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ADHD Vs. Autism the Difference
Recognize the similarities between ADHD and autism. There's quite a bit of overlap in the presentation between the disabilities, and it is easy to mistake them for each other. Both ADHD and autism can involve
Stimming/fidgeting
Difficulty focusing/distractibility
Difficulty initiating tasks
Creativity
Strong emotions; struggling with self-control
Not seeming to listen when spoken to
Potential hyperactivity or talkativeness
Poor coordination
Unusual eye contact
Social difficulties
Sensory or auditory processing issues
Intellect which has difficulty expressing conventionally (such as at school)
Secondary anxiety/depression
Analyze the person's general focus. Both autistics and people with ADHD may go into hyperfocus (enhanced focus) for long periods of time, especially if the subject interests them. However, people with ADHD usually lose focus due to external or internal distraction, whereas autistic people are more likely to be distracted by external factors (like sensory input).
Autistic people may daydream or "tune out" when they're disinterested or are overwhelmed by sensory needs, and may not necessarily look at what they're paying attention to (like with conversations).[6] Without external distractions, their focus is closer to average. They may, however, focus intently on one thing more often and have trouble moving their attention elsewhere.
People with ADHD are more likely to daydream or "tune out" even when they're genuinely interested - they may become distracted by their own thoughts. Other things, like people walking past an open door, may also distract them.
Both autistics and people with ADHD can hyperfocus, but people with ADHD often struggle to hyperfocus if they're not passionately interested, which is not necessarily the case with autism.
Look at disorganization and prioritization. Because both ADHD and autism can cause executive functioning issues, people with ADHD and autistic people can be messy or disorganized and have difficulty getting things done.
Autistic people may not complete a task because they don't know how to do it, or because it doesn't fit into their routine. They may need to have schedules or lists to know what to do and how to do it
Someone with ADHD might not complete something because they forget to do it, get distracted by their thoughts or something nearby (like seeing something moving out the window), or procrastinate for various reasons - like disinterest in the task or not knowing how to start
ADHD can result in messiness and misplacing things; the person might often forget where they've put something, or not be able to find it. They may feel like they can never finish cleaning up no matter how much they try. While autistic people can be messy, it's not universal, and they're not as likely to forget where things are.
People with ADHD may be constantly late to events and forget to bring important things. This is not as common in autism.
Think about the longevity of interests. Autistic people are more likely to have long-term, intense interests (called special interests) that they focus on for extremely long times. On the other hand, people with ADHD are more likely to pick up interests on a whim, be obsessed with them for a relatively short period of time, and then drop them.
Consider how much the person talks. Both autistic people and people with ADHD may interrupt and/or talk "at" people and not let them get a word in. Autistic people typically don't realize the other person wants to speak or have trouble with the give-and-take of a conversation. People with ADHD are typically chatty due to hyperactivity, and interrupt because of impulsivity or overlooking social cues.
Analyze the use of movement. While stimming and fidgetiness is common in both ADHD and autism, people with ADHD typically use it to focus or get extra energy out, whereas autistic people also to use it to express sensory or emotional needs.
People with ADHD are more likely to be restless and fidgety for no apparent reason, and they might feel the urge to get up when they should stay seated. They may also shift positions constantly, swing their legs in their chair, pick at their cuticles, or fidget with their hair or things in their hands.
Autistic people often move around to handle sensory feedback and prevent sensory overload, as well as express their emotions. Their fidgeting may seem more ritualistic or repetitive compared to general fidgetiness, like flicking their fingers or spinning in circles #ADHD #austism
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