If you have a child who has an ADHD diagnosis, how likely are they to also fulfil the criteria for autism? And how can you best support them?
In this episode of the All Aboard ADHD podcast, Claire is joined by expert guest Professor Emily Simonoff to discuss the fascinating link and crossover between ADHD and autism in children. Emily is a professor of child and adolescent psychiatry at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at King's College London, and honorary consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist at the South London and Wardsley NHS Foundation Trust. Professor Emily's research and clinical focus is on neurodevelopmental disorders in children and young people and their overlap with other mental disorders.
A dual diagnosis was only possible from 2013, following a pivotal study in 2008 which was one of the first to establish that ADHD and autism can and do coexist. According to Professor Emily, the overlap between autism and ADHD is significant, with approximately 10-15% of children with ADHD also having autism, and 40-50% of those with autism having ADHD. She and Claire discuss the complexity of this crossover, stressing the importance of rigorous professional assessment to accurately diagnose both conditions. Professor Emily describes the genetic links between ADHD and autism, along with some fascinating insight from studies that compare identical and non-identical twins to better understand these genetic influences.
Claire and Professor Emily go on to discuss why it's so important to recognise the overlap between ADHD and autism and how it manifests specifically for that child, highlighting how understanding their “whole profile” has a huge impact on a their ability to acheive their best potential. Professor Emily explains some of the differences in diagnostic assessments for autism and ADHD and shares some examples of how traits that go in one direction or another can balance themselves out when a child has both conditions.
Having both ADHD and autism can significantly effect a child's self-perception and confidence, so Professor Emily highlights the importance of disentangling traits related to autism and ADHD, to ensure children are getting the right support. She also describes the link between anxiety and depression in children with both conditions, with anxiety more common during primary school and depression often presenting later, in secondary school. Claire and Professor Emily also discuss some of the ways we can better support children with dual diagnoses, including building positive experiences outside of school that feed into their interests and strengths, and considering a child's needs as they transition from primary to secondary school.
This is a must-listen for parents of children with dual diagnoses, or who suspect that their autistic or ADHD child is also displaying traits of the other profile.
To find out about Professor Emily and her work, visit:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18645422/
https://www.kcl.ac.uk/people/emily-simonoff
