Is ADHD or autism?

Is ADHD or autism? - The deficit disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism may look very similar. Children with one of them can be very active and impulsive, and can have concentration problems and interact with others. In fact, it can be difficult to differentiate between.

But the difference is very important.

In a recently published study in the journal Pediatrics, the researchers analyzed nearly 1,500 children between the ages of 2 and 17 who had a current diagnosis of autism (as reported by their parents). They found that those who received a diagnosis of ADHD before they had a diagnosis of autism were diagnosed with autism an average of 3 years later than those who received the diagnosis of autism first - and were 30 times more likely to get diagnosed with autism when they were 6 years of age or older.

Why is it important? Although there is much that we do not know about autism, one thing we know is that the earlier treatment begins, the better the child does in the long run. While autism can be diagnosed already at the age of 24 months, the median age at diagnosis is more than 4 years. Each year, the diagnosis is delayed is a year that the child does not receive assistance - which may have consequences for life. So to have the diagnosis delayed three years - and delays beyond these first crucial years - it is a real tragedy.

It is not always easy for general pediatricians to diagnose autism in young children. Special training is required, and it takes time, something that the average busy pediatrician did not. And since the social aspects of autism may not be apparent until the child begins school, parents do not realize that your child has problems with the other socializing - and can not say pediatrician. Given this, and given that most parents prefer to hear that their child has ADHD, he or she has autism, and therefore not push for more tests, it is understandable how this happens.

Autism is not the only diagnosis that can mimic ADHD. Children with learning problems, sleep disorders, hearing loss and other problems are often misdiagnosed with ADHD.

So before deciding on a diagnosis of ADHD, especially in young children, parents should talk to their doctor about whether to have more tests would be a good idea. These are difficult conversations to have, but most importantly, can make all the difference when it comes to getting a child the help he or she really needs.

For more information about autism and how to recognize it, check the Law on the starting page on the website of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of Diseases.
By: Claire McCarthy,MD