How do your "know" - ADHD/ASD

[dandeloin]

Hi All,

I'm a confused (and stressed and worried and tired) parent at the moment. My DS10 has been diagnosed by our local CAMHS team as having ADHD. I absolutely agree with this diagnosis, plus I pushed for long enough to get it... but... DS is also showing sign of ASD. How do I know if the ASD is something additional which I "need" to explore or is there so much of an overlap that the signs I'm seeing are "probably" ADHD related. I don't know what to do.
We have since been discharged from CAMHS as my son refused to take the meds. He's had CBT & OT sessions with them, neither of which were off any great benefit. I would really appreciate any words of wisdom, or comfort. Thank you.

If DS is displaying signs of ASD, I would pursue an ASD assessment.

We have a very similar situation - daughter diagnosed with ADHD (and not accepting her diagnosis) and with some ASD traits, but it is difficult to know where the ADHD begins and ends. If she has ASD it is not a typical presentation even in girls and I feel that her ADHD explains most if not all of her quirks/behaviours.

For the moment, we have decided not to pursue further diagnosis. Her school is supporting her well and she did not welcome the ADHD diagnosis, so would be horrified if she also received one for ASD. Indeed, I think it would actually derail her and cause a whole host of other problems. If at some point in the future it becomes necessary to have her assessed or she herself decides that she wants to be, then of course we will support her.

I guess you need to evaluate what pursuing/obtaining an ASD diagnosis would mean for your son and your family. Would it help him/you to understand him better? Would you have access/easier access to therapies that could be of benefit to him? How are his school currently supporting him and his needs - do you think an ASD diagnosis would help them to understand him and make any necessary reasonable adjustments or are they doing that already?

Whilst ADHD and ASD often go together, they are such different things. Invaluable to us to know about both, as the ASD required significantly different strategies and a new parental mindset.

Think the later you leave it the more shocking a diagnosis can be in terms of personal identity?