit curious really, my understanding is that attachment disorder is due to trauma or trauma based from mother/parents and that the child doesn't form an appropriate attachment? it sounds a bit like refrigerator mother, which i thought became outdated in terms of ASD decades ago?, sorry i thinking out loud a bit, any views, ideas appreciated just trying to make sense of it xx

Some children with developmental differences experience problems with attachment as a result- think of babies in special care for a long time, or babies with sensory problems. They aren't able to experience all the elements of mutual parent/baby regulation essential for best development.

Similarly where the main carer is erratic due to mental or physical health problems.

There are lots of overlapping 'alphabet soup' diagnoses, and they can be comorbid and well as mistakenly diagnosed.

Your child with ASD might actually have AD or even both.

My daughter has attachment disorder but this is due to early life trauma (I adopted her). She's also just been diagnosed with ADHD, which can look very much like attachment disorder and vice versa. Trouble is each disorder needs very different parenting styles, and the issue is interpreting her behaviour. As some behaviours are as a result of AD and some her ADHD. Parent her incorrectly and there's hell to pay, things escalate very quickly. It's like playing Russian roulette sometimes

It took me so long to get the adhd diagnosis as the minute any social worker or health professional hear 'adoption' they do tend to roll out the 'attachment' disorder.

it seems to be slapped on a lot of families even where there hasn't been significant enough trauma. i can imagine it is difficult to decipher which, thats probably why its so commonly dx.

Our son was diagnosed ADHD at age 6.
Adopted at 10 months old. Lost the vital early closeness and bonding in the first two weeks of life. Now 13 and ADHD expert who has seen him since age 6 (and who we are blessed to have in our city) is unsure if actually ADHD or attachment disorder.
Chaotic behaviour in early childhood had now transitioned to difficult behaviour in teens.

Possibly op. But if we're talking about scenarios where the child has always been in the same home and situation, then imho if expert professionals can't define which it is, it's better to suggest ad, and investigate why a child that the parents say hasn't suffered trauma is exhibiting the symptoms of having done so. Rather than suggesting asd or any other form of neuro diversity when they aren't sure and possibly leaving a child in an abusive situation.

I also understand that's massively unfair to all the parents that are judged incorrectly or have their valid concerns dismissed. And the delay isn't constructive for the child either if it's wrong. So I apologise to all of those that have suffered because of incorrect dx. It's just if I personally had to choose between that and leaving a child with parents that had/ were causing trauma, it's the lesser of two evils.

And to clarify, by expert professionals I mean exactly that. Not some wanker that once did a short course and is now a self proclaimed expert.

@theendofsummer sorry to divert from the thread a little, but was your dc ever given medication for adhd, and did it help?