DS1 'probable ASD' now received form for ADHD, wtf?

[Chopstheduck]

Not been ont his board for a little while, but I've had bit of a bolt out of the blue, and not something I've ever considered wrt ds1. His file basically states 'DCD, hypermobility, sensory issues, social and communication issues and probable autism'. We started with CAHMS looking for a firm dx for the ASD and had one meeting, and filled some forms. Then an ADHD form came through out of the blue. I'm feeling a bit miffed tbh that they have sent this without discussion or any explanation.

Is it a routine thing, since ADHD is on the same spectrum?

Ds1 is very fidgety, etc. but I've always put that down to his sensory issues - he stims a lot, etc. He lacks concentration at school, but then they don't know how to keep his attention - they use language in the wrong way so he doesn't understand and switches off, or panics.

TBH dt2 has behavioural issues and looking through the form, he would tick a HELL of a lot of boxes. I'd quite like him assessed now! We've had a lot of problems at school with him, and given that these sort of things run in families, I have suspicions now. Is it possible to self refer to CAHMs?

We manage fine at home, because I know how to deal with my children, and keep them level, calm and happy. But the school can't seem to cope with either of them very well.

My DS1 has exactly the same diagnosis as yours except he was given ADHD first and are now looking at the ASD side.

As you are well aware everything overlaps so much that they are probably trying to cover all bases for you.

Dont think you can self refer but a phonecall to them would be able to confirm that.

We are struggling at the moment at home with ds1 (Age 9) - he had a period of really good, calm behaviour and now its gone rapidly down hill again. No punishments work and I am at a complete loss at the moment . Sorry didnt mean to high-jack your thread

Could it be that someone has spoken to the school and have had reports of lack of concentration and behavior issues.

Sometimes IME proffs hear what schools are saying better than what parents are saying, wrong i know.

You need to provide evidence of his symptoms and how you manage them. I would recommend a diary, make a note of any issues/behaviours, what caused them and how you dealt with them.

I found that the proffs listened much better after i provided them with a diary.

Having said all that ADHD and ASD are often comorbid and have alot of symptoms which overlap so your DS might need both labels, you know him best so stand your ground.

Good luck

sensory issues are often confused for adhd by schools (I've done the connors form 4 times now - noone listens to Mum lol!).

I also think of neuro disorders as being like the olympic rings - all too often they overlap. In my case I've sought advice on this board for obtaining a seperate dyspraxia diagnosis/apd recently as I think it might help spell out what impacts my son with more clarity than just the ASD label.

I'm also another diary recc'er - it was the only way I got DS's sleep issues taken seriously rather than another lecture on bedtime routines after years of trying to be heard.

I'd do the questionaire - for adhd to be diagosed the symptoms have to be present in ALL environments. DS is a different child out of a bustling classroom, and realising this made the school actually implement his sensory diet properly - win, win. ASD& ADHD are often co-morbid, strategies are needed for both if that turns out to be the case.

Noone can tell you over the internet what his diagnosis is, but it's better to see the professionals looking at ALL possibilities and ruling them out than leaving a child unsupported iyswim.

DS has AS and is fidgety - we did the questionnaires at home and school and decided that it's definitely sensory and not ADHD, it was very much a case of - well we're doing these other assessments, we might as well check this too, just in case.

Def some good points, and I will do the questionnaire. It would just help if they explained that rather than dumping it in the post iykwim! It was a bit of a shock and I just sometimes wonder where it is all going to end.

I like the Olympic rings analogy ..it is very true. I work in special school and the majority of the children have overlapping difficulties, few are 'pure' ASD etc.

I have four of my own, and DD1 has AS, ADHD Dyslexia and dyspraxia, and DS2 Autism, dyspraxia, MLD... and it's hard to see where one disorder starts and the others begin!

mm, it really would make sense to have one dx that covered it all, with maybe tendencies listed! Ds1's former paed was going to dx pervasive developmental disorder, because she was having trouble fitting him into one 'ring' but she left and the new paed seems determined to fit him in somewhere.