The ADHD/ Aspergers Connection: Is Your Child Diagnosed Correctly?

by John and Diane. 

Many children who display behavioral extremes, inappropriate affect and impulsivity can be diagnosed with a range of issues from RAD, defiance disorders to ADD depending on the specific behaviors and symptoms.  One diagnosis that can sometimes be overlooked as a possibility however is Aspergers disease.

Aspergers is a high-functioning form of Autism that has similar symptoms to ADHD and is sometimes misdiagnosed as such. A genetic disorder like Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder, they both can present with difficulties in social interaction and learning, as well as hyperactivity.  Conversely, a child may have both ADHD and Aspergers.

When diagnosing the disorders, a doctor will refer to a checklist of behaviors to determine which describes the child best. If the child does not meet all of the criteria for one or the other, the child may not qualify for the diagnosis.

Both disorders include uneven fine and gross motor skills, carelessness with school activities or homework, tantrums, engages in dangerous activities (no real fear) but Aspergers children will additionally make little or no eye contact, display inappropriate giggling or laughing and have difficulty making friends and mixing with other children.

 Aspergers children will tantrum for no apparent reason while ADHD children will have a noticeable trigger. Children with ADHD frequently break rules they understand but dislike, while children with Aspergers like rules and break the ones they don’t understand.

Typically, a child with Aspergers will avoid anxiety-inducing situations and seek calm by organizing, peculiar word usage and gaze aversion.

If you feel that your child may exhibit some of these behaviors talk to your doctor or counselors and discuss the possibilities.

Here is a video that explains more about the Aspergers/ADHD overlap. 

Read more:

Is it Asperger's or ADHD?

image:  Flickr

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