DS14 is addicted to sugar! Could autism or ADHD be playing a part?

[Ducksfeathers]

DS14 makes his own way to secondary school and has been stopping off at the shops to buy a daily size bag of sweets - I think most days. I have just found 20+ empty packets in his bedroom, stuffed behind his furniture.

Lots of concerns - mainly how do I help him manage this as it seems like he's completely addicted and that's such a bad habit to take into adult life. Secondary to that, I suspect he's stealing the money from my purse or small change around the house and that's not ok either.

I wouldn't necessarily notice if he'd taken some cash from my purse as I rarely use cash. When confronted DS says he found a note on the pavement (I don't believe him).

He is diagnosed autistic though he masks pretty well. To give an overall picture of him, he's doing very well academically, has good friends and the usual interests. He plays music, games, plays a lot of sport. He does stim though controls it when he feels he needs to. Having said that, he has periods where he gets detentions at school for being distracted in lessons or disrupting others by talking. He isn't very empathetic towards his siblings - though he can be, just sometimes a bit mean.

Definitely seeking stimulation from the sugar. I've recognised this before and encouraged him to have a cup of coffee in the mornings which will have a similar effect on his brain.

I broached the subject of a stimulant medication with his Ed Psych last year but she completely shut me down. The thing is, I think he's definitely seeking that stimulant effect to 'switch on' his brain and help him focus. He was assessed for ADHD but not diagnosed. If a different teacher had filled out his questionnaires he probably could have had a diagnosis - I've been through the process myself and can see how easily you could be diagnosed or not depending on a few answers. I was diagnosed with ADHD and autism in my late 40's and take a low dose of medication which helps me enormously.

Has anyone been through a similar situation and found a way to help their DC?
I was going to find a good TED talk or podcast about the effects of sugar on the brains, gut, health and all the negatives. He is keen on sport and getting fitter and stronger, so that might be something that hooks him.

My son 8, is the same, utterly obsessed with sweets.
He is underweight, highly active but struggles to focus or listen to the point where we suspect ADHD. Add a dose of Sugar and he is restless and unable to stop moving.
He has a very poor diet and refuses to eat most "normal" foods presented. he lives off plain pasta, toast ie basic carbohydrates and has no interest in sauces on his pasta. I wonder if the sugar and poor interest/sensitivity to other foods is connected. We have considered taking him to the doctors to discuss his diet but do not want to highlight the issue for fear of it becoming a bigger eating problem

My son ate very similar. I used to do things like add chia seeds to his pasta, giv him weetabix protein crunch for breakfast and buy fortified protein milkshakes. Also gave him lots of milk and yoghurt.

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Tell me about it! 🤦🏻‍♀️

Several of my family are autistic, and I strongly suspect I am too. I also suspect I have ADHD. I’m completely addicted to sugar, yesterday all I ate was white bread and sweets and chocolate, stacks of it, and that’s not unusual or me. It’s completely compulsive. I work really hard to avoid it, and have given it up for several months before, but crave it constantly even when I haven’t eaten any for weeks.
As a child I used to eat tablespoons of icing sugar out of the packet, spoonfuls of hot chocolate powder, and as a teen drink litre cartons of Ribena.

Sugar can be addictive for anyone, but in ND it's combined with naturally low dopamine and poor self control issues as well, so it's even harder to get under control.