ADHD/ADD

[Lesley25]

Our paediatrician won't test for ADHD/ADD till my ds is at least 6. He has asd and I think he fits a lot of the symptoms of ADHD also with the biggest one being his inability to focus and always on the move. I know this also ticks the box for ads and I don't dispute this diagnosis.
Has any other mums noticed a difference when using medication?
At the moment the TA and teachers cannot get him to focus and I'm wondering if medication would help with this.
It's the old can't reach can't teach I'm really struggling with for him at the moment.

If it is adhd then meds will help with focus, but the meds aren't licensed for children under 6 so you would have to wait for that anyway. ds started meds in sept and although we had a very sticky time at first with lots of unpredictable outbursts we have now settled on an effective regime and things are significantly better than they were before.

I have the same issue, ds has finally been referred at the age of seven. I've been saying he had ADHD since he was two (he received ASD diagnosis at 5). He can't read or write as he has no concentration and runs, spins and climbs constantly

We had adhd diagnosed at 5 (NHS) and used medication from 5.5yrs so it is possible it made a difference but only showed how other issues dyspraxia/autism etc needed dealing with.

Methylphenidate (the most commonly prescribed drug) and Atomoxetine can be used by children with ADHD over the age of six years, and Dexamfetamine by children over three. It certainly shows the ASD traits more clearly for our ds.

Thanks everyone, really useful.

If he has ASD, could some of this be down to sensory issues? My son has huge issues with staying still and concentrating, but with weighted items (belts and lap pads) he is suddenly still because he is getting the proprioception feedback that he needs, so can concentrate better.
Maybe worth a try (via OT)
We were the opposite though - I was absolutely sure that he did not have ADHD and that Sensory Processing Disorder can present similarly to ADHD. Help the sensory issues and the obvious signs go away, so not ADHD IYSWIM...